Cambodian Constitution Day
Celebrates the signing of Cambodia’s new constitution by King Sihanouk in 1993.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
HM the Queen Mother’s Birthday
Celebrates the birthday of Queen Mother Norodom Monineath in 1936
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Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Children’s Day
Celebrates childhood and wishes the children happiness and good life.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Royal Ploughing Day Ceremony
Also known as Pithi Chrat Preah Neangkol, corresponds to the start of planting season
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Visaka Bochea/ Visaka Buju Day
Vesak – Commemorates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing to nirvana
Friday, May 24, 2013
HM King Shihamoni’s Birthday
Celebrates the birthday of HM King Norodom Shihhamony on 14 May 1953 - 3 days
His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni is the current sovereign of Cambodia since October 29, 2004. Born to the King Father Norodom Sihanouk and the Queen Mother Norodom Monineath. Before ascending the throne as the King of Cambodia to succeed his father, King Norodom Sihamoni was known as a ballet instructor and a cultural ambassador in Europe. During King Norodom Sihamoni’s birthday, many government buildings are decorated with small colorful lights and large portraits of the King together with best wishes and congratulatory words for the King. People in Cambodia are also suggested to raise Cambodia national flags in front of their houses. King Norodom Sihamoni’s birthday is observed as a public holiday in Cambodia. The holiday is observed annually on May 13 – 15. Thus, most people are granted 3 days off while schools, government offices, banks, and companies are closed. People use the days to rest and gather with family or have a vacation to some places of interest in Cambodia.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Labor Day/ May Day
celebrates the workers’ economic and social achievement
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Cambodian Khmer New Year/ Chaul Chnam Thmey ("enter new year")
considered the most important holiday in Cambodia - 3 days
usually falls on April 13th or 14th depending on the "MohaSangkran," which is the ancient horoscope
marks the end of the harvest season when farmers can relax before the rainy season begins
marks the end of the harvest season when farmers can relax before the rainy season begins
this is the year of the Snake
The Three Days of the New Year
1) Moha Songkran, derived from Sanskrit Maha Sankranti. Simply described as the inauguration of the New Angel who comes to take care of the world for a one-year period. This year the inauguration of the New Angle is scheduled to take place at 02:24AM of April 14th upon the arrival of the New Angel. Cambodian people clean and decorate their houses. Traditionally, people prepare a table garnished with varieties of flowers (The lotus flower is a special favorite), different kinds of fruits, drinks, a bowl of scented water, banana leaves, candles, incense and other sacred objects to welcome the new "Tevada" (Guarding Angel) who replaces the previous year’s angel.In the morning of the first New Year Day, many Khmer people prepare food to offer the monks at the pagoda where they go to get blessed. Elderly people like to meditate or pray the Dharma at that time because they believe that any angel who comes to their houses at that time will stay with them and take care of their family for the whole year. For good luck people wash their face with holy water in the morning, their chests at noon, and their feet in the evening before they go to bed.
2) Virak Wanabat is the day for offering gifts to parents, grandparents and elders. Some people contribute charity to the less fortunate by helping the poor, servants, homeless, and low-income families. In the evening, people go to the pagoda to build a mountain of sand and ask the monks to give them a blessing of happiness and peace. Families also attend a dedication ceremony to their ancestors at the monastery.
3) Tngay Leang Saka - the year is counted up from this day. Buddhists clean the Buddha statues and their elders with perfumed water. Bathing the Buddha images is the symbol that water will be needed for all kinds of plants and lives. It is also thought to be a kind deed that will bring longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity in life. By bathing their grandparents and parents, children can obtain from them best wishes and good advice for the future.
Other New Year Related Activities
one week prior to the New Year – people usually invite monks to their houses and offices for a blessing ceremony expecting happy, successful and prosperous New Year. Some schools, health centers and other local government offices normally organize a party to celebrate their accomplishment and it is also a great time for the leader of each organization to appreciate the valuable contribution of his/her respective staffs before the turn of the new year. Soft and hard drinks are served at the party and dancing is usually part of the event. During this time, students enjoy playing traditional games, and singing and dancing at schools. The same fun activities take place in the villages where people normally get together after dinner.
on the New Year Days - people celebrate similarly at home where friends and family members get together for big lunch and/or dinner. Dancing and traditional games are organized at the pagoda and at some people’s houses in the villages throughout the day until late at night.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
Women’s Day
Celebrates the bravery of women around the world.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Meak Bochea Day
Commemorates Buddha’s preaching to the gathering monks
Monday, February 25, 2013
Victory Day
Commemorates the end of the Khmer Rouge regime after their defeat by the Vietnamese in 1979
Monday, January 7, 2013
New Year’s Day
The first day of the year according to Western calendar. Not an official holiday in Cambodia, but many businesses are closed on this day.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Human Rights Day
A United Nations-inspired holiday. Unlikely to affect travel plans but government offices are closed.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Water Festival / Bon Om Thook
Millions flock to Phnom Penh from the provinces to celebrate the end of monsoon season. Dragon boats race for three days with the king overseeing. (Cancelled 2011 for severe flooding and 2012 to respect the late King Father's recent passing.)
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Cambodia Independence Day
anniversary of independence from France. King Sihamoni visits Independence Monument in Phnom Penh.
Friday, November 09, 2012
Former HM King Sihanouk’s Birthday
Commemorates the day of birth of HM King Sihanouk.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Cambodia Coronation Day
Cambodia Coronation Day is the anniversary of
the coronation of current King Norodom Sihamoni.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Pchum Ben Day
A festival to respect the ancestors
by cooking foods and giving offerings to the monks.
Bonn (festival) Pchum Ben “also known as the Ancestors’ Day” is one of Cambodia’s most important Buddhist festivals. The festival is dedicated to blessing the spirits of the dead. It is a 15-day celebration and these 15 days are called Pchum season (Rodov Pchum). The exact dates vary year to year according to the Khmer lunar calendar but it normally takes place around late September to mid October.
The festival is based on the principles of Karma and reincarnation since, while most people are believed to be reincarnated at death, those with bad karma can be trapped in the spirit world or hell and that they are unable to be reincarnated. It is also believed that some of the dead receive punishments for their sins and burn in hell. They suffer a lot and are tortured there. Hell is far from us and those souls and spirits cannot see the sun; they have no clothes to wear and no food to eat. According to Buddhist beliefs, the lives that we live, after death, are predicted by the actions that we took when we were living. Minor infractions would be punished with small punishments, such as being an unattractive ghost or having a small mouth. With a small mouth, it is hard to eat. Other with more server sins could include being crippled or having no mouth at all. It is also believed that being greedy, envious or jealous in one’s life can lead to one becoming a hungry ghost after death.
Pchum Ben season (rodov Pchum) is believed to be the time that the guardians of hell release all hungry ghosts to come to earth to appreciate the merit of their living relatives who bring food, fruits, cakes and other requisites to offer the monks at the pagoda and dedicate merit to them. Many Cambodian people believe that preparing food for the Buddhist monks is an act that transfers merit to the hungry ghosts while many believe that the food itself is transferred from the monks to their ancestors. Some also believe that during Pchum Ben the food offerings are transferred directly to the dead and people usually throw sticky rice into the fields for the ghosts.
The souls and spirits would come to the pagoda as they hope to receive offerings from their relatives and/or descendants through the prayers recited by the Buddhist monks. For this reason, the Buddhist followers use this time to visit pagoda and pray for the souls of their dead relatives. Every Buddhist tries to visits at least three pagodas if they cannot manage to visit seven different pagodas as preferred by many people. It is also believed that wondering spirits will go to look in seven different pagodas and if those spirits cannot find their living relatives’ offering in any of those pagodas, they will curse them because they cannot eat food offered by other people. When the living relatives offer food to the spirits, the spirits will bless them with happiness and success.
The 15-Day Celebration
Each of the 15 days is called a day of Kan Ben. The word Kan means to hold. The word Ben in Khmer means to collect and it also means to cup or mould cooked rice into portion. The word Pchum means to congregate or to meet together.
The first day of the festival is called Ben 1. The 14th day is called Ben 14. The 15th day, which is the final, busiest and most important day, is called Pchum Ben Day marking the end of the festival. On this day, at every pagoda around the country, the mass collection of offerings (Bens) is dedicated to the souls of the ancestors. If this duty is ignored, the ancestors would curse and haunt the neglectful descendents for the rest of the year. It is also the time that those dead family members are ordered to return to the hell to endure more suffering and will come back for the next Pchum Ben.
People in each community throughout Cambodia normally take turns to offer food to the monks of their local pagoda from the 1st Day to the 15th Day. Offering of food is a meritorious act and is one of the oldest and most common rituals of Buddhism. As you may have noticed, many more people have brought food to the pagodas than it used to be. On the last three days most pagodas throughout the country are filled with foods from the simple to the elaborate. The traditional cakes such as Num Onsam Chruk, Num Onsam Jak and Num Korm (steamed cakes wrapped in banana leaves) can be found at the pagoda during this season.
- Num (cake) Onsam Chruk is a kind of cylindrical cake of sticky rice wrapped around a mixture of pork, salt, green bean.
- Num (cake) Onsam Jak is made of sticky rice, ripe banana, red or black bean and salt.
- Num (cake) Korm is shaped like a pyramid and made of rice-flour and green bean mixed with salt or slices of coconut meat with sugar palm.
At the pagoda people also offer money to the monks for constructing/renovating the temples and possibly some community development projects such as the construction of bridges, schools, irrigation system and road. The leftover food from the pagoda is usually distributed to the poor in the community and/or the orphanages if there is one nearby. The traditional music is played in every pagoda from the first to the last day of Pchum Ben. If you are interested in learning about the religious life in Cambodia, I think this is the best time for you.
People normally visit pagoda at the following times:
- Around 4AM: people believe that most souls do not have clothes to wear and they are afraid of the sunlight. They are more likely to wander around during dawn or early in the morning. At this time, people normally bring sticky rice mixed with beans and coconut milk, incense-stick, candles and other requisites to the pagoda. Following the monk chanting, they walk around the temple and they throw the sticky rice, that they usually mould in round shape like a ball, for the hungry ghost.
- Around 7AM: people bring breakfast for the monk.
- Around 10AM: people bring lunch to the monk. Please be aware that monks are not supposed to eat food after 12:00PM. They are allowed to enjoy soft drinks.
- Around 5PM: most of the visitors are the elders who want to pay homage to the Buddha and praise for their dead relatives. Monks normally go to bed at about 8:00PM as they need to get up at 4AM the next morning.
Monday, October 14 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Wednesday, October 15, 2013
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