Songkran by Lord K2

Public Story

Songkran

Copyright Lord K2 2024

Updated Apr 2021

Topics Buddhism, Celebrations, Documentary, Editorial, Essays, Joy, Photography, Photojournalism, Travel, Water

The great annual water festival, goes by many names in Southeast Asia, in Thailand it’s known as Songkran. It ushers in the start of rainy season in April, a time when after five excruciatingly dry months the sky finally opens and water pours on to the bone dry land. It’s celebrated nationwide with mass water fights and traditional Buddhist rituals. The Northern Thai city of Chiang Mai is widely known for where the water really gets flowing. This year the festivities will continue to include religious and ceremonial practices but large gatherings of people for water splashing, concerts, or any close contact activities such as, powder smearing and foam parties will be banned.

I documented Songkran from the perspective of a participant, to allow my audience to immerse themselves in the carnival atmosphere as if taking part with their own water pistol in hand. The only difference was that instead of shooting a water pistol I shot a camera wrapped in plastic.

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