Khmer New Year celebration Episode 01

 People of all nationalities celebrate the New Year, which is a tradition of their respective nations. It is just that they tend to set the time for preparing this festival differently according to their beliefs, customs and traditions. We Khmer people also have a history of celebrating the New Year every year since ancient times. We have found many documents that talk about the New Year festival and have listened to the stories of many elders.

History

There is a story that at the beginning of the Buddhist era, there was a wealthy man who had a son named Dhammabal Koma, who had extraordinary knowledge and had learned the entire Triveda at the age of 7. The wealthy father built a temple for the young Dhammabal Koma in the middle of a large sycamore tree on the bank of a river, which was the home of all birds. The young Dhammabal Koma knew both the language of birds and birds, and could also be a teacher who performed various auspicious rituals for all people. At that time, people used to worship Maha Brahma and another great Brahma, Kapila, who performed auspicious rituals for all people. At that time, Kabil Mahabrahma heard the news and came down to ask the young monk three questions, promising that if the young monk could solve the questions, Kabil Mahabrahma would cut off his head to offer to the young monk, but if the young monk could not solve the questions, Kabil Mahabrahma would cut off the young monk’s head. The young monk asked for a seven-day delay to think about the questions. After six days, the young monk still could not think and knew that he would definitely die this morning at the hands of Kabil Mahabrahma. So it would be better to run and hide, to hide yourself and die by yourself. So the young monk went down from the temple and hid under a pair of palm trees. On that palm tree, there was a male and female eagle making a nest and living there. At night, the female eagle asked the male eagle, "What food did we get this morning?" The male eagle replied, "We will eat the flesh of the young monk, who was killed by the great Brahma, because the young monk could not speak the language." The female eagle asked, "What is the language?" The male eagle replied: Where is the glory of the morning? The answer is: On the face. That is why people should wash their faces with water. The second verse asks: Where is the glory of the afternoon? The answer is: On the chest. That is why people should wash their chests with water. The third verse asks: Where is the glory of the evening? The answer is: On the feet. That is why people should wash their feet with water. Hearing this, the young monk returned to the temple. In the morning, Kapila Mahabrahma came to ask the young monk a question. The young monk answered and resolved as he had heard. Kapila Mahabrahma also accepted that it was true, agreed to surrender and was willing to fulfill his promise. Kapila Mahabrahma called the seven goddesses, who were the gods of Indra, to tell them that now the father must be beheaded to sacrifice to the young monk. But if the head is placed on the earth, it will become a fire that will burn the entire world. If it is thrown into the air, it will stop the rain. If it is thrown into the ocean, the water will dry up. Therefore, please let the seven sons bring the bowls to receive the head of the father. After saying this, he beheaded the Buddha and gave it to his eldest daughter, Princess Tunsa. Princess Tunsa took the bowl to receive her father's head and then walked around Mount Sumeru for 60 minutes before going to the shrine in the Kundamaali Cave on Mount Kailash and offering various auspicious objects. The son of the deity also saw a seven-tiered auspicious pavilion called "Bhagavati Sabha Sala" to be the meeting place of the deities. When the first year of Sankranti arrives, the seven goddesses take turns inviting the great Brahma to come out to worship Mount Sumeru every year, and then return to the heavenly realm to be enshrined.

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