Sangken
| Sangken | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Sangken Festival |
| Observed by | Khampti, Singpho, Tangsa, Tai Khamyang, Tai Phake in northeast India |
| Significance | Marks the Lunar New Year |
| Date | 13/14 April |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Thai New Year, Lao New Year, Cambodian New Year, Sri Lankan New Year, Burmese New Year, Dai New Year |
The Sangken festival is celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam, India, as the traditional New Year's Day from 13 to 15 April by the Theravada Buddhist Communities. It coincides with the New Year of many calendars. The Sangken festival is celebrated by the people of the Khampti tribe. The festival is also celebrated by Singpho, Tai Khamyang, Tangsa and of Arunachal Pradesh, and Tai Phake ,Tai Aiton and Tai Turung communities of Assam. Sangken generally falls in the month of 'Nuean Ha', the fifth month of the year of the Khamti Lunar calendar coinciding with the month of April. It is celebrated in the last days of the old year and the Lunar New Year begins on the day just after the end of the festival.
The main attraction of the festival is splashing clean water, which is the symbol of peace and purity. The images of Buddha are taken out and after the ceremonial bath. The procession is accompanied by drums, dances and enjoyment. The holy bath of lord Buddha is an auspicious event in the festival. The celebration takes place for three consecutive days. During the celebration the locals make homemade sweet and distribute them. The exchange of gifts is also a common trait of the festival. There are festivals other than Sangken celebrated throughout the year calendar. Some of the festivals are namely: POI-PEE-MAU (Tai Khampti New Year), MAI-KASUNG-PHAI, KHAO-WA, POAT-WA, etc.
Every festive occasion or celebration of the Buddhist people revolves around the principles and teachings of Lord Buddha. All its socio-cultural activities have been truly religious. The essence of festivals lies in bringing people together and spreading the intrinsic values of their cultures and traditions. Being followers of Lord Buddha, the Buddhist people are lovers of peace and harmony. Thus, Sangken has always unfolded the message of peace, harmony and unity. Their decency and craftsmanship and their cuisine reveal their love and taste of food, while their sports show their adeptness in the art of games.
The Tai Phakes is a lesser known Buddhist population of Assam. With its microscopic existence of less than 2000 souls, they mostly dwell in villages. In a constantly changing world they have tried to keep up, all the while trying to maintain their ways of life, tradition and culture.
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