Festivals in Myanmar

Myanmar, also refered to as the land of golden pagodas, offers a stunning

landscape with countless pagodas and temples, decorated with amazing art and
architecture that has an immeasurable value. It is no doubt that this country
is rich in cutural heritage that has lasted for centuries. Because of that almost
every festivals in Myanmar is related to their culture and religious faith. Myanmar

has 12 famous festivals. They are the water festival, watering Bodhi tree festival,

festival of scriptual examination, waso festival, casting lots festival, boat

racing festival,
festival of lights, festival of offerings, festival of celebrating literati,
equestrian festival,
glutinous rice festival, sand pagoda festival. And each one of them is celebrated
in
one of the twelve months of Myanmar.
For Myanmar, the water festival, also known as Thingyan, is the first and
the
most popular festival of the year. It falls in the month of Dagu. Dagu is the first
month of
the Myanmar calendar. It coincides with the month of April. The word 'Thingyan'
means
changing over. So the Thingyan festival is a festival held the mark the chaning
over
from the old year to the new year. The water festival, Thingyan, is called the
water festival
because it pours water on one another to get relief from the midsummer heat and
also
as a symbolic gesture of cleansing the guilt and the impurities of the old year.
Thingyan
festival held for four days and five days in leap years. Thingyan eve usually falls
on the 13th
April. Then Thingyan commencement day, Thingyan intermediate day and Thingyan final

day come in succession.

The most famous festival behind Thingyan might be the lights festival,
also known
as the Thadingyut festival. It held in Thadingyut, the seventh month of Myanmar
calendar.
It corresponds to the English month October. The Thadingyut festival or the lights
festival is
held for three days, namely the day before the fullmon day, the fullmoon day and
the day
after the fullmoon day. There will be lots of dance and music around the country.
And almost every house, every pagoda and even street will be illuminated with
candle lights
and light bulbs. It is held to celebrate the Buddha's return from the celestial
abode when he
had spent the lent preaching Dhamma to the celestial beings. Among the celestial
beings
was the mother of Buddha, reborn there. It was the Buddha's way of expressing his
gratitude
to his mother.
Another famous festival of myanmar is the festival of offerings or
Kahtain festival.
It fall in the month Tazaungmone, the eighth month of Myanmar calendar, which
coincides
with the English month November and December. The heart of this festival is
offering robes
and other gifts to monks. We organize and collet the offering of gifts for
monastery. People
make wooden triangular structures standing everywhere. They are called padaetha
trees and
gifts are hanging in these structures. Common gifts hang to structures are set of
yellow robes,
towels, napkins, cups and umbrella. The grand moment is when the gift-laden
padaetha trees
are taken in triumph to the monastery, acompanied by music and dance troupes and
damsels
dressed in bright clothes. Kahtain is considered to be one of the most meritorious
deeds.
In summary, Every festival of Myanmar is unique, diverse and have
meaningful purposes.
These festivals are enjoyable and meaingful. People of Myanmar enthusiastically and
willingly participate in those festivals
to demonstrate the beautiful of culture of the nation and the adoration
they have for their culture. It is admirable that how they have maintained
their culture for such a long period of time. As a Myanmar citizen, It is our duty
to preserve, cherish and pass down
this rich cultural heritage to future generations, ensuring the future of the
beauty and traditions of Myanmar.