Khmer people celebrate Chol Chnam Thmay New Year

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SOC TRANG – People gather around the pagoda to sing, dance, offer rice, build sand mountains, bathe Buddha in the joyful atmosphere of the traditional Chol Chnam Thmay Tet.

Chol Chnam Thmay Festival is a festival to celebrate the new year according to the traditional calendar of the Khmer people, taking place for three days from April 14 to 16 of the solar calendar. “Chol” means “to enter” and “Chnam Thmay” means “new year’.The ancients believed that this is the beginning of a new year because heaven and earth harmonize, the dry season changes to the rainy season, and the trees sprout. flourish.

Visitors to Soc Trang on this occasion can feel the excitement and joy of welcoming Tet at most Khmer pagoda sites, including famous pagodas in Soc Trang city such as Bat pagoda, SomRong pagoda, Kh’leang pagoda, Chrôi pagoda. Tum Chas or Paem Buol Thmay.

Monk Hoang Dat, who is studying at the Bat Pagoda, said that a few days before the Chol Chnam Thmay Festival, people living in Phum soc (residential areas) around the temple decorate and clean their houses; and the monks set up and decorated the stage from local materials, preparing for cultural performances.

This is the biggest festival of the year for more than 1.3 million Khmer ethnic people in Vietnam. This year, the Khmer people celebrated the traditional New Year after 2 years of suspension because of Covid-19. On New Year’s Eve on April 13, people come to the temple to listen to the monks chanting and giving blessings during the transition to the new year. Brilliant Khmer youth and girls in traditional costumes attract the eyes of tourists.

“I’m excited to go out to Tet, enjoy the joyful atmosphere with Khmer people,” said Truong Duong, a Kinh, living in Soc Trang city. Mr. Duong watched musical performances, watched children play five-syllable music and chop chop on New Year’s Eve April 13 at Bat Pagoda.

Khmer people go out to celebrate Tet on New Year's Eve April 13 in Soc Trang.  Photo: Huynh Phuong
Khmer people go out to celebrate Tet-on New Year’s Eve April 13 in Soc Trang. Photo: Huynh Phuong

The first day of Tet on April 14 is called Chol Sangkran Thmay. At home, people choose the best time of the day, take a bath, wear formal and polite clothes, and prepare the heavenly altar. They arrange flowers, fruits and incense sticks ready to see off the old god Tevada and welcome the new god to rule Phum, squirrel (the Khmer population cluster).

At the temple, the procession of the Great Calendar (Maha Sangkran) takes place. Buddhists go around the main hall of the temple three times, to mark the new year procession to the Khmer people. The great calendar procession has the same meaning as the New Year’s Eve celebration on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, in order to send off the bad luck of the old year and hope for a good new year.

Monday, April 15 is called Wonbof. In the early morning, people offer rice to the monks, in the afternoon, they hold the ceremony “Puon phnom khsach” in the temple premises. Buddhists burn incense to pray for favorable weather and good luck according to their wishes.

People offer rice to invite monks in Bat Pagoda on April 15.  Photo: Huynh Phuong
People offer rice to invite monks in Bat Pagoda on April 15. Photo: Huynh Phuong

Tuesday, April 16, is called Lom-sak, also known as Buddha Bathing Day. This day carries many important meanings for Khmer people and marks the end of Tet. During the ritual, the monks use flower branches, sprinkle drops of water scented with fragrant flowers on the Buddha image. After that, everyone goes home to bathe the Buddha image worshiped in the family, congratulate grandparents, parents and offer cakes to give thanks.

Not only is it the New Year of the Khmer people, on this occasion the Kinh and Chinese people in Soc Trang also come to celebrate. Traditional Khmer New Year day contributes to educating people about filial piety, love, and helping each other in phum soc. This is also an opportunity for relatives to meet and share blessings, visit and exchange experiences in the future.

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