How beautiful, and this helps me to understand the Cambodian version of this festival a little more. I can't remember the Khmer name for this holiday, but it's much more popular in Thailand. My wife has never celebrated it before, but says some people still make banana leaf rafts in the countryside for this occasion.
She says doesn't like it now because most of the floats are made from paper and plastic, and turn into an eyesore when they pile up somewhere and become trash. Does anyone in India make rafts from banana leaves for this occasion?
Yes, most of the rural people - for them spending for this is not ideal when they can make it themselves with banana stems. We used to do it when we were children. With time, people are more happy with readily available options.