Thai-Indians are fortunate to grow up surrounded by two deeply meaningful cultural worlds. Rather than being asked to choose between two heartfelt holidays, they are uniquely placed to participate in both, if they wish.
Thai festivals and Indian celebrations each carry their own stories, values, and sense of belonging, offering moments of joy, reflection, and connection. Over time, we might resonate with one festival over another, or we may embrace both with openness and an appreciation for how identity can be expanded through shared celebration.
Indians in Thailand share their thoughts on what each festival means to them and why.
Living in Thailand, I find myself relating more to Songkran. As a Thai-Indian, it feels familiar, and it is a shared cultural moment that truly brings everyone together.
Songkran falls in April, right when the holiday mood sets in, and it feels like a fresh reset. There is something iconic about turning the hottest days of the year into a nation-wide water fight.
I have always looked forward to it, especially because of the long break. In the peak of the summer heat, playing with water brings a fun, carefree energy.
Whether it is light splashing, a full-blown street celebration, or jumping into a pool, it carries the same excitement. Splash water anytime, anywhere, and it becomes Songkran in my world.
I have celebrated Holi too, but my connection feels more distant because I did not play it much growing up. Even during the Holi celebrations I joined, we would always add water, which felt like a hybrid version of both worlds.
At their core, both festivals share the spirit of joy and togetherness. They bring people together to celebrate and create lasting memories.
But for me, Songkran feels like home—chaotic, refreshing, familiar, and unapologetically alive.
I have been living and working in Thailand since 2013, after growing up in India and moving to Bangkok following my marriage. Holi was always one of my favourite festivals while growing up.
I loved the joy it brought through colours, festive food, and the way friends and family gathered together. For me, Holi symbolises positivity, renewal, and the change of seasons.
Living in Thailand has allowed me to celebrate both Holi and Songkran with equal enthusiasm, and I often see beautiful similarities between them. Both festivals mark a fresh beginning, celebrate community, and encourage people to step outside their routines and connect with others in a playful spirit.
Holi here is a warm and intimate affair, where we meet close friends, play with colours, and enjoy traditional treats like gujhiyas.
Songkran is grand and fills the entire city with excitement. We head to Silom Road by tuk-tuk to join the water celebrations, where people from many backgrounds come together.
This shared joy and sense of unity in both festivals makes me feel deeply connected to both my Indian roots and my life in Thailand.
As an Indian living in Bangkok, I often find myself smiling at how familiar Songkran feels. Though rooted in different traditions, Songkran in Thailand and Holi in India share a joyful spirit that transcends borders.
Both festivals welcome the new year, celebrate renewal, and invite people into the streets—armed with water or colour—to dissolve social boundaries and simply celebrate together.
Holi’s clouds of vibrant powders mirror Songkran’s playful splashes of water; both are symbolic acts of cleansing, letting go of the past, and embracing fresh beginnings.
Families gather, elders are respected, time is shared, and laughter becomes the common language. What strikes me most is the emotional closeness.
These festivals are not just events, but feelings. They create moments where strangers become friends and cities turn into playgrounds of joy.
Living in Bangkok, celebrating Songkran has deepened my appreciation for how cultures, though different in form, often beat with the same heart.
Whether it is a splash of colour or a splash of water, Holi and Songkran reveal more similarities than differences when experienced through the lives of Thai-Indians and Indians living in Thailand.
These festivals are not competing traditions, but complementary expressions of joy, renewal, and belonging. The stories shared show that identity does not need to be confined to a single celebration; instead, it can be enriched by participating in many.
In embracing both Holi and Songkran, communities find space to honour their roots while joyfully engaging with the culture they call home. Discovering that celebration, at its heart, is universal.