Today, Cambodia’s celebrating their Khmer New Year…its a 3 day celebration! Let me greet you first a HAPPY CAMBODIAN NEW YEAR.

This is the 3rd new year celebration in the country, first was the International New Year then the Chinese New Year and now the Cambodia New Year. The celebration lasts for 3 days starting today, April 14 to April 16, 2010…which symbolize the end of the harvesting season, when farmers enjoy the fruits of their labor before the rainy season begins. In Buddhist Era, 2011 is 2555 BE, in their Buddhist calendar.

Yesterday we saw these extravagant New Years table within a shopping center along Norodom…

And today, we saw this simple table in Paragon, after attending a Magic Show at Monkey Business…

Anyway, here’s the activity for the three days celebration that I got from HERE.

Maha Songkran, derived from Sanskrit Maha Sankranti, is the name of the first day of the new year celebration. It is the ending of the year and the beginning of a new one. People dress up and light candles and burn incense sticks at shrines, where the members of each family pay homage to offer thanks for the Buddha’s teachings by bowing, kneeling and prostrating themselves three times before his image. For good luck people wash their face with holy water in the morning, their chests at noon, and their feet in the evening before they go to bed.

Virak Wanabat is the name of the second day of the new year celebration. People contribute charity to the less fortunate by helping the poor, servants, homeless, and low-income families. Families attend a dedication ceremony to their ancestors at the monastery.

Tngay Leang Saka is the name of the third day of the new year celebration. Buddhists cleanse the Buddha statues and their elders with perfumed water. Bathing the Buddha images is the symbol that water will be needed for all kinds of plants and lives. It is also thought to be a kind deed that will bring longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity in life. By bathing their grandparents and parents, children can obtain from them best wishes and good advice for the future.

They also have various GAMES that are being played during the period of new year and they are preparing for special dishes and one of them was a kralan—a cake made from steamed rice mixed with beans or peas, grated coconut and coconut milk, mixture is stuffed inside a bamboo stick and slowly roasted. I never had this food yet but I hope to taste.

Again, wishing everyone a HAPPY CAMBODIAN NEW YEAR.

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The New Year Banner Photo is from Keunfast Worldwide and the rest was mine! *smile*