Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Songkran Festival (潑水節) in Little Burma


There are over 40,000 Burmese Chinese in the Zhonghe District, which is 10 percent of Zhonghe's population and is one of the largest communities of Burmese Chinese outside of Burma.

People celebrating Songkran
© Photographer: Imagesbykenny | Agency: Dreamstime.com


Huaxin Street (華新街), in Zhonghe near the Nanshijiao MRT Station, is home to "Little Burma." A street filled with stores and restaurants selling Burmese products and food. Burmese cultural events are held there on occasion.

People celebrating Songkran
Foreigners celebrating Songkran in Taiwan
© Photographer: Imagesbykenny | Agency: Dreamstime.com


One such annual occasion is Songkran, which is celebrated in April each year. The Burmese believe that splashing water washes away one's misdeeds and dirtiness. So the Songkran Festival is celebrated at the beginning of Burmese New Year. 

People celebrating Songkran
© Photographer: Imagesbykenny | Agency: Dreamstime.com

At the festival, the street is filled with people of all ages splashing each other with water to wash away the dirtiness of the old year in order to have a clean body to welcome the New Year. There is also a stage where traditional dance and folk songs are performed. The "water battles" are loads of fun to watch. People use a variety of ways to splash and spray each including using water ladles, buckets, toy water guns, and water pipes.  Many westerners also take part in the festivities. I was keen to join in the activities too but would have been impossible to do without getting my camera soaked.

People celebrating Songkran
© Photographer: Imagesbykenny | Agency: Dreamstime.com


If you in Taipei, I'd recommend checking it out in April. It is worth also worth going there at any other time of the year to try out authentic Burmese food. The dishes there were just as good as the ones I tried in Burma.

Getting there:

  • MRT: Take orange line to Nanshijiao MRT station in Zhonge, then turn right on Xingnan Road and go straight for about 15 minutes until you get to Huaxin Street.
  • Bus: Bus 242, 249, 670 or the Zhonghe District Shuttle Bus to the Huaxin Street Stop. 
People celebrating Songkran
© Photographer: Imagesbykenny | Agency: Dreamstime.com

To see more of my photos of the people of Taiwan, please visit http://imagesbykenny.com/

To learn more about interesting places and sights to visit in Taiwan, check out my list of Places to see in Taiwan
     

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