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Myanmar travel information and Festival
Water Festival (Thingyan Festival) and
Myanmar New Year (nation-wide) :
The famous Water Festival
known as Thingyan Festival is held through out the country for three
or four days in the second week of April every year. The word
“Thingyan’’ means change and for Myanmar people it is changed from
the old year to the New Year. Myanmar People believe that pouring
water to each other during Thingyan cleans out the sins from the old
year. Singing and dancing on decorated Thingyan pandols, from which
the people throw water, can be seen everywhere in towns and cities.
The day following the Thingyan festivals days is Myanmar New Year
day. On that day, Myanmar people visit the pagodas and to pay homage
to Buddha, they will shampoo hairs and cut the nails of aged persons
at homes for the Aged and donate Myanmar snacks and cold drinks at
Monasteries.
Kason Fullmoon day
(Nation-wide) :
Kason is the second month of Myanmar
and falls in April-May. It is a sacred month for Buddhists. The
fullmoon day of Kason is a day of three fold significance: the
birth, gain the Enlightenment under the Bo-tree and the death of
Buddha. The activity of this festival is pouring water to the sacred
Bohdi (Banyan tree/Bo-tree). It is an important Buddhist event and
held at temple grounds throughout the country. Crowds gather
especially at the Shwe-Kyet-Yet Pagoda, on the way towards the
ancient cities southwest of Mandalay.
Popa Nat Festival
(Popa Nat Pwe, Mt.Popa) :
Popa Nat (Spirit) festival is held on fullmoon day of
Tagu, the first month in Myanmar calendar during summer (April).
Large numbers of worshippers, who believe in spirits pay respect to
the Nats at their shrines on the top of Mt. Popa. These festivals
which include Nat (Spirit) dances are very crowded. Additional to
the main festival in April are also festivals held on fullmoon day
of Warkhaung, the fifth month of Myanmar calendar (July-August) and
fullmoon day of Nadaw, the ninth month in Myanmar calendar
(November-December).
Shit-Thaung Pagoda
Festival (Mrauk U, Rakhine State) :
Shit-Thaung pagoda festival is held on and around
fullmoon day of Kason, the second month in Myanmar calendar usually
falls in May. Duration of this ceremony is eight days. Dummy boat
races on land, real boat contests and water splashing in the Mrauk-U
canal are held on fullmoon day, as well as the final traditional
wrestling at the foot of the pagoda.
Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda
Festival (Inle Lake, Southern Shan State) :
Phaung Daw Oo pagoda festival is held in Thadingyut,
the seventh month in Myanmar calendar mostly falls in October. It is
the time of transition from the rainy to the cold season. The
monsoon is gone and the whole country everywhere looks pleasant. It
can be regarded as pagoda festival season as famous pagoda festivals
are held and Phaung Daw Oo pagoda festival is the first among these.
It is the biggest occasion at the Inle Lake and magnificent since it
is not only held at the place where the pagoda is situated. Four
Buddha images out of five from Phaung Daw Oo pagoda are carried on a
decorated royal barge (called Karaweik) and taken clockwise around
19 villages on the lake during 15-festival days. The barge is drawn
by boats of leg-rowers (Inle Lake is very famous for its unique
leg-rowers) and plenty of pilgrims in boats follow the procession.
The pagoda festival is held in every village, where the barge stops.
People pay homage and offer flowers, alms, water and a variety of
fruits to the Buddha images. The most interesting event of the
festival is leg-rowing boat races, which are held on the last day.
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