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Myanmar travel information and Festival
Taung Pyone Nat Festival (Taung Pyone,
Mandalay Division) :
Taung Pyone Nat or Spirit festival is a popular
festival held in Warkhaung, the fifth month in Myanmar calendar
during rainy season (July-August). Taung Pyone is one hour drive
north of Mandalay. The homage-paying festival is now held annually
to appease the spirits as it is believed that the Nats can fulfill
wishes, protect from ill-fate and danger, bringing prosperity and
success to the worshippers. The story of two Taung Pyone Nat
brothers originated during the rule of Bagan King, Anawrahta. They
were killed for the absence of their duty to contribute a brick for
the construction of a pagoda. It lasts for five days with special
programs on each day including spirits dances.
Elephant Dance
Festival (Kyaukse, Mandalay Division) :
This festival is celebrated on the fullmoon day of
Thadingyut and a yearly culture highlight of Kyaukse, 26 miles south
of Mandalay. The life-size elephant are made of bamboo frames and
paper. Two men get inside of the hollow elephant and moving like
lively elephants, followed by some traditional musicians. The whole
inhabitants compete, not only for the best elephant dance
performance, but also for the most beautifully decorated elephant.
The festival is crowded with people from surrounding villages of
Kyaukse and also from Mandalay.
Shwe Zi Gon Pagoda
Festival (Nyaung U, Bagan) :
Shwe Zi Gon pagoda festival is held in Tasaungmone,
the eight month in Myanmar calendar during winter
(October-November). The bell shaped cylinder Shwe Zi Gon pagoda can
be regarded as Major attraction in Bagan. It was first built in AD
1075 by King Anawrahta and finished in AD 1090 by his son, King
Kyansittha. The holy tooth relic and the collar-bone of Buddha which
are brought from China and Sri Lanka respectively are enshrined in
the pagoda. The festival held annually and lasts for 23 days. Like
other pagoda festivals there are food stalls, shops selling local
products, magic shows, puppet shows, theatrical shows, Zat pwe and
Anyeints.
Tasaungdaing
Festival (Nation-wide) :
Tasaungdaing festival is celebrated on and around fullmoon day of
Tasaungmone all over the country and falls mainly into November. It
is one of the religious festivals in Myanmar. During Tasaungdaing
festival people celebrate the night with various kinds of lights.
Homes, buildings and streets are illuminated. The main activity is
offering yellow robes to Buddha images at the pagodas and monks at
the monasteries. The offering ceremony is commonly called “Kathein”.
A traditional discipline is that one monastery can only accept one
“Kathein”.
A robe weaving ceremony is held on the eve of the fullmoon day at
famous pagodas in the country such as the Shwedagon Pagoda in
Yangon, the Mahar Muni Pagoda in Mandalay and the other important
pagodas in many cities and towns. The competition is about weaving
skills between teams of young women weavers to complete the robes
within one night. At dawn the robes are offered to the images of
Lord Buddha.
In addition people also offer cash, alms bowls, umbrellas, slippers,
clocks, furniture, brooms and many others items. The offering items
are hanging on wooden frames and groups of people carry them to the
designated monasteries on their shoulder, followed by traditional
dancers and musicians. A variety of cash notes are decently hanging
around the monks’ umbrella, which is at the top of the wooden frames
and some notes are beautifully decorated on the bamboo frame to
animal shapes. This festival also shows the generosity of the people
in Myanmar. Every family, school, offices and other organization do
these offerings in every year. Buddhists believe that they can
receive good and adequate clothing in their next life by offering
robes to the sons of Buddha (monks).
Hot Air Balloon
Festival (Taunggyi, Southern Shan State) :
Hot Air balloon festival is held on and around
fullmoon day of Tasaungmone. It normally lasts for five days. The
festival is well known for its hot air balloons, which are released
day and night. At night time, visitors can see competition of hot
air balloons with fireworks and fire crackers, competing over how
beautiful the fireworks are and the altitude they reach. In day
time, we can see competition of decorated hot air balloons in
different shapes and forms of animals such as birds, Hinthas, fish,
ducks, hens as well as some four-footed animals like pigs and so on,
competing over their beauty. Mostly the young local men participate
in this event. The balloons are hand-made from paper before the
festival. After the hot air balloons successfully flied during the
competitions, the crowed plays happily traditional instruments and
dance. This festival is becoming more popular day by day and most
people from any part of the country love to come and enjoy it.
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