Cambodia's traditional New (cholchham Thmer) falls in around mid April or the Chet. The fifth month of Cambodian lunar calendar during which peasants are relieved of their farm work after the dry season rice harvest. Three days before the New Year, April13, houses and pagodas are cleaned, washed and decorated with flowers colored papers with religious flags. Ever thing is well arranged in advance in echo family so that people can be free from kitchen work during the festival dates.
The first day Cambodian people prepare offerings as fruits, cades, drink and food that the yearly angel eats, including incenses, candles to greet and welcome the new angel in that year. During the New year festival which lasts for 3 days in each pagoda in the countryside they poll up sand to make a hill as a symbol of good harvest in coming year. They light incenses put on it wish and pray for what they want and prosperity. People take the food together to the pagoda made offerings to monk and dedicate to the souls of their ancestors then have lunch together after finish lunch they start joining in different games such as (chorl chhoung) and (Bos Angkunh) or nut throwing game. At night after listening to the monks recite the Dhama and preach about New Year festival.
Especially young people are the most to enjoy till dawn. In the final day along the road in front of each house they see people standing to throw water at passer-bys s a wish for luck and prosperity, at about two or three o'clock they go to the pagoda together (strong perch) to make the Buddha statues wash in water with perfume. Flowers in the temple after that they throw the water to each other happily and enjoy other games until dusk.
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