I’m glad we made sure to return to PP for Khmer New Year. “Sursedey Chnam Thmey”
During the day the streets are calm quiet and bare. By night a riotous party is taking place.
Many large and small businesses are closed for varying amounts of time but every service is possible and absolutely anything can still be bought
Come late afternoon, blaring music starts and laughter accompanies it. By dusk there is shade and dancing in the streets. It’s time for the frivolity to commence with water splashing, pouring and dumping and pastes of coloured talcum powder smearing over faces and dusting over clothes. A presence on the streets is an indication of your willingness to participate.
The intense skirmishes of water fighting of seconds before is instantly a ceasefire if the water pistol tank should empty. Former foes refill for each other then resume the battle. Hoses, buckets, basins, cups, any vessel can be used. Backpacks of water attached to serious looking shooters is this year’s new take on how to participate.
This being the hottest season of the year - the dry leading into the monsoon rains, people welcome the drenching for its cooling effect. It’s all in such good fun. There is a festive atmosphere.
If your face needs a wash or hair is rigid with dried coloured powder willing volunteers douse you at every opportunity. Shampooing is also a possibility and mostly unsuspecting passersby are ambushed but without objecting they submit to a roadside hair wash. This too was a new take at least to me.
I guess anything involving water in a relatively harmless way is totally acceptable and anyone fair game. Squeals and screams of delight, surprise and shock punctuate the chants, laughter and music. It’s good natured and fun mostly.
This revelry continues over three nights. The Wat Phnom / Night Market / General Post Office zone becomes a cultural village, kiddies playground and venue for offerings, traditional games and music and dance performances. Walking Street is hopping for all three evenings and the streets heave. Food stalls, handicraft outlets, clothing and jewelry stalls, live music stages and an impressive parade provide something for everyone.
Inside these locations is a water free zone but to get to them and between them you must run the gauntlet or saunter resigned to a soaking. It is nigh on impossible to arrive dry or without a powder coating but no one objects.
We were thinking that the water bombardment would not happen this year as there was a ban in place but it seems instead to have been contained to smaller, more manageable zones and the police are non threatening and not adverse to being included or photographed.
Well into the early hours of the morning the joyous celebrations continue. No public drunkenness. No fighting. No accidents despite the ambushing of motor scooters by hose wielding warriors. It truly embodies that Khmer spirit of non confrontational harmony.
Anyone seriously trying to escape a barrage of powder or water is left in peace. Families walk by. Respect is shown.
By the third day it is more of the same, for much longer and very much louder, but it is light hearted and playful.
It will take time for the city to completely reopen and days before everyone can put those water weapons away but it’s hot, it’s humid and we are all enjoying the celebration. It’s joyful, inclusive and accepting.
