(KPL) The celebration of Lao New Year (Boun Pi Mai) in 2025 holds significant cultural importance for Lao people nationwide. Each year, festivities are deeply rooted in the traditional customs of the Lao nation, with key activities including attending temples, listening to Dhamma teachings, offering alms, sprinkling water on Buddha images, and showing respect to elders, parents, and revered individuals. These acts reflect gratitude, respect, and the passing on of cultural heritage.

According to Venerable Daosadet Lertmanee, an administrative monk at the Central Office of Lao Buddhism and Deputy Head Monk at Vatmai Sokkhame in Xaysettha District, Vientiane Capital, the celebration of Lao New Year 2025 coincides with Monday, April 14 — known as the day of “Sangkhan Luang” (transition of the old year). On this day, people traditionally clean their homes, temples, and significant places in preparation for the new year. Religious rituals such as bathing Buddha images are performed to cleanse away negativity and usher in blessings.

Families decorate their homes with flower arrangements, prepare offerings, and set up ceremonial trays to worship sacred spaces and honor Buddha images. They also make scented water for bathing Buddha statues at nearby temples. The "Naw Day" on April 15 marks the symbolic transition from the old year to the new. It is celebrated as Family Day and Senior Citizens’ Day, a time when families come together to perform the Baci ceremony, pour water on the hands of elders, and ask for blessings.

The following day, Wednesday, April 16 — “Sangkhan Khuen” or New Year’s Day — marks the official beginning of the New Year. Lao people commonly visit temples to pour water over Buddha images and monks in at least seven or nine temples, depending on custom. It is a day filled with merit-making, prayers, and spiritual reflection, aiming to bring prosperity and good fortune into the new year.

At home, families collect flowers to decorate their gates and gardens, welcoming positivity into their homes. Venerable Daosadet also urged the public, especially drivers, to be cautious and avoid driving under the influence to protect lives and property. He emphasized that proper celebrations should involve using clean and pure water, especially when sprinkling water on friends, family, elders, and Buddha images, ensuring the cultural essence of Lao New Year is respected and preserved.

KPL