Happy Khmer New Year

The Khmer New Year’s Eve Festival 2017 (Angkor Sangkranta) is definitely the most important event in Cambodia. Often mentioned as one of the best spots in Cambodia and South-East Asia, the Khmer NYE celebration in Siem Reap attract every year thousands of visitors, from other Cambodia provinces and foreign countries.
The Khmer New Year’s Eve (Angkor Sangkranta 2017) will be celebrated this year from April 14th to April 16th, in front of Angkor Wat Temple, Ba

yon Temple, and Elephant Terrace, along the Siem Reap River, in the Angkor Gyeongju area and in Pub Street.
Like most New Year holidays, Khmer New Year is full of tradition and rituals. The three days of celebration each have their own name and associated traditions:

Happy Khmer New year

First Day (14th April) – Maha Songkran

The first day of the Khmer New Year is called ‘Maha Songkran’. Similar to the Tamil tradition, it is believed that this was the day of creation. In Khmer tradition, the world was created by God’s angels and to welcome the angels , people will clean their houses and illuminate them with candles. Families will place an idol of Buddha on an altar.

Second Day (15th April) – Vanabot

Also known as Virak Wanabat, the second day of Khmer New Year is a time to think of the less fortunate. People offer charity by helping the poor, servants and homeless. Families may go to monasteries to pay respect to their ancestors, and it also a time for family members to exchange gifts.

Third Day (16th April) – Leang Saka

On the third day of New Year celebrations Buddhists wash and clean statues of Lord Buddha with scented water. This cleaning is done to ensure that Cambodia will receive all the water it needs in the coming year. Another tradition is that children wash and bathe their parents and grandparents in return for blessing and good advice for the future.