New Year isn’t an official festival in Phnom Penh, but in the past few years the celebrations for the New Year has been taken to a new level with lots of enthusiasm, fireworks, etc. And even though it’s not a public holiday, most offices and shops close down on the 1st of January in Phnom Penh.
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New Year isn’t an official festival in Phnom Penh, but in the past few years the celebrations for the New Year has been taken to a new level with lots of enthusiasm, fireworks, etc. And even though it’s not a public holiday, most offices and shops close down on the 1st of January in Phnom Penh.
This day is marked to celebrate the victory of the regime over the fall of Poll Pot’s on January 7th, 1979.
It is similar to songkran in Thailand and phimai in Laos, marking the climax of the harvesting season in Cambodia. Cambodians clean and decorate their houses, splash each other and streets with water to express joy, and attend offerings at temples. Exquisite lights are arranged on the streets, and various sport events and cultural programs are organized in the city as a part of the celebrations. It normally comprises if three days, 14th-16th April.
This is one of the very significant festivals of Cambodia, celebrated by every person in the country. Bonn Visak Bochea signifies the birth, enlightenment, and death of the God Buddha. It happens during the sixth full moon of the lunar calendar for one day only, usually in mid-May. A cortege of people with lit candles, sermons, and religious chanting is a part of its commemoration.
This ceremony goes back to the times when the King inaugurated the harvesting season. In this century, the ritual is performed at the inception of rainy season in Cambodia. Representatives of the King take place of the King and the Queen. A procession revolves around the field thrice and then stops at the Shrine when Brahmins provoke God. Sacred cows are brought and several items are put in front of them for e.g rice, beans, alcohol, water, etc. It is assumed that it the cows eat rice or drink water then the rice will be good. However, cow’s inclination towards alcohol or beans is considered as an alarm.
It happens in mid-July for two days, coinciding with the eighth full moon of the lunar calendar. It marks the inception of the three special months-in which Buddhists fast and meditate. Also, it’s held to be of great importance for young men who want to enter monkhood.
This is a national festival which celebrates the official adoption of the Cambodian constitution in 1933. A holiday is given to all Cambodians to celebrate the auspicious day on September 24th.
This is celebrated widely by the Vietnamese and Chinese communities in Cambodia in the middle of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Cakes and lanterns are the highlight of this festival.
This festival is celebrated on a large scale in Cambodia for around 15 days. It is said to be celebrated for the blessing of the dead spirits. People from all households in Cambodia go the watts to give food to the monks so that it facilitates them to pray for the blessing of the deads’ spirits. A lot of people stay back at the watts to listen to sermons.
This festival marks the end of the lent and starts immediately after it for one month. People progress towards the local temples in large groups to offer gratitude, robes, and respect to the monks as a retreat.
This national holiday, 23rd October, marks the signing of the Peace agreement with Paris in 1991.
Water Festival or Bonn Om Tauk is a three days festival that signifies the reversing of currents in the Tonle Sap River and marks the lead in the fishing season. The whole country is brought to life with this festival, and numerous residents of other cities travel to Phnom Penh to celebrate the grand festival. The apex of the festival is the boat race with more than 200 teams in competition from all over Cambodia. At night, fireworks adorn the sky while the boats sail under the shimmer of the stunning full-moon. Spiritually, people pay their gratitude to God Budha for the crops and rain that bestowed the land and pray for more prosperity in the coming year.
9th November is the Independence day of Cambodia from France. It is celebrated with marches and cultural activities all over the country. A gala parade is held in front of the Royal Palace.
It has emerged as a festival lately in Cambodia. It is a thrilling Arts event emphasizing and celebrating the present artists of Cambodia. This exciting festival puts emphasis on the contemporary Cambodian arts and presents them to the world to view. Entry to ‘Visual Srts Open’ is free of cost.