The Khmer New Year coincides with the traditional solar new year in several parts of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. The three days of the new year Preah Sorya's journey with his sun marking the Khmer New Year. Chaul Chnam Khmer (Khmer New Year), is a three-day festival starting around the 13th or 14th of April, depending on leap years, to celebrate the Cambodian New Year. It is like Christmas, New Year, and birthdays all rolled into one, as everyone is out on the streets saying “ Sus’Dei Chnam Thmei ” (Happy New Year in Cambodian), and wishing Chinese New Year celebrates the lunar cycle and is observed by Chinese communities, including in Cambodia. Although it isn’t a national holiday, many take leave during the festivities. This trend raises the question of its unofficial recognition as a public holiday. 2. When does the Cambodian New Year 2025 take place? The Cambodian New Year of 2024 spans from April 14 to 16, serving as a time for families to unite and uphold their cultural traditions and rituals. Accordingly, the Cambodian New Year (Khmer New Year) in 2025 is also expected to fall on April 14th through 16th. Post-New Year . Many Cambodians use this time for family trips or returns to their hometown; Some celebrations and events may continue for a few more days, especially in tourist areas; Where to Celebrate Khmer New Year. Khmer New Year is celebrated throughout Cambodia, but some locations offer particularly vibrant and traditional experiences. Khmer New Year is a time to party, and it is also a time to feast. During Khmer New Year, many families prepare special dishes. One such special dish is called kralan. Kralan is a cake made by mixing steamed rice, beans or peas, grated coconut, and coconut milk. This sweet and sticky mixture is then stuffed inside a bamboo stick and slowly roasted. However, the celebration of Cambodian New Year was banned in the 1970s under the rule of the Khmer Rouge. The festival was only revived and observed once again following the fall of the regime. Khmer New Year has become deeply embedded in Cambodian culture. (Source: Kampá Tour) Read more: The main festivals in Cambodia Theravāda New Year, also known as Songkran, is the water-splashing festival celebration in the traditional new year for the Theravada Buddhist calendar widely celebrated across South and Southeast Asia in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, parts of northeast India, parts of Vietnam, and Xishuangbanna, China [2] [3] begins on 13 April of the year. The highlight of Cambodian New Year celebrations is the Water Festival, or "Bon Om Touk," which takes place on the first day of the lunar new year. This iconic festival features boat races, water games, and colorful processions along rivers and lakes, symbolizing the importance of water in Cambodian culture and agriculture. Tourists wait to board a train at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to return home for Chinese Lunar New Year holiday in Shanghai on Jan 25, 2025. Photo by CFOTO/ Future Publishing via Getty Images. During New Year, traditional lion and dragon dancers can be seen in the streets, bringing good fortune for the year ahead to businesses and homes. Discover more about celebrating Chinese New Year in Cambodia. When is Chinese New Year? The date for the new year celebrations varies from year to year, but falls in January to February. The 2025 Chinese new year 2025, the year of the snake, Jan 29th Chinese new year 2024, the year of the dragon, Feb 10th. Chinese new year celebrations, also known as Spring Festival, starts on the evening preceding the new moon of the first lunar month & runs until the full moon, coinciding with Tet, the Vietnamese new year. The Khmer New Year, also known as "Choul Chnam Thmey," is one of the major cultural events celebrated by the Khmer people in Cambodia and around the world. This 10 Facts About Khmer New Year Celebration - Facts.net តោះបងប្អូន ត្រៀម Happy New Year April 14, 2017 is the first day of the Cambodian New Year’s celebrations. Distinct from the Chinese New Year, Cambodian New Year, or Khmer New Year, lasts for 3 – 4 days and is based on the traditional solar new year observed in parts of India and Asia, which coincides with the end of the harvest season. Happy Khmer New Year! Happy Khmer New Year! For the third time in four months, preparations are underway to bring in a new year in Cambodia. International New Year is an excuse to party with the rest of the world and Chinese New Year has been adopted as an unofficial holiday. But Khmer New Year still stands apart as one of the major festivals Concerning this information, the article reviews the history of the Khmer New Year, traditional games, angels for the Khmer New Year, and some other aspects. The article then concludes with a few Although Cambodians have their own Khmer New Year celebrations in April, the Chinese New Year is also observed with enthusiasm. On the streets, Lion and Dragon dances are a central part of the festivities. These performances are thought to bring luck to spectators, with longer dances considered espe In Cambodia, based on Khmer culture, there are 12 Cambodia zodiac signs in a year which are 12 zodiac animals. It is because Cambodia people follow the Khmer calendar and Buddhist calendar as well. It initially stems from the Chinese lunar calendar, and then many other Buddhism Asian countries adapted, including Cambodia. Although commonly referred to as Chinese New Year, it’s also celebrated in other Asian countries, especially Vietnam and Korea. 2025 is the Year of the Snake in most Asian countries! If you were born in 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, or 1941, after the Lunar New Year (late January or early February) you were born in the Year of the Snake.
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