Lao New Year

Lao New Year / Songkran / Pii Mai
Lao people bathing the Buddha during the New Year
Official name	Songkran (ສົງກຣານ)
Also called	Pii Mai (ປີໃໝ່)
Observed by	Lao
Significance	Marks the Lao New Year
Begins	13/14 April
Ends	15/16 April
Date	13 April
2016 date	13 April, Monkey
2017 date	14 April, Rooster
2018 date	13 April, Dog
Frequency	annual
Related to	Burmese New Year, Cambodian New Year, Nepalese New Year, Sri Lankan New Year, Thai New Year, Dai New Year, Tai Khamti New Year, Odiya New Year, Tamil New Year

Lao New Year, called Songkran (Lao: ສົງກຣານ, [sǒŋkràːn]) or Pii Mai (Lao: , [pìːmāi]), is celebrated every year from April 13/14 to April 15/16.

Lao New Year is a popular English name for a traditional celebration known in Laos as "Pi Mai" (in Lao language). Lao New Year is the most widely celebrated festival in Laos. The festival is also celebrated by the Lao in the United States of America, Canada, France, England and Australia. Lao New Year takes place in April, the hottest time of the year in Laos, which is also the start of the monsoon season. Lao New Year or Songkran takes place at roughly the same time as the new year celebrations of many countries in South Asia like India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.

The official festival lasts for three days from April 14 to April 16 (although celebrations can last more than a week in towns like Luang Prabang). The first day is the last day of the old year. Houses and villages are properly cleaned on the first day. Perfume, water and flowers are also prepared for the Lao New Year. The second day of the festival is the "day of no day", a day that falls in neither the old year or the new year. The last day of the festival marks the start of the new year.

Water is used for washing homes, Buddha images, monks, and soaking friends and passers-by. Students first respectfully pour water on their elders, then monks for blessings of long life and peace, and last of all they throw water at each other. The water is perfumed with flowers or natural perfumes. Some people prefer flowers in the water to give a pleasant smell, as well as adding cologne/perfume. Over the years another tradition has developed with Lao New Year: people will smear or throw cream (shaving cream or whipped cream) or white powder on each other during the celebrations.

Sand is brought to the temple grounds and is made into stupas or mounds, then decorated before being given to the monks as a way of making merit. There are two ways to make the sand stupas. One way is to go to the beach, and the other way is to bring sand to the vat, or temple. Sand stupas are decorated with flags, flowers, white lines, and splashed with perfumed water. Sand stupas symbolize the mountain, Phoukhao Kailat, where King Kabinlaphrôm's head was kept by his seven daughters.