Post by Laoupdate on Apr 11, 2005 4:43:17 GMT -5
Join Laos in celebrating Pi Mai (New Year) from 14 to 16 April.
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www.thingsasian.com/content/1100/51/images/lpny04.jpg
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LAO New Year will be celebrated from 14 to 16 April nationwide this year. The celebration is held over three days based on the calculation of the lunar cycle.
The first day, which falls on 14 April (Thursday), is known as "Mue Sangkhane Pay", which means the passing of the old year. On this day, people clean their houses and wash their hair, which is symbolic of washing away ill luck and all things bad from the old year.
The next day - gMue Naoh, marks the day between the passing day of the old year and the New Year.
The third day is known as gMue Sangkhane Khuenh, the new year day. People get up early on this day to make offerings to monks making their rounds. Many families also make it a point to prepare trays of desserts and banana-made cones stuffed with flowers. These are a tribute to the guardians of the house. The most important item on the menu is glaaph, a Lao delicacy that is believed to bring good luck for the New Year.
At night, traditionally within family, younger people visit their seniors for two purposes: 1) to ask for forgiveness for any misconduct in the year that passed and 2) to ask for blessings. During their visitation, the juniors always make it a point to bring with them small tokens and gifts for their seniors.
Pi Mai is a day for family reunion. The Lao people make it a point to do good deeds and to make merits, ranging from offering food to monks, paying respect to the elder and asking for their blessings, pouring scented water on Buddha images, building sand stupas, and releasing animals, particularly birds and fish.
It is also an occasion when relatives, friends, neighbours and colleagues gathered to revive their kinship and friendship.
During the three-day celebration, people hold parties for family members, relatives, neighbours, friends and colleagues. One of the most common images of the celebrations in urban areas are parties held in small groups in front of (shop) houses on downtown roadsides. In between singing and drinking, youngsters are seen storing water in tanks, bowls and other water containers for the ggreat downpourh. When unsuspecting passersby walk past, these youngsters would splash, and sometimes even pour, gallons of water on them!
Amidst much good cheer, young people do not forget to make a trip to their village temples to perform the act of washing Buddha images with scented water during the three days of celebrations.
According to traditional belief, the more trips one make to temples during Pi Mai, the more merits he or she can collect. The more popular temples bear auspicious names and are prominent in the city. Some of these temples are Inpeng (Indra creates), Haisok (out of sadness/distress), Misay (being victorious), Sieng Gnuen (longevity), Kao Gnord (Nine Tops), Nasay (victorious field) and Phonsay (victorious hill), to name a few.
The temples which are put into the category of prominence include Ongtue, Sisaketh, Simeuang, Houameuang, That Luang, and Vat Tay Gnay, among others.
The roads leading to these temples in the event are usually crowded - even stuck, filled with water as if they are flooded. Traffic is not flowing. Setthathirath Road, which is not wide and runs through the commercial area of Vientiane and past these important temples, became the zone of combats of water throwing and hurling of water-filled plastic bags.
Mr Bounthieng Khounsy, Chief of Chanthabouly district, said the Administration of Chanthabouly district on 14, 15 and 16 April will open the Done Chanh beach on Vientiane's bank of the Mekong River to the public. The purpose is to divert revellers and vehicles from the roads in the capital to the beach. On the other hand, the beach is within the city. Revellers do not need to travel far out of town.
On the beach sport activities and entertainment will be organised and food and drinks would be sold, he added.
Source: KPL
Photos: www.thingsasian.com/content/1100/51/images/lpny04.jpg
[/img]
LAO New Year will be celebrated from 14 to 16 April nationwide this year. The celebration is held over three days based on the calculation of the lunar cycle.
The first day, which falls on 14 April (Thursday), is known as "Mue Sangkhane Pay", which means the passing of the old year. On this day, people clean their houses and wash their hair, which is symbolic of washing away ill luck and all things bad from the old year.
The next day - gMue Naoh, marks the day between the passing day of the old year and the New Year.
The third day is known as gMue Sangkhane Khuenh, the new year day. People get up early on this day to make offerings to monks making their rounds. Many families also make it a point to prepare trays of desserts and banana-made cones stuffed with flowers. These are a tribute to the guardians of the house. The most important item on the menu is glaaph, a Lao delicacy that is believed to bring good luck for the New Year.
At night, traditionally within family, younger people visit their seniors for two purposes: 1) to ask for forgiveness for any misconduct in the year that passed and 2) to ask for blessings. During their visitation, the juniors always make it a point to bring with them small tokens and gifts for their seniors.
Pi Mai is a day for family reunion. The Lao people make it a point to do good deeds and to make merits, ranging from offering food to monks, paying respect to the elder and asking for their blessings, pouring scented water on Buddha images, building sand stupas, and releasing animals, particularly birds and fish.
It is also an occasion when relatives, friends, neighbours and colleagues gathered to revive their kinship and friendship.
During the three-day celebration, people hold parties for family members, relatives, neighbours, friends and colleagues. One of the most common images of the celebrations in urban areas are parties held in small groups in front of (shop) houses on downtown roadsides. In between singing and drinking, youngsters are seen storing water in tanks, bowls and other water containers for the ggreat downpourh. When unsuspecting passersby walk past, these youngsters would splash, and sometimes even pour, gallons of water on them!
Amidst much good cheer, young people do not forget to make a trip to their village temples to perform the act of washing Buddha images with scented water during the three days of celebrations.
According to traditional belief, the more trips one make to temples during Pi Mai, the more merits he or she can collect. The more popular temples bear auspicious names and are prominent in the city. Some of these temples are Inpeng (Indra creates), Haisok (out of sadness/distress), Misay (being victorious), Sieng Gnuen (longevity), Kao Gnord (Nine Tops), Nasay (victorious field) and Phonsay (victorious hill), to name a few.
The temples which are put into the category of prominence include Ongtue, Sisaketh, Simeuang, Houameuang, That Luang, and Vat Tay Gnay, among others.
The roads leading to these temples in the event are usually crowded - even stuck, filled with water as if they are flooded. Traffic is not flowing. Setthathirath Road, which is not wide and runs through the commercial area of Vientiane and past these important temples, became the zone of combats of water throwing and hurling of water-filled plastic bags.
Mr Bounthieng Khounsy, Chief of Chanthabouly district, said the Administration of Chanthabouly district on 14, 15 and 16 April will open the Done Chanh beach on Vientiane's bank of the Mekong River to the public. The purpose is to divert revellers and vehicles from the roads in the capital to the beach. On the other hand, the beach is within the city. Revellers do not need to travel far out of town.
On the beach sport activities and entertainment will be organised and food and drinks would be sold, he added.
Source: KPL
Photos: www.thingsasian.com/content/1100/51/images/lpny04.jpg