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Laos New Year officially falls on the first of January according o the Gregorian calendar. However the real celebrations of New Year are observed on the days of April 13th to 15th according to the Laos calendar. Laos New Year is the most important of Laos Holidays.
Laos New Year continues for three days and all the people of Laos celebrate this festival with a lot of enthusiasm. Even the Laotians who stay in other parts of the world celebrate this festival. The traditional term of Laos New Year is Bun Pee Mai or Pee Mai. The longer days of April are appropriate for the celebration of the New Year in Laos.
The first day of Laos New Year is considered as the last day of the year. The day is spent in cleaning the houses and preparing for the festivities. The perfumed water used to wash the image of Buddha is considered to be holy and used to purify the individuals and the houses.
The second day of celebrating Laos New Year is all about paying respect to the dead, the elders and the monks. Food is offered to the Buddhist monks to mark the occasion. The evening is spent in listening to folk music and traditional dance. It is the transitional period between the old and the new year.
The third day is the one chosen to pay a visit to the temples and get the blessings of gods. Offerings of food and other things are made to the gods on the first day of Laos New Year. The Princess of the New Year rides on the animal after which the year is named and a colorful and bright procession is organized to celebrate the day.
Splashing water on each other, wishing a prosperous New Year to all, music, dance and good food make the perfect ambiance for celebrating Laos New Year.
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