Thingyan, Myanmar Water Festival

I have arrived in Myanmar on a very auspicious date, the Burmese new year, or Thingyan, the most celebrated festival in the country. Thingyan, Myanmar Water Festival, takes place toward the end of the hot, dry season and ushers in the Myanmar New Year. This festival is also celebrated in neighboring Theravada Buddhist countries; Songkran in Thailand and Laos, Chaul Chnam Thmey in Cambodia. Taking place from April 13 to 16 each year, the Buddhist festival of Thingyan is celebrated over four to five days, culminating on the Lunar New Year Day.

Commonly referred to as the Water Festival, Maha Thingyan allows people to celebrate the Burmese New Year. Despite this, Maha Thingyan is observed in mid-April on the Gregorian calendar. While the Water Festival is a Buddhist event, the Burmese government has made it a legal public holiday. This ensures that many Burmese citizens have the opportunity to enjoy the Water Festival. Maha Thingyan is a time for happiness and friendly attitudes.

Thinngyan is the most unique and colourful with the merriest occasion in Myanmar. Standing on bamboo stages erected along the streets, people splash water on passersby. Powerful water pipes douse people driving by in jeeps and trucks. The people throwing water each other since the Myanmar believe that Thinngyan water has the power to cleanse the evil and sins of the old year. The water symbolizes the washing away of the previous year’s bad luck and sins. On New Year’s Day itself, all the water-throwing ends. This day is celebrated by releasing captive fish and birds as acts of merit, and special feasts are held for monks.

Thingyan Celebrations:
Thingyan Eve: The first Thingyan celebrations begin on the day before the Water Festival. Thingyan Eve, or A-Kyo Nei, is a time for observing Buddhist beliefs.

Fasting: Many Buddhists observe Thingyan Eve through fasting. People who decide to fast for Thingyan Eve usually eat a single basic meal prior to noon. This meal is often very bland.

Observing the Eight Precepts: During Thingyan Eve, Buddhists are expected to observe the Eight Precepts of Buddhism. These Eight Precepts are similar to the Five Precepts. While observing the Eight Precepts, Buddhists must do the following: Refrain from killing living creatures, Refrain from stealing, Refrain from sexual activity, Refrain from lying or using incorrect speech, Refrain from using alcohol or drugs, Refrain from seeking entertainment, Refrain from eating during fasting periods, Refrain from sleeping on high places

Offerings to Monks: Many people in Myanmar celebrate Thingyan Eve by visiting a Buddhist temple. When visiting these temples, it is considered proper to leave an offering of green coconuts and bananas. These kinds of offerings usually consist of a single green coconut surrounded by a circle of bananas.

Washing the Buddha: Burmese people will also wash Buddha statues with sacred water that has been scented with flower extract. When washing Buddha statues, people start at the top by drizzling water over the head.

Night Celebrations: After the religious formalities of Thingyan Eve have been observed, Burmese people begin to relax and enjoy themselves. There are many lively celebrations that occur during the night of Thingyan Eve.

Music, Song, and Dance: While the Eight Precepts prohibit Buddhists from enjoying entertainment of any kind during the daytime, people are allowed to party to their hearts’ content as soon as night arrives. In nearly every village, city, and town in Myanmar, large stages are erected for the purpose of enjoying entertainment. These stages are made of wood and elaborately decorated with papier-mache and paint. Woman will dance to classical and contemporary music while wearing flower skirts. In addition to these flower skirts, Burmese women often wear padauck blossoms in their hair. The padauck blossom is also commonly referred to as the Thingyan flower due to its rarity and use during Maha Thingyan.

Parade of Locals: After enjoying live music and dancing, people celebrating Maha Thingyan parade the streets of their town or city while enjoying alcohol and the company of their friends and family members. These parades often consist of vehicles and decorated floats. Gyat, a form of Burmese rap, is commonly performed during these parades. Gyat is fairly controversial because it is a popular way of expressing distaste for social and political issues through music.

Water Festival Celebrations
Thinngyan water festival time is the merriest time for Myanmar young and old. Almost the whole populations are in the most joyous mood; roam around the city in cars or on foot to throwing and splashing water each other. Children use water pistols to drench their friends, relatives, and anyone else in range – only monks and the elderly are safe.
The primary event of Maha Thingyan is the Water Festival. This huge event is meant to celebrate the descent of Thagyamin, a celestial Buddhist figure, to Earth. The beginning of the Water Festival, or A-Kya Nei, is marked with the firing of a water cannon into a public area. While the cannon is fired, people run out to collect the water with pots and buckets. The collected water is then poured over the ground. This is followed by a short prayer. Just like Thingyan Eve, these religious rituals are followed by festive activities. Water throwing with toy guns, balloons, and hoses takes place in many areas of Myanmar.

If you are planning to travel Myanmar, Thingyan is undoubtedly the best time of the year to visit. Besides the fun-filled activities and the festive atmosphere, you’ll be sure to meet lots of Burmese, who are always friendly saying “Mingalabar”

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MYANMAR FESTIVALS (Part III)

Phaung Daw OO Pagoda Festival (Inle Lake, Shan State)

Phaung Daw U Pagoda is the most famous pagoda in Inle lake region. The pagoda houses five small gilded images of Buddha, which have been covered in gold leaf to the point that their original forms cannot be seen.  The Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival is held annually for a total of 18 days. It is one of the most famous festivals in Myanmar. Both locals and foreign visitors come to visit this traditional festival in Inle Lake, Shan State. Annually, during the Myanmar Month of Thadingyut, usually between September and October, the 18-days festival is held. The festival is held with the dates according to the Lunar Calendar of Myanmar.

A large boat with a Golden Hintha (Hamsa) Bird creation is built. The Buddha Images tour around the Inle Lake from village to village taking the whole 18 days on the way. During the festival, only four of the Buddha Images are moved onto the royal barge. One image always remains at the temple. The decorated royal barge is towed by several boats moving by leg-rowers of Inle. The barge is towed from village to village along the shores of the lake in clockwise fashion, and the four images reside at the main monastery in each village for the night. The high point of the festival is on the day when the images arrive at the main town of Nyaung Shwe, where most pilgrims from the surrounding region come to pay their respects and veneration by boats. There are hundreds of floating boats from near and far. Indochina tours Vietnam

The order of the procession is subject to late changes as there is no fixed route for the festival. Your guide throughout your period in Inle Lake will take you to the best locations to enable you to join in the festivities.

Phaung Daw OO Pagoda Festival (Inle Lake, Shan State)

The festival is held with the dates according to the Lunar Calendar of Myanmar.

Elephant Dance Festival (Ky Auk Se)

In celebration of these magnificent beasts, locals dress up in life-size elephant costumes to perform lively dances and impressive acrobatics. The artistry, fun, and sheer talent involved in this festival is sure to impress any visitor.

What is the Elephant Dance Festival?

The festival is celebrated every year at the end of Buddhist Lent, which coincides with October’s full moon. The festival is celebrated with intricate elephant costumes, each generally manned by two people. The costumes can take months to make and are crafted from a bamboo frame covered in cloth, paper, and foil.  The elephant costumes are further decorated in glitter, gold foil, satin, ribbons, and glass gems to create a true work of art. Workshops respect the artist’s mastery and each artist keeps his construction methods top-secret.

What to expect at the Elephant Dance Festival?

The festival lasts all day and includes both a parade and a dance competition. The day starts with a parade around the marketplace, with the elephants circling the market three times so that everyone can get a good look at the beautiful artwork. The competition begins in the morning and is judged by prominent town officials and distinguished local persons.

The elephants are judged on various details including the precision and harmony of the dancing, the teamwork of the dancers, the construction of the elephant, and the music and singing involved. Dancing can involve impressive acrobatics – imagine two people acting out an elephant standing on its front legs with its hind legs in the air. Winners are announced in the evening and the next morning pilgrims climb a nearby 975-foot-hill to offer cakes and fruits to their spiritual protectors.

Elephant Dance Festival (Ky Auk Se)

The festival is celebrated every year at the end of Buddhist Lent, which coincides with October’s full moon.

Hot Air Balloon Festival 

As usual, the festival is held on full moon day of Tazaungmone. It takes at least for 5 days and widely famous for its hot air balloons with fireworks and fire  crackers, competing day and night during the festival. Nevertheless, the main significance of this festival is light, as many suppose this festival has existed even before the introduction of Buddhism in Myanmar, to honor the God of Light and the awakening of Lord Vishnu. Sparkle fireworks, fire balloons are sent to the sky and multicolored lanterns are lighted. It is also said that the Gautama Buddha would return to Tawadeintha on this day to visit his mother’s reincarnated spirit so people illuminate the path for him by lighting candles and lanterns. Also on this occasion, many people come back home to pay homage to elders. Almsgiving and charity consisting of sautuditha feasts are also common during this festival, regarded as merit-making activities.

Visitors can see competition, how beautiful and smart hot air balloons, fireworks and fire crackers that how high shapes and forms of animals such as elephants, ducks, fishes, birds, hens so also four legs animals like pigs, buffalos which are to be handmade of a kind of fire resistant paper for successfully long lasting while competing. The competition is celebrated in crowded people while others play happily traditional musical instruments and dance around. People from all parts of country love to come and enjoy this festival as the festival is one of the most popular festivals in Myanmar. tours in Vietnam

Hot Air Balloon Festival

It takes at least for 5 days and widely famous for its hot air balloons with fireworks and fire crackers, competing day and night during the festival

Sky Lights

Golden Rock Pagoda Festival

Mount Kyaiktiyo (Kyite Htee Yoe), famous for the huge golden rock perched at its summit, is one of the three most sacred religious sites in Myanmar, along with the Shwedagon Pagoda and the Mahamuni Temple. Pilgrims come here from far and wide to worship and add gold leaf to the rock, which seems to defy gravity by delicately balancing on the edge of the 1100-metre high mountain.

Golden Rock pagoda festival is one of the most famous one and nation-wide both for local and foreign visitors. It is held on the evening of December 31 in Golden Rock, Mon State. On the platform of Golden Rock pagoda devotees light nine thousand lamps to welcome the New Year and to give thanks to Buddha peaceful philosophy. The magical Golden Rock pagoda, a golden spire, sits on the top huge boulder covered with gold leaf and perched on the edge of a cliff.

It is of considerable celebrity and attracts crowds of worshippers annually beginning from October to March which is the seasonal pilgrimage period for worshippers Especially on the full moon day of Tabaung, the platform of the pagoda is lighted with ninety thousand candles offered to the Buddha and thousands of worshippers gather around the pagoda offering fruits, foods incense to the Buddha. Sometimes reflected rays of color from the Buddha’s image were said to have been observed by the worshipers.

Golden Rock Pagoda Festival

Golden Rock Pagoda

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MYANMAR FESTIVALS (Part II)

Ritual of Pouring Water on the Bodhi Tree (Bo Tree)

All the pagodas throughout the country celebrate on Full Moon Day of Kason. This ritual commemorates the date 2500 years ago when the Buddha gained enlightenment while mediation under a Bodhi tree. Pilgrims pour water on this tree in pagoda compounds to keep them fresh in the summer heat of May.

As the month of kason is at the middle of the hot reason, the earth is dry and people pour water at the Maha-Bodhi tree to make sure it does not die of drought during the hot summer. This has become an integral part of Myanmar culture and on every full-moon day of kason, the Buddhist people would march in a grand procession to the Bodhi tree or to the pagodas to pour scented water.

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There are so many banyan tress in various regions of Myanmar. The majestic trees give cool shade and grandeur as well as dignity. grace and charm. Water pouring ceremony to the Bodhi tree in the month of Kason had been performed successively since the time of Myanmar monarchs to the present day. The performance of the ceremony is supportive not only to the religion and tradition but also to keeping trees green and lush.

• Date:   During May
• Location: Countrywide

Ritual of Pouring Water on the Bodhi Tree (Bo Tree)

Pakokku Thiho Shin Pagoda Festival

The weather in June may not support for outdoor activities through the country, even festivals. Only the biggest one – Pakokku Thiho Shin Pagoda Festival takes place in Pakkoku, Central Myanmar. Pakokku is an old traditional town on the western bank of the Ayeyarwadt river. This pagoda festival is the most important for all towns west of the Ayeyarwady and produce from the region.

Pakokku Thiho Shin Pagoda

This festival is an occasion for farming communities in the Pakokku to come together and celebrate the end of the harvest season. Pakokku is the old town on the western bank of Ayeyawady River. This is the most important festival of the land. The festival is also occurred with a local market selling local specialties such as fried chili, tobacco, fiber bags. This is also areas growing the best quality of Tanakha, the plant to make traditional skin-protected cosmetic of Burmese people. Red robed Buddhist monks will collect alms from local people and attendees in the festival. All farmers and merchants will donate portion of their profits to the temple.

• Date: from 8th Nayon month
• Duration: 15 days
• Location: Pakokku, central Myanmar

Waso Festival

The Waso festival is annually held on the full moon of Waso throughout the country. The festival commemorates the time when the Budha gave his first sermon, to five months. Pilgrims throughout the country gather wild flowers to offer at pagodas, and offer new robes to monks. The Buddhist Lent period is from the full moon of Waso until the full moon of Thadingyut.

During the Waso festival, Buddhist monks are not allowed to go outside overnight or longer and they have to stay at their monasteries. Often, monks begin their Lenten days on the full moon day of the fourth month of the Myanmar calendar and ends on the full moon day of Thadingyut, the seventh month of the Myanmar calendar. It lasts for three month in total.

The Waso festival is annually held on the full moon of Waso throughout the country

The Waso festival is annually held on the full moon of Waso throughout the country

It is said in history that a group of monks set out on a journey to pay their respects to the Buddha in the agricultural season. Because many people complained that the monks walked across cultivated fields and destroyed the crops, the Lord passed a law to be followed by monks: no monk shall make a journey lasting a night or longer during the three monks of the monsoon rains. That rains retreat is the Buddhist Lent.

Following the law, monks spend more time and energy to the propagation of the Buddha’s teachings and the practice, that is, meditation, of the doctrine during that period. Laymen and laywomen try to gian merit through offering robes, alms and other essentials to the Sangha, it was a special donation to the monks during the Lent of absolute devotion to meditation. This annual occasion is called “Waso-pwe”, occasion of offering essentials to the Sangha, or “Waso-thingan-katlupwe”, occasion of offering robes to the Sangha.

From this time on, Buddhist experience three months by not drinking alcohol, making donation ceremonies, reciting the Buddhist chant, keeping precepts and practicing meditation. Morever,marriage and changing of accommodation during the period are not encouraged.

• Date:   July (15th day of 04th Burmese month)
• Location: Countrywide

Myanmar Waso Festival (or) Lenten Season

Taung Pyone Nat ( Spirit ) Festival

There are number of annual Nat festivals celebrated in Myanmar, the Nats of the region accordingly. Taungpyone festival is the most attractive and important in a village near Mandalay. Annual festival is held in September or August according to the Myanmar Lunar calendar. The believers honour the two Taung Pyone brothers, Min Gyi and Min  Galay. In Buddhist lore, spirits or nats exit in many forms such as celestials or guardians of the faith, cities or villages, or even for each individual. The pantheon of 37 spirits worshipped by semi-animists are also called Nat but of a different kind. Most of 37 spirits met violent deaths as humans and by strong emotions of bitterness or anger could not pass through to their next life but remain in limbo. But rituals worship them in believing that they will be blessed and they could bring more wealth and good fortune to their daily life.

Taung Pyone Nat ( Spirit ) Festival

This village is known among Myanmar people thanks to the Taung Pyone Festival, which is the most famous festival of Nats (spirits) in the country. This is the festival where people are allowed to make fun of each other but not allowed to get angry or take the joke as serious for all visitors are expected to smile with joy and fun. All the Nat mediums or clairvoyance and those who believe and worship Nat’s gather in the village. The usually quiet village of Taung Payone becomes very crowded for the time of the festival with all the visitors coming to join the celebrations by car, train or on foot.

The village itself is a pleasant place to be. The beautiful landscape opens the view on mountains covered with palm trees. You can enjoy your stay in a traditional village hut fully made from a palm stem and leaves. Obviously the huts don’t have usual facilities – both showers and toilets are outside. So you will definitely have an interesting outdoor shower experience. Don’t forget to bring some extra longyi which will be necessary for the bathing. During the festival you can find many shops selling traditional crafts – handmade necklaces, bracelets, different children’s toys, snacks, local products.

Series of 37 Nat statues on the stands are offered food and flowers, but not pork products, cash and alcohol. The mediums entertain the crowds with Nat dance with the traditional Nat music and performance during night and day. The whole area is occupied with circus and cultural dances, music and magic shows, fortune tellers and tattoo shops. Thousands of people are visiting the Nats Pavilions to consult a medium for their future prospects and fortunes.

• Date:   During August
• Location: Taungyone, Mandalay Division

This is the festival where people are allowed to make fun of each other but not allowed to get angry or take the joke as serious for all visitors are expected to smile with joy and fun.

Manuha Pagoda Festival

Manuha Pagoda Festival is held annually one day before the Full Moon Day of Tawtalin. Depending on the Lunar Calendar. the festival is held in end of September or start of October. Manuha Pagoda Festival is celebrated for three consecutive days.

During two days festival, pretty village girls dressed in their best parade with trays of fruit and cakes to offer at the pagoda. During the afternoon, young men parade larger than life papier mache figures they have made of heroes, celestials and animals. At night, they put on dances and plays. The next morning at dawn, they offer foods at the shrine and also to the monks.

The parade of colourful paper mache figures roam around the city during the festival. The locals create colorful and beautiful decorations of images such as the Manuha King himself. tigers. cows. elephants. horses. and even some stars of today. The number of representation varies up to hundred. The parade goes on until the end of the day.

Locals and foreign visitors enjoy the sight of the colorful papier-mâché figures and also the lifestyle of the Bagan locals. There are other entertainments such as Zat Pwe and Anyeint at the night time. Villagers near and far never miss this opportunity of participating the Manuha Festival.

• Date:   During September
• Location: Bagan

The pretty village girls dressed in their best parade with trays of fruit and cakes to offer at the pagoda.

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Festivals in MYANMAR

Myanmar is a veritable land with full of colorful festivals and special events, mostly cultural and religious, all are always pleasurable. Most festivals are celebrated nation-wide all over the country. As Myanmar traditionally goes by 12 month lunar calendar, the dates of festivals and culture events are determined by the lunar New Year. Once you come and experience the festivals, you will not forget that moment. Myanmar also have festivals all around the year, at least one in each month of the year.

(PART I)

Ananda pagoda festival (Bagan):

Symbolizing the limitless wisdom of Buddha, there is a month long sanctified festival for the temple Ananda, the most beautiful one out of 2000 holy monuments in Bagan, Myanmar. It is usually falls on January every year. The busiest day of the festival is on the full-moon day of the lunar month. Villagers and pilgrims around Bagan roll in the sacred site of Ananda for the consecration.

Ananda pagoda is one of the most famous pagodas in Bagan. Built by King Kyansittha of the Bagan dynasty in late 11^th century, it is also rated as the most aesthetic and artistic structure in Bagan. The temple’s name means the endless wisdom of Buddha. The pagoda festival is held annually on the full moon of Pyatho (January). This annual festival has been around for more than 2,000 years and even now people from surrounding villages come to the festival by the traditional way in bullock carts. They also stay the whole 7 days duration of the event, camping under the spreading acacia trees around pagoda. There are stalls too, selling everything from daily necessities to cosmetics and food stalls of course. The festival ends with the traditional donation ceremony for the monks on the full moon day of Pyatho.

This is also the best time to see not only the ritual of Buddhists but the festival is also meant for social gathering, reunification, propagation and perpetuation of the religion that is Buddhism. During the festival, walk around in sea of vendors and shops that sell traditional Myanmar food-staff and enjoy the local atmosphere in locality.

• Date: usually starts the first week of January
• Location: Bagan
• Duration: 15 days

Ananda pagoda festival

Kachin New Year festival (Manaw – Kachin State):

Kachin is one of the states which has a delightful festival known as Manaw, one of the largest ethnic races of Myanmar, live in the northern part of the country. The Kachin state is the roof of the country inhabited by the different Kachin races of Jainphaw, Azi, Rawang, Lashi, Mashu and Lisu. The land is swept by chill breezes blowing from the Himalayas and the streams with crystal clear and icy water of melted snow. The races dwell in villages by rivulets or in valleys or on the hill tops, each with their own language, customs and culture. Every year in January, the Kachins hold a Manaw ( traditional commemorative festival) to welcome in the Kachin New Year. Manaw simply means “festival” in the Kachin (Jinpaw) language, and is a gathering to celebrate the harvest, New Year, or a wedding with feasting and dancing. The traditional Manaw poles decorated in Kachin motifs are at the centre of the festival compound where the dancers dance around to show of gratitude to their ancestral spirits and their wish for a bright future. All the visitors are warmly welcomed to join the dance.

Kachin, the hill people or the Scots of Myanmar, celebrate Manaw festival. It is one of the most popular festivals in Myanmar. The festival is usually held in January. This festival has been held for more than three decades. Manaw festivals is the celebration of the New Year, Victory in battles, reunion of the tribes etc. Everybody in town joins the spiritual dance lined up behind one another.

The traditional Manaw poles are decorated in colourful Kachin motifs and are centered in the middle of the festival ground. All who came to the festival wear their best traditional costume and the main feature of the festival is dancing around the erected Manaw poles, quite similar to the totem poles of North American Indians. Manaw festival is held in Myitkyina and Putao in Kachine State.

• Date:   Around first week of January
• Location: Myitkyina, Kachin State.

Kachin New Year festival

Naga festival (Chin State):

Numerous Naga tribes spread throughout the north-western hills of Myanmar. Most of the Naga are from the Chin State. But the festival place falls in the Sagaing Division, next to the Chin State. The places where the Naga inhabit are Khamti, Lashe, Lahel, and Nanyun in the Sagaing Division. There are 64 clans of the Naga tribe. Naga New Year festival is one of the most breathtaking and exciting events among many festival in Myanmar. The Naga is one of national races who live in Naga land. Their annual New Year festival is celebrated in the mid of January and participated by about 30 Naga clans. Naga national group gather at one of their towns to celebrate their New Year. Dressed in their finery of breads, feathers, fur, bear and tiger, they parade into town after walking several days over mountain and through valleys. One can also enjoy the unique songs and dances that may never be seen before. To all visitors, Naga New Year festival is a different world and amazing land to be visited and observed. Indochina tours Myanmar

• Place:  Chin State
• Time:   During January of every year, depends on Lunar calendar

Naga festival

Naga festival

Naga festival

Maha Muni Pagoda Festival (Mandalay):

The pagoda festival celebrates  on 14^th Waxing Moon day and 15^th full moon day of Tabodwe in Mandalay. The coldest month in Myanmar and during the festival, devotees light bonfires and cook huge pans of sticky rice with ginger, coconut and sesame to offer monks at the Maha Muni pagoda. In other parts of the country, sticky rice is cooked as a celebration of the harvest and distributed within communities.

Glutinous rice (which is a delicacy) contests are also held on the pagoda’s platform. A variety of incense sticks are burnt for the Myanmar Buddha image on the full moon day. During this festival thousands of people from all over the country make the pilgrimage to the Mahamuni Pagoda. The temple is always the center of activities and during this festival it explodes with energy. Locals from far and near come to pay homage and respect to the Buddha image and enjoy the festival. Many street vendors sell, Thanakha, Myanmar made toys, Mandalay food and many more. It is very crowded in the pagoda’s compound.

• Place:  Maha Myat Muni Pagoda, Mandalay, Mandalay Division
• Time:   During February / March, depends on Lunar Calendar

Maha Muni Pagoda Festival

Maha Muni Pagoda Festival

Maha Muni Pagoda Festival

Maha Muni Pagoda Festival

Shwedagon Pagoda Festival (Yangon):

It is one of the wonders of the world today, was believed to have built over 2005 years ago where Buddha’s relics were enshrined. The festival is usually held on the full moon day of Tabaung which is being in March. Many people in the country contributes funds for the repairing and a great number of people pay homage every day. There are many festivals throughout the year. The pouring water to the sacred Bo-tree, the overnight weaving contest for the yellow robes, the donation of golden leafs in a buck and many others are unnoticed festivals in each occasion. The traditional snacks and local products are displayed and sold in many stalls along the side ways to Shwedagon pagoda. It is worth moment for visitors to see how bustling Myanmar people enjoy their holiday and how they participate in religious activities of festivals. The renovation works were greatly done and the escalator on the western stairway and the elevators in all others are beautifully forced and the elevators in all others are beautifully forced and the spires are rebuilt. Even the campy is renovated with modern techniques. Visitors from all over the country enjoy the festival at such a time. They come to donate offertories

• Place: Yangon, Yangon Division
• Time: During February / March, depends on Lunar Calendar

Shwedagon Pagoda Festival

Shwedagon Pagoda Festival

Shwedagon Pagoda Festival

Pindaya Shwe Oo Min Pagoda festival (Southern Shan State):

Well known for its extensive limestone caves over million of years ago. Shwe Oo Min cave pagoda festival is as well celebrated on full moon day of Tabaung, starts a week before full moon day. Thousands of devotees from villages around the area come to pay homeage to the images of Buddha in the cave. There are some 6,000 Buddha images and interesting stalagmites.

• Place: Pindaya, Southern Shan State
• Time: During March

Pindaya Shwe Oo Min Pagoda festival

Kakku Pagoda Festival (Taungyi, Sounthern Shan State):

Annualy, Kakku pagoda festival is also held on full moon day. The devotees come from Pa-O village to the pagoda for praying respect and enjoy the days under very huge banyan trees surrounding the pagodas. There are over 2,000 ancient pagodas in Kakku pagoda compound. The Pa-O people dress up their best costume and getting to know each other while others come by their bullock carts to the festival.

As it is, all the people of the region arrive by the thousands, dressed in their traditional costumes. Some come in bullock carts while others arrive by more modern conveyances, on the village tractor. But the most interesting time to visit this place is to get there before dawn of the full moon day of Tabaung where the Pa O people in all their finery come with gaily decorated trays bearing morning food offerings.

• Place: Kakku region, near Inle Lake, Shan State
• Time: During March

Kakku Pagoda Festival

Myanmar New Year Festival (Nation Wide):

The most famous festival of Myanmar is the Thingyan Water Festival, which is held from 13 April to 16 April every year. Thiangyan water festival, the greatest and the merriest, celebrated all over the country which goes together with Myanmar New Year. It features water throwing by the way of relieving of the intense heat of the season and washing away the sins of passing year. It is believed that water festival washes away sins and welcomes the New Year. The water festival represents the most popular, raucous and colorful celebration of the year for more than 120 million people who will abandon any thoughts of work and bring their nations to a standstill. People around the country gather together again and visits pagodas, offers and pay homage to the monks, play traditional games and celebrate with their joyous spirit.

Young and not-so-young people have great fun throwing at one another, teasing, singing, dancing and shouting during the festival. If you take part this festival, you will feel really awesome. But Thingyan is not all for fun and play. It is also a time for performing meritorious deeds. Some do religious deeds at monasteries. As a whole, during Thingyan period everything becomes dear. After playing around and having fun throughout the country, the city-dwellers welcome the New Year on the 17th by cleaning the floors of the pagodas and monasteries, washing old and aged people’s hair, helping to cut them their nails. Some offer free food and drinks for everyone who visits the pagodas, some make other donations. If you can be here with us, you will never forget the true joy.

• Place: Countrywide
• Time: April 13 to April 16 every year

Myanmar New Year Festival

Myanmar New Year Festival

 

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