Water Festival

Date: 13th November 2016

For the people of Cambodia, the Water Festival and Bon Om Touk (The Pirogue Racing Festival) in
Phnom Penh is the most magnificent traditional festival. For three days Phnom Penh citizens, foreign
tourists and peasants from various provinces gather in the capital to celebrate festival night day.

The water festival had background for so long
time. The water festival ceremony is the army
training to do attest of the army for preparing
to do a battle. In the history, Khmer King always
does the battle with enemies by sailing.
So he prepares this water festival
ceremony every year to choose
Champion of sailing battle, as in Bayon Temple,
Batteay Chhmar in the Preah Bat Jayvarman VII.
We had seen a lot of statues about sailing battle
under leading of Jayvarman VII. custom of this
is to have from then up to the present.

On the other hand the water is celebrate every year in November to honor the victory of Cambodian
Naval forces in the reign of King Jayvarman VII, during Angkor period of the 12th century,

And this ceremony is to express thanks to the 3 serves as an opportunity to

history about military Buddhist symbols Gods and pray for our lord for the
exercise of our navy force in holy thing which helped us happiness and sufficient rain
the course of national and agriculture field and for rice cultivation.
defense and to

Besides the regatta, the water festival also includes three other ceremonies: IIIuminated float (Loy
Pratip) , Moon salutation (Sampeas Preah Khe) and the eating of pestle new special rice with banana or
coconut juice (Ork Ambok). The ceremony last three days to provide opportunity for people to buy part
in competition that three were to types of boats from near and far of provinces, taking part in the races,
the pirogue and the rowing boat. Each boat was manned by about thirty to forty men or women. The
boat with a man or woman dancing softly and gracefully to the rhythm of the drums on the bow as an
encouragement to the rowers moved swiftly through the water.

There as the race winners
will be rewarded a lot of
good such as: drink, money,
clothes, rice, cigarettes and
the commission of the boat
racing day must seek
ministries and services.
donations in order to provide this prize for participants.
During the nighttime at about seven o’clock the river was lit by
jazzy illuminated boats, which floated slowly and smoothly on the
water’s surface. Each of them was equipped with thousands of
flashy neon lights arranged in different colorful, fancy patterns
representing state institutions,

After a little time fireworks and multi-color were lit to entertain Finally the water festival is
people. Some of people made loud noises. They burst into the festivity for the
different shapes and colors in the sky under the clapped and Cambodian people who
cheered with joy each time at the sight of the fireworks, celebrated every years and
going for a walk during the
ceremony days really
refreshed our mood. The
lively festive atmosphere
helped relive our tension and
trouble.