The Muses of Songkran
Celebrating the upcoming Thai New Year with the divine ladies of Songkran
- Published: 10/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Muse
Happy new year! Well, not quite, but we believe many 'Muse' readers have already packed their bags and are ready for either a great holiday escape or hitting the road home to visit their parents outside the chaotic City of Angels. Many others, however, are probably busy searching their attics for their water pistols in preparation for the wettest celebration ever.
Whatever the case may be, the beginning of this long holiday is marked by the time the sun enters Aries according to the ancient Indian ephemeris, thus signifying a new year. Apart from the usual ceremony of paying respect to elders and ancestors, what many Thais look for at the beginning of a new year are predictions of what is to come. (As evidenced in the Bangkok Post's much awaited annual horoscope published on the first of January each year, ahem!) As for Songkran, the predictions come in the presence and posture of the divine, mythical ladies that are Nang Songkran. How will the weather be? Will the economy prosper? Will a fatal pandemic strike? How will crops yield? These common concerns for the largely agriculture-based Thai society will be answered by a simple calculation of the time the sun enters Aries - which indicates which one of the seven Songkran goddesses descend to Earth and in what posture she comes.
Before many of us get confused, we have to make one point clear. The Nang Songkran we're talking about here is not the winner of a beauty queen contest who is carried on a palanquin in the grand Songkran parade you see all over Thailand during the festival. Actually, the Nang Songkran beauty queen and her parade is the secular imitation of the real celestial Songkran parade celebrated by higher beings, centred around the female deity, the mythical Nang Songkran.
According to Hindu mythology, the celestial parade of Songkran involves the story of a wise man named Dhammabal and Maha Brahma named Kabil Brahma, who rules the third level of the Brahma celestial world (located above heaven) and also is the father of the seven deities known collectively as Nang Songkran. The great Lord of Brahma in the celestial world learned about the Dhammabal's intellect from hearing his praises and wanted to challenge the human with a riddle, placing his own head as a wager. Dhammabal, who had mastered bird language, overheard the answer to Kabil Brahma's riddle from a conversation between two eagles and Kabil Brahma had to behead himself at the loss. However, he summoned all his seven daughters, who were god Indra's ladies-in-waiting, to bring the tray to carry his head, which could cause a lethal cataclysm should it fall to the air, onto the Earth or into water. His eldest daughter, Tungsa, then carried the head around Krailas mountain for 60 minutes before putting it safely in Khanduli cave, deep inside the mountain. Since then, each of the seven daughters, joined by deities and higher beings in heaven, would take turns carrying the head around the mountain each year. As the word Kabil also means "red", the implication of this story is inseparable from the occurrence of the sun entering the first zodiac sign which signals the beginning of a new year.
The seven daughters of Kabil Brahma also represent each day of the week and ancient astrologers know which of them will descend to Earth by using ephemeris to find out on what day of the week the sun enters Aries. Each of these deities is identified by the colour of their dress, their ornaments, choice of weapon and food, and means of transport symbolised by animals as follow:
The Nang Songkran for Sunday is Tungsa, who wears clothes in the colour of red stone. The pomegranate flower and ruby are her ornaments. She carries a discus in her right hand and a conch shell in her left. Her food is fig and she travels on a garuda.
The Nang Songkran for Monday is Koraka, who wears clothes in the colour of the moon. Indian cork and pearl are her ornaments. She has a Phra Khan (small sword) in her right hand and a stick in her left. Her food is ghee and she travels on a tiger.
The Nang Songkran for Tuesday is Rakso, who wears clothes in the colour of zircon. Sacred lotus and jasper are her ornaments. She has a trident in her right hand and a bow in her left. Her food is blood and she travels on a pig.
The Nang Songkran for Wednesday is Monta, who wears clothes in the colour of emerald. The chakpak flower and chrysoberyl are her ornaments. She has a Marlin spike in her right hand and a stick in her left. Her food is milk and butter and she travels on a donkey.
The Nang Songkran for Thursday is Kirinee, who wears clothes in the colour of chrysoberyl. Egg magnolia and emerald are her ornaments. She has a mahout's hook in her right hand and a crossbow in her left. Her food is sesame and peas and she travels on an elephant.
The Nang Songkran for Friday is Kimita, who wears clothes in the colour of diamond. White water lily and topaz are her ornaments. She has a small sword in her right hand and a harp in her left. Her food is banana and she travels on a buffalo.
The Nang Songkran for Saturday is Mahotorn, who wears clothes in the colour of black stone. Water hyacinth and black sapphire are her ornaments. She has a discus in her right had and trident in her left. Hog dear is her food and she travels on a peacock.
Ancient astrologers defined different interpretations for each day of the week the sun enters Aries - which is called Maha Songkran day (the end of old year), as well as the following two days, which are called Wan Nao (Preparation Day) and Wan Taleung Sok (New Year's Day). For example, crop yields will not be good if Maha Songkran falls on a Sunday, while senior state officers will be recognised overseas should Maha Songkran day fall on a Wednesday, as is the case this year.
The posture of Nang Songkran, which is calculated by the time the Sun enters Aries, also holds a key to predict the year ahead. Nang Songkran will stand on the animal's back if she comes in the morning, ride on its back if she comes in the afternoon, recline with her eyes open if she comes in the evening and recline with her eyes closed if she comes past midnight. The standing posture is related to trouble and suffering, the riding posture signifies pandemic, death and disaster, the reclining posture with eyes open signifies peace and happiness while the reclining posture with eyes closed reflects the glory of the monarch.
In the old days when calendar wasn't available and literacy was not common, the calculation for Maha Songkran day, Wan Nao and Wan Taleung Sok along with predictions for the year would be presented to the King by the royal astrologer on the advent of the festival. The court artist would then paint a picture based on the information, showing Nang Songkran and the celestial procession. The court would then issue the "Songkran Announcement", which details the time for the new year, the auspicious and inauspicious days as well as the coming rainfalls - crucial information to members of an agricultural society.
Although a Songkran Announcement may be anachronistic with the introduction of the modern calendar and meteorology, a number of people remain interested in the announcement and rely on it for scheduling auspicious events and they continue to refer to Nang Songkran for predictions in the year to come.
What will happen in the coming year?
In this year of the tiger, the sun enters Aries on Wednesday, April 14 at 7:19am. Nang Songkran will be Monta and she will descend to the Earth standing on the back of a donkey. With Maha Songkran falling on Wednesday, Wan Nao falling on Thursday and Wan Thaleung Sok falling on Friday, the ancient method of prediction says that senior state officers will receive recognition from overseas and fruit will be expensive. The royal family will experience some anxiety. Merchants will prosper. The standing posture of Nang Songkran also signifies trouble for the people.
About the author
- Writer: Samila Wenin
- Position: Muse Editor
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