EPISODE 16:

A BLESSING FOR THE MASSES

BANGKOK, THAILAND

The Solar New Year’s festival, Songkran, turns the streets of Bangkok into the world’s largest water gun fight. But this festival hasn’t always been such a wild party. The traditional side of the holiday is centered around family time, respect for monks and the elderly, and it positions water as a symbol of purification just before the start of the rainy season. The holiday falls right in the middle of the hottest stretch of the year, and can be seen as a rite of passage to enter into the Monsoon season. At Buddhist temples throughout the city, you can see vestiges of the traditional side Songkran. But as time has passed, these traditions and their intentions have been re-imagined. The Songkran of today is a performance of identity, and has exploded ancient rituals into a globally relatable exhibition of culture.