Chol Chnam Thmay (also spelled Chaul Chnam Thmay) is the traditional New Year festival of the Khmer people, marking the beginning of a new year according to their traditional calendar. “Chol” means “to enter,” and “Chnam Thmay” means “new year.” This festival usually takes place in mid-April and features many traditional rituals and fun folk games.
It is the most important occasion of the year for the Cambodian people and for more than 1.3 million Khmer ethnic people in Vietnam. Chol Chnam Thmay shares many similarities with Bunpimay in Laos, Songkran in Thailand, and Thingyan in Myanmar.
This year, the Khmer Traditional New Year will be celebrated from April 14 to April 16, 2025.
Origin of the Chaul Chnam Thmay Festival:
The legend behind the Chol Chnam Thmay festival tells the story of a religious transition from Brahmanism to Buddhism. It centers on an intellectual duel between the god Kabul Maha Prum and a brilliant boy named Thomma Bal, who is considered a past incarnation of the Buddha.
According to the tale, Thomma Bal was an exceptionally intelligent boy who, at just seven years old, was already teaching knowledge to others. People from all over came to listen to him speak, and even the gods in heaven descended to earth to hear his sermons. This enraged Kabul Maha Prum, whose own heavenly teachings had lost their audience.
Determined to outshine the boy, the god challenged Thomma Bal with three difficult questions, demanding answers within seven days. If the boy failed, he would lose his life. But if he answered correctly, the god promised to cut off his own head.
For six days, Thomma Bal struggled without success. On the seventh day, while resting under a palm tree, he overheard a conversation between two eagles and discovered the answers he needed.
At the appointed time, Kabul Maha Prum descended to earth with a golden sword. Thomma Bal answered all three questions correctly. True to his word, the god cut off his own head. But before dying, he instructed his daughters to place his head on a golden tray and keep it in a tower atop Mount Prasume. If his head were to fall into the sea, the waters would dry up; if it touched the ground, the earth would become barren; and if it floated in the air, the sky would stop raining.
Since then, each year on the day of his beheading, the god’s seven daughters take turns descending to earth, carrying their father's head and circling Mount Prasume three times in the direction of the rising sun. The Khmer people recognize this as the first day of the new year, marking the start of the Chol Chnam Thmay festival with hopes for peace, prosperity, and bountiful harvests.
For the Khmer, April marks the transition between the dry and rainy seasons. Nature begins to revive, greenery returns, and new life emerges. This transformation is seen as a sign of new beginnings, which is why the Khmer choose this time to celebrate the New Year. The Chol Chnam Thmay festival is held in hopes that the dry season will end soon, bringing in the first rains and a fruitful growing season.
In the past, as the biggest festival of the year, Chol Chnam Thmay used to last 10 to 15 days. However, in recent decades, to adapt to modern life, the celebration has been shortened to three days, although preparations still begin well in advance.
The festival is calculated based on the Khmer calendar, which is influenced by Indian astronomy. The New Year is determined by two factors: “Chol” (to enter) and “Chnam” (year). “Chol” is based on the movement of the moon and corresponds to the twelve zodiac animals, while “Chnam” is determined by the sun's cycle. As a result, “Chol” always falls in April, but “Chnam” can vary depending on the lunar phases.
So what should fresh flower distributors keep in mind for the 2025 Khmer Traditional New Year?
During the Khmer New Year, chrysanthemums are the most commonly used flower. At Quynh Phuong Da Lat Fresh Flowers, we provide a wide range of chrysanthemums suited for this occasion, including AT chrysanthemums, long-petal cluster chrysanthemums, Makoto cluster chrysanthemums, Royal chrysanthemums, Jumba chrysanthemums, white and yellow net chrysanthemums, Magnum chrysanthemums, orange Mai chrysanthemums, red Mai chrysanthemums, white Mai chrysanthemums, and more — all available in large quantities, at wholesale prices, and with superior quality to meet the needs of our valued customers during this important festival.
If you are looking to purchase chrysanthemums in bulk at competitive prices for the Khmer Traditional New Year, please contact Quynh Phuong Da Lat Fresh Flowers using the following information:
Email: marketing.quynhphuongdalat@gmail.com
Hotline: 0384437899
