Cambodia

In Cambodia, the tradition of bringing sand to temple grounds to create sand stupas during the Khmer New Year is a symbolic ritual.

People create sand stupas, miniature models of the sacred Mount, believed to be the epicenter of the physical and spiritual realms in Buddhism. The creations can be anything from plain sand piles to decorated sand cones and elaborate round sand temples.

Creating a sand stupa, adding sand to it, or to smaller piles around a central one, are hands-on prayers for luck in the New Year. Every grain of sand carries a wish, plus an unspoken nod to the ancestors. Each stupa a collective effort.

Sand—a messenger of hope!