How Lampang celebrates Thai New Year

How Lampang celebrates Thai New Year

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
How Lampang celebrates Thai New Year
A parade featuring men in ancient northern costumes at Songkran celebrations in Lampang. Photo: Jetjaras na Ranong

It's time to plan for a big celebration of the Lanna traditional New Year at Lampang's Salung Luang Festival.

Every year, Lampang celebrates the Thai traditional New Year's Eve with a massive and spectacular parade that runs through the town.

The highlight of the parade will be a huge salung, or a bowl, and big drums called klong puja. A float carrying a huge silver bowl will go around the town, while water splashing will go on during the hottest period of Thailand's summer.

Salung is a Lanna word that means "water bowl". Salung luang means "a big water bowl". But Lampang's Salung Luang is a huge one. The silver bowl is 89cm wide and 49cm high. It weighs 38kg.

Lampang's people have contributed over 400,000 baht to make it a precious item of the province. Its rim is carved with Lanna words, explaining that this silver bowl is made to contain water for the New Year ceremony in particular.

During the ceremony, the salung sits on a carved wooden stand which is wonderfully carved and decorated with 23kg of silver plates. Thus, the water container and its stand becomes a precious item of Lampang.

The water mixed with flower petals and perfume will be used to bathe the Emerald Buddha statue from Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao, a famous temple of Lampang. Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao once housed the famous Emerald Buddha, which now is in Bangkok, for a period of 34 years in the 15th century. Today, the temple houses Phra Kaeo Don Tao, a smaller crystal Buddha image, which is considered a very significant treasure of Lampang.

Lampang people have a strong belief that watering the Phra Kaeo Don Tao will make them live peacefully in the coming year. The holy water is sprinkled over their bodies for good fortune.

The parade will be beautified with local flags and flower floats that showcase delicate craftsmanship. Participants will be dressed in Lanna traditional attire and there will be parade floats from 13 districts.

The event will also include a local fair featuring Lampang specialities, traditional performances, a beauty contest, cooking contest, drum beating contest and of course, water splashing throughout the town.

The parade and watering ceremony will be held on April 12.


Visit TAT Lampang Office at 054-222-214 to 5

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