Shared Routes
Multi-Songkran Toward a Global Festival
The cultural diffusion of Songkran is examined through a spatial perspective—Transmission, Selection, and Adaptation—using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
The cultural diffusion of “Songkran” is presented through GIS mapping, providing a visual representation of the cultural transmission routes. This illustrates how Songkran spreads from its origin place to destination areas, where it is adopted and integrated into local traditions. Additionally, it highlights regions where cultural fusion occurs, resulting in a localized and distinctive cultural identity (localization).
The Cultural Routes of Solar and Sidereal Calendars
Beyond this primary route, historical evidence suggests that the ancient Indian calendar system also spread to the Javanese-Malay culture, particularly in the Srivijaya Empire, influencing the Sumatra, Java, and Borneo regions. From there, it continued to Champa, Cambodia, Lopburi, and Ultimately Sukhothai.
Beyond this primary route, historical evidence suggests that the ancient Indian calendar system also spread to the Javanese-Malay culture, particularly in the Srivijaya Empire, influencing the Sumatra, Java, and Borneo regions. From there, it continued to Champa, Cambodia, Lopburi, and Ultimately Sukhothai.
The Buddhist Influence on the Chulasakarat Calendar in Southeast Asia
⦁ Lankavamsa Buddhism Route (Sri Lankan influence)
The dissemination of Theravāda Buddhism played a crucial role in the adoption of the Chulasakarat calendar across Suvarnabhumi (Southeast Asia). The calendar was first recorded in ancient Burmese states such as Pagan, Rakhine, and Mon, especially in Martaban (Mottama), a significant Mon city that received Sri Lankan Theravāda Buddhism (Lankavamsa tradition). Mon Buddhist institutions developed their own interpretations of the Tripitaka, forming the Ramanya tradition of Theravāda Buddhism, along with using the Myanmar Year system, or the Chulasakarat
⦁ Ramanya Buddhism Route (Mon influence to mainland Southeast Asia)
When Sukhothai monks traveled to Martaban for Buddhist studies, they brought back the Chulasakarat system, leading to its official use in the Sukhothai inscriptions, as well as in Lanna, Ayutthaya, Laos, and Cambodia. This demonstrates that the Ramanya Theravāda Buddhist tradition and the Chulasakarat calendar spread together as a cultural package.
The Spread of the Zodiac Year System
In Southeast Asia, Songkran is also closely associated with the Zodiac Year System, which originated from Chinese culture through the Ganzhi calendar system. Historical evidence suggests that this system entered Thailand via two major routes:
⦁ The “Pi Hon Tai” Route (Tai Year System)
⦁ Introduced via Xishuangbanna (Sipsong Panna)
⦁ Adopted by Tai communities in Northern Thailand
⦁ The “Pi Hon Khmer” Route (Khmer Year System)
⦁ Introduced via Vietnam before reaching Sukhothai
⦁ The Khmer version of the zodiac system, known today as Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, etc., became widely used.