Songkran Festival 2008’s Announcement

The Great Songkran Day this year falls on Sunday 13 April 2008, corresponding with the Year of the Rat. Its symbol is a Deva of the water element of nature, before B.E. 1370 (827 A.D), of the intercalary month in the Lunar Calendar and there is an extra day added in February every four years.

The Songkran Queen’s name is Tungsatevee, who wears a bangle and pomegranate flower, red dress, prefers wild fruit, in the right hand holding a Chakra and the left hand a shell, sitting on the back of a garuda.

The Great Songkran Day this year falls on Sunday 13 April 2008 at 18.24 hours. This changed from before B.E. 1370 (827 A.D.) on 14 April 2008 at 22.53.24 hours.

This year, Wednesday is the “Thongchai or Lucky Day”, Tuesday is the “Athibordi Day”, Tuesday is “Ubat or Bad Luck Day”, Thursday is “Lokawinat or Destructive Day”. Songkran this year falls on Sunday, so it shall inspire 400 ha (the word to call the shower of the rain) of rain. This is divided as 40 ha in the human world; 80 ha in the oceans; 120 ha in the Himmaphan Forest; 160 ha in the Chakkrawan Mountain. There are 4 Naga spraying water, the prediction about food is called “Wibat” the rice paddy in the farm shall be half productive and half destroyed, and there shall be little water.

From the above announcement of Songkran, if we compare with the ancient prediction, it is noticeable that Songkran this year will fall on Sunday. It is said that there shall be little grain, some sickness, and as the first day of Aries falls on Tuesday, it is the prediction that all people shall be happy and overcome their enemies. In the Lanna concept, it is predicted that there shall be expensive goods, some sickness, plants shall be seriously destroyed by insects, all are worse than good things. The Songkran Queen’s name is Tungsatevee that sounds not only terrible, but she also has garuda as a vehicle, and discus in the right hand and shell in the left hand. Garuda is the vehicle of Narayana, and a discus and shell is his weapon also. Thus Songkran Queen, Tungsatevee is the representative of Narayana who gets rid of problems of the world.

Prediction about the Great Songkran Day, the first day of Aries and New Year Celebration Day.

1. In case of Songkran day is falling on Sunday, plants shall give inappropriate productivity. In case the first day of Aries falls on Sunday, the rice shall die, lots of foreigners will enter the country, the elders shall worry about something affecting them. Should the New Year Celebration fall on Sunday, the King shall have great power to eliminate all enemies from all directions.
   
   
2. In case of Sonkran day is falling on Monday, tsenior government officers and their ladies shall have great power. Should the first day of Aries fall on Monday, there shall be sickness and expensive salt. Should the New Year Celebration fall on Monday, the Queen and her Lady-in-Waiting shall be happy.
   
   
3. In case of Songkran day is falling on Tuesday, there shall be a lot of crime and serious sickness. Should the first day of Aries fall on Tuesday, all fruits shall be expensive. Should the New Year Celebration fall on Tuesday, all civil servants shall be happy and overcome their enemies.
   
   
4. In case of Songkran day is falling on Wednesday, senior government officers shall be admired internationally. Should the first day of Aries fall on Wednesday, all food shall be expensive, widows shall loss their residence. Should the New Year Celebration fall on Wednesday, all psychologists shall be happy.
   
   
5. In case of Songkran day is falling on Thursday,the subordinates shall lose their advantages to their superiors. Should the first day of Aries fall on Thursday, all fruits shall be expensive, the Royal Family shall be worried about the country. Should the New Year Celebration falls on Thursday, all monks, nuns and Brahmins shall perform good activities.
   
   
6. In case of Songkran day is falling on Friday, there shall be richness with food and plants, heavy rain, strong storms, and people shall suffer from eye diseases and sickness. Should the first of day of Aries fall on Friday, chili shall be expensive, birds will suffer from disease, danger will occur to wild animals, and widows shall be lucky. Should the New Year Celebration Day fall on Friday, merchants and the head of the household shall have good luck in their business and earn lot of profit.
   
   
7. In case of Songkran day is falling on Saturday,there shall be lot of crime and serious sickness. Should the first day of Aries fall on Saturday, food shall be expensive, less rice products, expensive fruit, less water and fire in the center of the city, and noblemen shall be punished. Should the New Year Celebration Day fall on Saturday, all soldiers shall beat their enemies.

In addition, there are predictions from other beliefs that if the Great Songkran Day falls
on Sunday, the Songkran Queen will be Mrs. Paengsri, rice will be very expensive, most people shall suffer from diseases, enemy attacks, rice and plants are destroyed by insects, uneven rains, millionaires shall become bankrupt, rubber trees will be a great plant for other plants, and the holy rice will remain at the bamboo tree.
On Monday, the Songkran Queen is Manora. In such year, there shall be lots of snakes, most people shall suffer from diseases and have bad luck, and the holy rice will remain at Mai Dua Kliang.
On Tuesday, the Songkran Queen is Raksot Thevi. In such year, there shall be good rains in the beginning and end of the year but less rain in the middle of the year, destruction to rice farms, less fruit productivity, bad situation in the country, rice and plants are destroyed by insects, and the holy rice will remain at Mai Oye Chang.
On Wednesday, the Songkran Queen is Mantha. In such year, there shall be uneven rainfall, half production and half destruction of rice yields, expensive goods, bad luck for noblemen, and the holy rice will remain at Mai Kram.
On Thursday, the Songkran Queen is Kanyathep. In such year, there shall be regular rain according to the reason, elders shall be in danger, lots of dead animals, the people will be happy and have wellbeing while the noblemen and monks shall be worried, and the holy rice will remain at Bastard Teak.
On Friday, the Songkran Queen is Rintho. In such year, there shall be good rain in the beginning of the year and less in the middle of the year, the plants and rice are destroyed, danger to monks, and the holy rice will remain at Mai Phuttha.
On Saturday, the Songkran Queen is Sama Thevi. In such year, there is a lack of rain, the plants are destroyed by insects, great fire and expensive goods.