On the 14th, 15th, and 16th of April every year, Khmer people here and in other parts of the world will welcome a new year.
Cheul Chnam Thmay, or Khmer New Year, is based on a different lunar calendar (possibly the Hindu calendar) as well as the Buddhist calendar, which counts the years since Buddha died. Khmer New Year usually lasts for three days and occurs around the end of the dry season.
Khmer New Year is a time for Khmer people to come together in their communities and pay respect to Buddha, their ancestors and the elders in their families like parents, uncles, aunts and grandparents. During Khmer New Year, people will wash statues of Buddha with water that has been blessed by monks to thank Buddha for his teachings. During this time, the younger generations of families will also use water to bathe their elders and give them money to show respect and to bring them good luck and happiness in the new year. This is done too to represent how young people should care for their elders. Khmer New Year is also an opportunity for people to donate money to pagodas to support the monks their who serve their communities. Khmer people often celebrate the new year by watching live performances in Khmer, dancing and singing in pagodas and preparing special foods. Have you ever seen anything like this before? How do you and your family celebrate the start of a new year?
