Cambodian New Year (
Khmer:
បុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំថ្មី) or
Chaul Chnam Thmey in the
Khmer language, literally "Enter Year New", is the name of the
Cambodian
holiday that celebrates the New Year. The holiday lasts for three days
beginning on New Year's day, which usually falls on April 13 or 14th,
which is the end of the harvesting season, when farmers enjoy the fruits
of their labor before the rainy season begins. Khmers living abroad may
choose to celebrate during a weekend rather than just specifically
April 13 through 15th. The Khmer New Year coincides with the traditional
solar new year in several parts of India, Myanmar and Thailand.
Cambodians also use Buddhist Era to count the year based on the
Buddhist calendar. For 2012, it is 2556 BE (Buddhist Era).
The three days of the new year
Elders cleanse statues of the Buddha with perfumed water.
Maha Songkran (មហាសង្រ្កាន្ត)
Maha Songkran, derived from
Sanskrit Maha Sankranti,
is the name of the first day of the new year celebration. It is the
ending of the year and the beginning of a new one. People dress up and
light candles and burn incense sticks at shrines, where the members of
each family pay homage to offer thanks for the Buddha's teachings by
bowing, kneeling and prostrating themselves three times before his
image. For good luck people wash their face with holy water in the
morning, their chests at noon, and their feet in the evening before they
go to bed.
Virak Wanabat (វិរ:វ័នបត)
Virak Wanabat is the name of the second day of the new year
celebration. People contribute charity to the less fortunate by helping
the poor, servants, homeless, and low-income families. Families attend a
dedication ceremony to their ancestors at the monastery.
Tngay Leang Saka (ថ្ងៃឡើងស័ក)
Tngay Leang Saka is the name of the third day of the new year
celebration. Buddhists cleanse the Buddha statues and their elders with
perfumed water. Bathing the Buddha images is the symbol that water will
be needed for all kinds of plants and lives. It is also thought to be a
kind deed that will bring longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity
in life. By bathing their grandparents and parents, children can obtain
from them best wishes and good advice for the future.
New Year's customs
In temples, people erect a sand hillock on temple grounds. They mound
up a big pointed hill of sand or dome in the center which represents
sakyamuni satya, the stupa at Tavatimsa, where the Buddha's hair and
diadem
are buried. The big stupa is surrounded by four small ones, which
represent the stupas of the Buddha's favorite disciples: Sariputta,
Moggallana, Ananda, and Maha Kassapa. There is another tradition called
Sraung Preah (ស្រង់ព្រះ) : pouring water or liquid plaster (a mixture of
water with some chalk powder) on elder relative, or people (mostly the
younger generation is responsible for pouring the water).
The Khmer New Year is also a time to prepare special dishes. One of these is a "
kralan": a cake made from
steamed rice mixed with beans or peas, grated coconut and coconut milk. The mixture is stuffed inside a bamboo stick and slowly roasted.
Khmer games (ល្បែងប្រជាប្រិយ)
Cambodia is home to a variety of games played to transform the dull
days into memorable occasions. These games are similar to those played
at
Manipur, a north-eastern state in India.
[3]
Throughout the Khmer New Year, street corners often are crowded with
friends and families enjoying a break from routine, filling their free
time with dancing and games. Typically, Khmer games help maintain one's
mental and physical dexterity. The body's blood pressure, muscle system
an
- "Chol Chhoung (ចោលឈូង) "
A game played especially on the first nightfall of the Khmer New Year
by two groups of boys and girls. Ten or 20 people comprise each group,
standing in two rows opposite each other. One group throws the "chhoung"
to the other group. When it is caught, it will be rapidly thrown back
to the first group. If someone is hit by the "chhoung," the whole group
must dance to get the "chhoung" back while the other group sings.
- "Chab Kon Kleng (ចាប់កូនខ្លែង) "
A game played by imitating a
hen as she protects her chicks from a
crow.
Adults typically play this game on the night of the first New Year's
Day. Participants usually appoint a strong player to play the hen who
protects "her" chicks, while another person is picked to be the "crow".
While both sides sing a song of bargaining, the crow tries to catch as
many chicks as possible as they hide behind the hen.
- "Bos Angkunh (បោះអង្គុញ)"
A game played by two groups of boys and girls. They put the hand in the hole.
- "Leak Kanseng (លាក់កន្សែង) "
A game played by a group of children sitting in a circle. Someone
holding a "kanseng" (Cambodian towel) that is twisted into a round shape
walks around the circle while singing a song. The person walking
secretly tries to place the "kanseng" behind one of the children. If
that chosen child realizes what is happening, he or she must pick up the
"kanseng" and beat the person sitting next to him or her.
A game played by two children in rural or urban areas during their
leisure time. Ten holes are dug in the shape of an oval into a board in
the ground. The game is played with 42 small beads, stones or fruit
seeds. Before starting the game, five beads are put into each of the two
holes located at the tip of the board. Four beads are placed in each of
the remaining eight holes. The first player takes all the beads from
any hole and drops them one by one in the other holes. He or she must
repeat this process until they have dropped the last bead into a hole
that lies besides any empty one. Then they must take all the beads in
the hole that follows the empty one. At this point, the second player
may have his turn. The game ends when all the holes are empty. The
player with the greatest number of beads wins the game. It is possibly
similar to
congkak.
- "Klah Klok (ខ្លា ឃ្លោក) "
A game played by Cambodians of all ages. It is a gambling game that
is fun for all ages involving a mat and some dice. You put money on the
object that you believe the person rolling the dice (which is usually
shaken in a type of bowl) and you wait. If the objects face up on the
dice are the same as the objects you put money on, you double it. If
there are two of yours, you triple, and so on.
SOURCE: Wikipedia
