subject: Celebrate the Thai New Year at the Annual Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival [print this page] Celebrate the Thai New Year at the Annual Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival
Held on the Sunday following the Songkran Day in Mid April Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival varies from similar celebrations of the Thai New Year due to the fact that it is celebrated later in the month and with a special procession. Commemorated with deep reverence and pride thePhra Pradaeng Songkran Festival begins with the preparation of the Flag Ceremony of Thai-Raman which sees every village create a flag of a centipede which is then carried in the parade and later draped on various temples as a sign of spiritual unity.
Another highlight of the festival is of course the playing of traditional and often ancient games like the Saba. Saba is primarily a folk game which is played with the use of beans while other forms of play indigenous to the Thai-Raman communities such as those that involve young men and women in a heated debate amidst an atmosphere of hypnotic music and mesmerizing dance also take precedence during the period.
The main event in the commemoration of Phra Pradaeng Songkran is of course its vibrant parade which sees beautifully clad maidens in their Raman or Mon costumes proceed through the village on board floats decked in flowers. Each maiden holds a bird cage and a bowl of fish in hand while young men attired in conventional Raman attire of sarong, short and sash walk ahead of the floats. The birds are later released as a gesture to chase away evil spirits and hark in a time of prosperity. Complete with nearly 20 separate processions the vehicle at the head of the parade carries the beauty queen Miss Songkran with her attending maids nearby. She holds a mask that represents the disengaged leader of Lord Tao Maha Songkran which is considered an act that brings about good fortune to all of mankind.
Chosen prior to the parade the Miss Songkran Beauty Queen competition is also a highly contested event at the festival. Other must-see highlights at the festival include the spirited boat races and the customary bathing of Buddha statues conducted in temples.
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