Cambodian New Year (food ,colors, called, tradition, cake, decoration, deserts, clothes). Khmer New Year, also known as Cambodian New Year, is usually a three-day public vacation in Cambodia. In Khmer, it’s known as ‘Chaul Chnam Thmey’, which implies ‘enter the new year.
The Khmer New Year is marked by the sun coming into the sign of Aries the Ram. This specific event was historically closely related to the Vernal Equinox. In history, the dates of the sun coming into Aries and also the Vernal Equinox would be even nearer, however they need to be shifted because of an impression known as the procession.
Food
If you were raised in an exceedingly Khmer menage, you already grasp there’s continually wonderful food being poached. However, throughout the 3 days of the New Year, families bring out the massive guns of ancient dishes, not only for those alive and celebrating but as offerings to their ancestors.
Street food is a vital part of Cambodian culture and Khmer New Year is the ideal time for foreigners to sample ancient dishes like Lort Cha dish noodles, Num Pang Cambodian sandwiches, and snails.
The typical food devoured at New Year is kralan, a cake made of sticky rice, beans, and coconut milk. The mixture is cooked within a bamboo pipe.
Some of the many fashionable ancient dishes that are served and offered throughout the New Year are ya-hon , Kralan, Lort Cha dish noodles; Num Pang; and Khmer Fish Amok.
Colors
Colors are important in Cambodian culture. Cambodian New Year includes a terribly wealthy culture that may be drawn back from its history. Individuals follow the code of seven colors throughout the official Cambodian ceremonies. Hoping to search out success, happiness, harmony, luck, and physiological state. These colors don’t seem to be only for aesthetic functions. every color symbolizes one thing that’s extremely relevant to Cambodian culture.
Red
This color symbolizes bravery or spirit.
Dark Yellow (Yellow-Orange)
This color represents equality.
Purple
This can be conjointly one in every of the foremost important Khmer colors as a result of it symbolizes honesty and loyalty.
Light Green
It embodies justice. Cambodians read concerning justice will be drawn from their past expertise.
Green
This is one of every one of the must-learn colors in Khmer as a result of represents hope.
Blue
The color blue signifies forgiveness which may be a terribly sensitive topic among Cambodians.
Dark Purple
This color is additionally vital in Cambodian culture as a result of it embodies disappointment.
Called
Usually, Khmer New Year or Cambodian New Year is widely known for 3 days: the primary day of the recent Year is named Moha Sangkran, and it will be delineated merely because the inauguration of the New Angels returns to require care of the planet for an annual amount. The leader of Angels is called “KimiteaTevi.
Traditions
Like most New Year holidays, Khmer New Year is choked with tradition and rituals. The 3 days of celebration every has its own name and associated traditions:
First Day – Dhegiha Songkran
The first day of the Khmer New Year is named ‘Maha Songkran’. kind of like the Tamil tradition, it’s believed that this was the day of creation. In Khmer tradition, the planet was created by God’s angels, and to welcome the angels, individuals can clean their homes and illuminate them with candles. Families can place an idol of Buddha on an altar.
Second Day – Vanabot
Also called Virak Wanabat, the second day of Khmer New Year may be a time to think about the less lucky. individuals provide charity by serving the poor, servants, and homeless. Families could head to monasteries to pay relevance to their ancestors, and it was conjointly a time for members of the family to exchange gifts.
Third-Day – Leang Saka
On the third day of recent Year celebrations, Buddhists wash and clean statues of Lord Buddha with scented water. This cleansing is completed to confirm that Cambodia can receive all the water it desires within the returning year. Another tradition is that youngsters wash and bathe their folks and grandparents reciprocally for blessing and smart recommendations for the longer term.
Cake
Traditionally, Num Ansom or Khmer sticky rice cake could be an ancient cake that Cambodians build throughout the large celebrations of the year like Khmer yr and Pchum mount Day (Ancestor Day). Throughout now, most families within the country of Cambodia can build Num Ansorm as providing to the monks and their ancestors, additionally as being a special gift for relatives or friends from town returning to go.
Num Ansom is a rice cake that almost all Khmer folks continuously build the cakes per annum, ne’er incomprehensible. Once the Khmer yr or Pchum mount season, particularly Pchum mount season, Khmer folks continuously build this cake in each home. It was seen continuously that Khmer folks build the cake before Pchum Ben’s day one or 2 days, wherever each home headlong prepares to create the cake to participate within Pchum Ben’s Day. The cakes that we’ve included: Num Ansom Chrouk, Num Ansom Chek, Num Bot, etc.
Decoration
It’s true that Cambodians get to own associate awful heap of recent year celebrations, and it absolutely was pretty recently that have a tendency to celebrate the Gregorian or international new year in January and in Lunar year (also referred to as Chinese New Year) in Feb. however Khmer year is totally different.
It’s Cambodia’s most significant vacation and one of the sole times throughout the year that Cambodians get a substantial day without work from work. Homes are embellished with stars, fairy lights, plants, and numerous food and drink (usually Fanta) offerings, and everybody wears new garments. There are continuously many pop songs released by Cambodia’s most well-liked singers per annum in celebration of Khmer year.
Deserts
Catering to sweet-toothed locals, Cambodia’s several puddings and sweet treats square measure loaded with palm sugar, covered milk, slathered in coconut milk, and served with lashings of seasonal fruits. Delicious.
Fruits
Locals dipping sticks of fruit into a bag of salt and dried chilies could be a common sight in Cambodia. The fruit will be unripe and bitter, thus going simple on the dip because it usually incorporates a kick to counterbalance the bitter style. You’ll get these treats from street sellers pushing carts or at one among the various fruit stalls.
Mung Bean Pudding
Mung bean pudding is additionally obtainable at street stalls. The pudding is historically ingested to assist in cool body temperatures. The dish is best served lidded with generous helpings of coconut sauce.
Pumpkin dish
Pumpkin is well-liked across the country and could be a common ingredient in each sweet and savory dish. Usually reserved for special occasions, a pumpkin dish is seen as a treat. This sweet and creamy sweet is best created the day before and left within the electric refrigerator long to relax.
Khmer cake with coconut milk
Num Chak Kachan are historically ingested throughout Buddhist holidays and come in a style of designs and colors. Super sweet, the adhesive treat is created from rice flour, palm sugar, and coconut milk. It’s steamed to offer its sleek texture.
Jelly
Cha houy teuk could be a sweet jelly sweet made up of agar – a scleroprotein derived from algae. Served in a variety of almost-fluorescent colors – pinks, greens, blues – the jelly is usually flavored with starch, legume beans, and coconut milk and served with a scoop of refreshing whiskerless ice.
Clothes
On the primary day of Khmer yr, folks wear new garments to welcome the “angel” of the yr that comes on the day. Historically, the “sampot” or “sarong” could be a material wrapped on the lower body vogue well-liked among men and girls. “Chang Pong ” could be an artifact of any color, worn across the shoulder over the higher space of the lady.
Traditional folks Games
In the villages the folks interact in ancient Khmer games, they play games like the Bas Angkunh ‘seed throwing’, Chaol Chhoung ‘twisted-scarf throwing’, Leak Kanséng ‘twisted-scarf hide’, and dance to ancient Khmer songs.
● Leak Kanseng: just like the westernized children’s game of “duck, duck, goose,” this is often a game competed by a bunch of adolescents sitting in a circle. somebody holding a “kanseng” or “krama” (Khmer towel or scarf) that’s twisted into a form, walks around the circle while singing a song. The person walking on the QT tries to put the “kanseng” behind one among the kids. Once chosen, the person marked should obtain the “kanseng” and tag the person sitting next to him or her or run to seek out an area to sit down. The song starts with a hen protecting her chicks from a crow. The hen should defend the chicks, whereas another person is the “crow”. whereas either side sings a song of dialogue, the crow tries to catch as many chicks as doable as they hide behind the hen.
● Donderm Sleok Cher: players square measure divided into 2 teams and stand thirty feet from one another. A referee can decide the variety of members of every team. the 2 members can try and be the primary to grab the limb within the middle.
● Teanh Proat: a tug-of-war game with groups of boys and ladies erosion their strengths by pull on the rope.
● Chol Chhoung: The Chhoung game is created by young men and girls in Cambodia divided into 2 teams – one male and one feminine cluster. There are ten or twenty folks standing ahead of every other, separated by about eight or ten meters. They take a shawl or towel (Krama) that’s tied into a ball with knots, feat a bit tail. This is often referred to as “Chhoung”.Every cluster takes turns throwing the “Chhoung” whereas singing and saltation whereas throwing, and therefore the different cluster needs to catch and reverse while singing and saltation. If one member misses the Chhoung, he or she needs to perform some quiet comedy act.
Read also: Vietnamese New Year; Tibetan New Year; Traditional foods for New year’s Eve?
