The festival follows the dry season harvests when farmers have more free time and signals the start of the rainy season that revitalizes nature with new blooms and buds.

Two weeks before the Chol Chnam Thmay festival, the Khmer clean their houses, prepare new clothes, and make various dishes. Most activities occur at the pagoda.

On the first day, people go to the pagoda to burn incense to worship their ancestors. They use scented water to wash their face in the morning, have a bath in the afternoon and wash their feet in the evening. On the second day, they perform charity work for the disadvantaged.

The third day is the most important, when celebrants demonstrate their filial duty by spraying scented water on older people to wish them longevity and happiness, and express gratitude to the Buddha by washing it with scented water.

Pham Tiep