Cambodian New Year / Khmer New Year

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Cambodian New Year Facts

• The angel for Cambodian New Year in 2022 is Keriny Tevy. The New Year happens on a Thursday and Keriny is commonly referred to as the Thursday Angel. Keriny Tevy is decorated with Mondea flowers tucked behind her ears and wears an emerald around her neck. She carries a harpoon on her right hand while carrying a gun in her left. She is depicted riding an elephant.
• Moha Songkran is the first day of celebrations. It marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one. On this day, people prepare for the arrival of the new year's angel by cleaning and decorating their homes and themselves. They have gifts for the angels, such as food, which vary depending on the angel.
• The second day of celebrations is Virak Vanabat. It's a day of giving. People give gifts to their elders and to the young. They also often donate to the poor. There's a tradition to visit religious temples to build mounds of sand, which are believed to bring longevity and prosperity.
• Tanai Lieang Saka is the third day of celebrations and it means new beginning. People visit the temple to be blessed by the monks. The young throw baby powder and flour at each other. They also wash their grandparents and parents and receive from them good wishes and advice for the new year. It is a day to visit family members, even for those that work far away from them.

Cambodian New Year Top Events and Things to Do

• Donate to the poor.
• Visit family members you haven't seen in a while.
• Watch the 1984 movie The Killing Fields. It is set during the Cambodian genocide, which killed around 1.5 to 3 million people. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning three of them.

Cambodian New Year's Day References and Related Sites