Festivals in Asia: Asia’s Diverse Culture
By: Cantinesya Harasti Cessanari.
Asia is known as the most populated continent in the world, home to over 4.6 billion people. The country in Asia with the most people is China, with a population of 1.4 billion according to the July 2021 US Census Bureau. However, Asia has a diverse cultural spread around its 48 countries.
Celebrations in Asia always become a hot topic for visitors, you cannot miss the richness of festivals here. There are plenty of festivals to welcome you should you visit Asia. The region offers a distinctive cultural experience, with underlying tropes and traditions taking on new life and interpretations within each nation’s unique historic and contemporary contexts.
- Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival
Held annually, Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival might be the largest ice and snow festival in the world. Often held in winter, this unique festival showcases beautiful ice sculpture artworks, ranging from small mythical creatures and beautifully lit ice lanterns to awe-inspiring 250-feet monuments in an amazing display of craftsmanship and light.
The first ice lanterns were a wintertime ritual in northeast China, formed by pouring water into a bucket, letting it freeze outside, and then gently extracting the resulting bucket-shaped ice from its container. They would then carve a hole in the top, producing a hollow vessel in which they would set a candle, creating a windproof lantern to use while out on the lake.
2. Holi Festival of Colors
Holi (also known as the Celebration of Love) is an ancient Hindu religious festival that takes place in March. Holi is a Hindu festival celebrated by all Hindus, especially in India, Nepal, and Pakistan, but it has also gained popularity among non-Hindus in South Asia and other parts of the world where there is a big Hindu population.
The Holika Dahan event, which takes place the night before Holi, begins with the lighting of bonfires (burning of Holika). To the music of dholak drums, this is accompanied by singing, dancing, and overall joy. The following day, Holi, sees crowds of people throwing colorful powder (abir or gulal) and water at strangers, friends, and foes in a festival of joy and goodwill.
3. The Songkran Festivals
The Songkran Festival commemorates Thailand’s New Year’s Day and also corresponds with the New Year in several South and Southeast Asian calendars. As a result, when Songkran — the world’s largest water fight — begins in April, it may appear like the whole continent of Asia has descended on Thailand’s streets.
The young and old, armed with buckets, bowls, water pistols, and even hoses, take part in this friendly water war, indiscriminately ‘blessing’ all passers-by in the hottest month of the year. The water throwing is a sign of Songkran’s spring-cleaning component, as well as a manner of giving respect to others, while the chalk was traditionally used by monks to record blessings.
They are frequently a source of consternation for governments, as they run the danger of provoking public outrage if not handled properly. At the same time, cultures that have already experienced a prolonged period of alert in the form of lockdowns are particularly vulnerable, as pandemic fatigue is likely to be high, and festivals are a good opportunity to reclaim elements of our lives that date back to COVID-19. However, what is most difficult to overcome may not be the coronavirus but our very own human nature.
References
Hasna Haidar. (2018, October 24). Must-see cultural festivals in Asia. Top Universities. https://www.topuniversities.com/blog/must-see-cultural-festivals-asia
The Jakarta Post. (2021, July 3). Will COVID-19 transform our cultural events in the future? https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2021/07/03/will-covid-19-transform-our-cultural-events-in-the-future.html
