New Year Customs

Thsi post was supposed to be for April 2010, discussing New Year customs in my site.

I really like how sublime a pagoda looks with old archietcture. The suns make it feel welcoming and close to nature, as opposed to other places where the statues are tigers, apsara dancers, or even angels pulling on a naga, churning milk and honey, or what I associate with an ancient game of tug-a-war.

Here’s a visual of the pagoda my site was. It’s a very peaceful place and well-funded by the locals. I’ve been to a few 100 Days Ceremonies (100 days marking death of family member) and funeral processions here.

During the New Year, people place their candies, fruits, sodas, water, whatever they’d like to offer up to ancestors. Each house has a flag posted in front around the porch somewhere to mark the Cambodian holiday (one of so many holidays here)

I took a photo of my friend’s mother, who’s lighting candles for the evening and praying for luck and etc, just as all of us are getting ready to hang our mosquito nets and watch some late night singing from New Year live concerts on TV. No dancing in the pagoda that day; all of us were dog-tired from walking around.