泰國新年 潑水節 (Water-splashing New Year in Thailand 2012)

Water-splashing New Year in Thailand

Thursday, 26 April 2012  

Source: Sri Lanka’s National daily news

April is a month of celebration for almost all Asians due to the harvesting of crops with the help of monsoon winds and people have ample time for fun and frolic in the spring.

幾乎對所有亞洲國家來說四月是一個值得慶祝的月份，因為季風和雨季帶來穀物豐收，人們在春天有充裕的時間可以歡度喜樂。

Elephants spraying water on tourists and Thai public to celebrate the Songkran festival 大象向遊客噴灑水和泰國人民慶祝潑水節

Thai public and foreigners                  engaged in building sand    pagodas at local temples.   泰國民眾和遊客參加當地寺     廟製作沙寶塔。

   

As we Sinhalese and Tamils celebrate the New Year this month, it is a month of celebration for the Thai people as well. They call it the Songkran festival which has been celebrated from time immemorial.

正如錫蘭人和泰米爾人在四月慶祝新年，泰國人民也在這個月歡慶新年。他們稱之潑水節以慶祝這自遠古時代以來的傳統。

Millions of people from across the Kingdom of Thailand flocked to celebrate the Songkran festival on April 13. It is the traditional Thai New Year which is celebrated on a grand scale at several popular venues such as Khao San road in Bangkok, Khao new road in Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai city. These areas were packed with thousands of Thais and foreigners splashing water.

全國各地數以百萬計的泰民在4月13日蜂擁群聚慶祝潑水節。泰國傳統新年在幾個熱門場館規模宏大的慶祝，如在曼谷 Khao San路，在孔敬府的 Khao new road和清邁市。這些地區都擠滿了成千上萬的泰國人和外國人潑水祈福。

The biggest annual event of Thailand, the Songkran festival, includes the fun-filled water throwing and paying respect to the elders by sprinkling their hands with scented water as Thais consider water as a symbol of cleansing for the New Year. There were also demonstrations of Thai traditional cooking, cultural performances from various regions and bathing of the Buddha images.

泰國潑水節，是每年一度最大的盛事，泰國人視水能洗淨災厄視為新年象徵，慶祝活動包括充滿樂趣的投擲潑水，及尊重長輩要用有香味的水噴灑在他們的手。另外也有泰國傳統食物的烹飪示範，來自各地區的文化表演，及沐浴佛像。

This year, the Great Songkran Day fell on April 13 and the designated symbol was Kimitha Thewi, a lady who lies down but not asleep on a buffalo's back, wearing a jongkonnee flower behind one ear and wielding a sword on her right hand and a harp in her left. Every region in the country celebrated the festival under the common theme Cool Songkran all over Thailand. April 12 is a big day for Thais to accumulate merit. Thais were engaged in various religious activities such as pouring scented water onto the Buddha images and monks. It is an auspicious act to receive blessings for the New Year by offering alms to monks to dedicate merit to the ancestors of Thailand and listening to Buddhist preachings. They also engaged in building sand pagodas around the temple as these could be used later for the renovation of temples.

今年，泰國偉大的潑水節落在04月13日。今年，指定的象徵符號是Kimitha Thewi 女神，她站在水牛的背上但沒有睡著，一耳後面帶著一朵水睡蓮，以右手揮舞一把劍，左手則有一把豎琴。在全國各地區都以共同的主題慶祝泰國潑水節節日。4月12日是泰國累積功德的一個大日子。泰國人從事各種宗教活動，如將充滿香味的水潑到佛像和僧侶。藉著提供供品給僧侶累積功德以祭祀泰國的祖先是一個吉祥的行為，並聽取佛教說教來收到新年的祝福。他們還在寺廟周圍建造沙寶塔，因為這些之後可用來裝飾寺廟讓其煥然一新。

Many local organizers too organized the Songkran festival in nine provinces including Mueang-U area in the Udonthani Province, Sai Khao Chae road in the Phetchaburi Province, Khao San road in Bangkok, Kluay Take road in the Phitsa Nulok Province, Khao Thip road in the Chantha Buri Province, Khao Nieo road in the Khon Kaen Province and Nakhon Phanom in the Nakhon Phanom Province from April 11 to 18.

泰國當地時間4月11-18日包括Udonthani烏隆塔尼省(東北) 的首都區廊曼 – U區域，碧武裡省西考蔡路，曼谷考山(Khao San)路，在 彭世洛省( Phitsa Nulok省) Kluay Take路，莊他武裡省(chantha Buri)考新路，孔敬(Khon Kaen)省 考鳥路，那空拍儂省(Nakhon Phanom) 等九個省市的許多當地組織團體舉辦的潑水節慶點活動。

Despite the blazing heat, these areas were crowded with Thais and foreign revellers. They were involved in activities such as offering food to monks, bathing the Buddha images, the Songkran procession, floral parade, bathing and paying respect to elders by pouring scented water, Thai classical folk dancing show, Songkran beauty pageant, concerts, selling food and drinks and enjoying splashing water on people.

儘管天氣熾熱，泰國民眾和外國人擠滿了這些地區一起狂歡。他們參與活動，如提供食物給僧侶，沐浴佛像，潑水節遊行，遊行花車，洗澡和對尊重的長者澆香味的水，泰國古典民間舞蹈表演，潑水節選美比賽，音樂會，販售各式食品和飲料和享受對人潑水的樂趣。

TAT Mumbai Office Director Sethaphan Buddhani said “Songkran is a centuries old festival which marks the beginning of the traditional Thai New Year. It is a unique event during which we splash others with water to offer and gain blessings. The word Songkran (Sangkranthi in Sinhala) is derived from Sanskrit which means 'to pass' or 'to move into' (transition). It implies the moving of the sun, moon and planets into a new orbit in the zodiac.”

泰國旅遊局（TAT）位於孟買辦事處主任Sethaphan Buddhani說：“潑水節是一個百年老節日，標誌著傳統的泰國新年的開始。它是一個非常獨特的事件，在這段期間，我們對他人灑水以提供和獲得祝福。”Songkran”此字潑水（在僧伽羅語Sangkranthi）來自梵文，這意味著“通過”或“移動到”（過渡）。這意味著太陽，月亮和行星移動到一個新的生肖軌道(黃道帶)。

The Thai people clean their houses and all other public places, such as, temples, schools and offices to welcome the New Year with a fresh start. With the dawn of the New Year, Thais go to temples to bathe the Buddha images and old monks with high veneration. They pour scented water on their parents and sometimes, it is done with a powdered water gun. They apply powder on each other's faces and spray water.

泰國人民打掃房屋和所有其他公共場所，如寺廟，學校和辦公室，以一個新的開始迎接新年。隨著新年來臨之際，泰國人以高度尊崇的敬意去清洗寺廟和高僧。他們噴灑有香味的水在他們的父母身上，有時，它是以一種裝了粉的水槍進行。它們適用於朝對方的臉塗抹和噴水。

A team of journalists guided by Thai host Tim visited the Khao San road in Bangkok where a number of Thais and foreigners got together to celebrate the Songkran on April 13. Both Thais and foreigners, equipped with water guns, soaked one another amid booming music. Most of the Thai teenagers enjoyed a water battle with foreign tourists. The atmosphere was playful with friendly water wars amid tight security provided by the Thai Police and security volunteers. A number of tourists had arrived in Thailand especially to participate in the water festival which has become a major tourism attraction in April. TAT had arranged all required facilities for the participants. All hotels in the main cities were filled with tourists who were seen enjoying splashing water on one another. Tourism brings in high revenue during the month of April in Thailand.

澆灑香味水儀式的佛像沐浴。

泰國和遊客在路邊享受對方互相潑水。

4月13日一隊由泰國指導記者走訪了在曼谷Khao San路採訪一群聚在一起慶祝潑水節的活動的泰國人和外國人。不論是泰國和外國人，都配備了水槍，沉浸在蓬勃的音樂聲中潑水。泰國青少年最喜歡與外國遊客玩水戰。由泰國警方和保安志願者提供了嚴密的保安中，這裡的玩水戰爭氣氛

是友好的。在4月抵達泰國的遊客，參加潑水節已成為主要的旅遊景點活動。TAT為與會者安排了所有必要的設施。所有主要城市的酒店充滿了來此享受彼此潑水活動的遊客，也在四月份為泰國的旅遊業帶來高收益。

在13個寺廟舉辦潑水節，其中包括在曼谷臥佛寺，黎明寺等的傳統表演。

參考資料:

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