FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS OF CAMBODIA

THE LEGEND OF THE NEW YEAR

The celebration of the Khmer New Year seems to be linked to beliefs of Brahmanic origin, Cambodia having been centuries ago, a country practicing the cult of the three main gods from the Hindu religion, Brahma Vishnu and Siva ...

In short, at the origin of the New Year celebrations, a legend ...

Long ago, the four-faced god Preah Prom heard of a young human named Thomabal Komar, whose intelligence is said to be extraordinary. Fired with interest in this young man, Preah Prom decides to visit him to test him. If the young man proves to be able to answer his riddle, Preah Prom, convinced of his superiority, offers to offer him his head as a reward. The frightened young man does not know what to say, but ultimately has no choice but to comply with God's request, who asks him: "What are the three acts that bring luck and success every day? "

As he had thought, the young man finds himself unable to answer ... Ashamed and frightened he fled into the forest, then tired, sits down to rest for a few moments under a tree.
From there, he quickly perceives a discussion between two giant eagles perched a little higher on the branches of the tree. They already know that today someone is going to die because he could not answer the simple question posed by Preah Prom ...

What brings success and success to men, however, are three simple acts performed daily. When you get up, men have to wash their faces ... then during the day to shower ... Finally in the evening, before going to bed, do not forget to wash your feet ...

Thomabal Komar, who understands the language of animals, does not miss a beat in the discussion then sets out again for the city to bring his answer to God.

The God, held by his promise, therefore offers his head to the young man. And it is at the top of Mont Mérou that this head will go to lodge ... Immersed in water, it would cause the seas and oceans to dry up, on land, it would destroy all life, and would transform the air into a giant furnace ...

And since then, every year, it is one of the twelve daughters of Preah Prom who descends on Mount Mérou to take care of their father's head for a year. Each descends on her mount, one of the twelve animals of Khmer mythology. In 2011, (2555, Buddhist year), it was the rabbit who therefore accompanied the goddess KaruneiThevi, whose name in Khmer means gentle, lovable.

This year the Thoas, or sign of the rabbit, liked Sesame Lngor and soybean, Sondaek, so the year must have been normally favorable for these two crops ...

THE SIGNS OF THE KHMERS ZODIAC

The Khmer Moha Songkran horoscope follows a cycle that renews every 12 years. The first day of each new year is around mid-April, the precise date is calculated each year by the Haura, a sort of diviner astrologers who reside at the Royal Palace. It was on this day that one of the Preah Prom daughters descends to earth on one of the twelve animals of the Khmer horoscope, similar to the Chinese and Vietnamese zodiac signs.
 
Note that in the latter, the year of the Cambodian Rabbit corresponds to the year of the Cat in Vietnam.

Sign Sign in Khmer
Year Buddhist year
Rat Chout 2008 2552
Beef Chlaeu 2009 2553
Tiger Kal 2010 2554
Rabbit Thoas 2011 2555
Dragon Rong 2012 2556
Serpent Masagn 2013 2557
Momei Horse 2014 2558
Momae Goat 2015 2559
Vork Monkey 2016 2560
Rooster Roka 2017 2561
Dog Chhor 2018 2562
Kao Pig 2019 2563