Where To Go: Eastern United Temple - Khmer New Year 2014

April 11th-13th, 2014 will be the Cambodian New Year celebration at Wat Kanteyaram also known as Eastern United Temple. To Cambodians, we call it "Chaul Chnam Thmey", which in translation means "Enter the New Year." Chaul = Enter; Chnam = Year; and Thmey = New. There goes your foreign language lesson for the day.

The main festivities happens on Sunday April 13th. This celebration gathers people from and around Jacksonville as it is one of the biggest events to the Cambodian community each year. Each year we see more diversity in people who attend this event and we welcome them in and always hope they enjoy themselves.

Why does this event last three days long? In Cambodia they celebrate on April 14th (New Years Day) through April 17th. The reason why it is different in the U.S. is because the majority of us work on weekdays and therefore we have to celebrate during the weekend. The first day of celebration is called Maha Songkran.

The first day marks the ending of the year and the beginning of the new year. Here in Jax we have vendors that set up at the temple to sell food and other goods. We celebrate the night with live music and dance. People may light candles and incense sticks at the set up shrines to offer thanks to Buddha's teachings.

The second day is called Virak Wanabat and this is the day where people donate money to charities and the less fortunate. In Jacksonville the festivities continues with music, dance, games, and food all through the night.

The third day we call T'ngai Leang Saka. Monks and Buddhists cleanse the Buddha statue and their elders with perfumed water. Bathing the Buddha statue is a kind deed that will bring happiness, luck, prosperity, and longevity in life.

Wat Kanteyaram
4057 Hunt St.
Jacksonville, FL 32254