Festival & Event Highlights in
Myanmar
Myanmar is a Land of Festivals : a
festival for every month of the year.
Most festival are cultural and
religious. Majority are nation-wide
celebrated while a few are distinctly
regional. The date of the festivals and
special events usually fall on the full
moon day of month.
January
Independence Day
Independence Day is
yearly Celebrated on January 4, to mark
the anniversary of the Independence Day
of the Union of Myanmar.
Kachin Manaw
Festival in Myintkyina
The Kachin Manaw
Festival is yearly celebrated on the
Kachin State Day to mark victory,
success as well as joyous or auspicious
occasions like bountiful harvest, happy
marriage or house warming.
NAGA New Year
Festival in Sagaing Division
Every year , NAGA
traditional New Year Festival is
celebrated in January and the gathering
place for this auspicious occasion is
rotation, in one of the township in
Sagaing Division viz Khamti, Lasyshi,
Namying and the Lahe. There is a great
feasting and the NAGA get attired in
their colurful costumes and headdresses.
Ananda Pagoda
Festival in Bagan
Bagan is where the
numerous temple, and pagodas of over
2000 exist today. The most interesting
aspect of this festival is the caravan
of bullock carts in the Ananda Pagoda
premises.
February
Manhamuni Pagoda Festival in Mandalay
Mandalay is historically known as the
last royal capital of the Myanmar
Kingdom. Situated to the south of the
Royal Palace is the 4.5 high Buddha
image cast in bronze.Besides the daily
rituals, Mahamuni Pagoda Festival is
unique with monks chanting Buddhist
svriptures, communal offering to the
monks and food stalls selling a variety
of Myanmar snacks.
March
Indawgyi Pagoda Festival in Kachin State
Indawgyi Pagoda is situated in the
centre of the lake. This festival is
celebrated for 10 days. Two sandbanks
appearing before the Festival is indeed
fascinating for all pilgrims.
Kakku Pagoda festival
in Kakku, Shan State
The unique feature of this Pagoda
festival is alms offering by the native
Pa O people dressed in their traditional
outfits. Traditional market festival is
an additional attraction for the
souverir buys.
April
Thingyan
This is the Myanmar Traditional Water
Festival to bring in the Myanmar New
Year. Traditionally, Thingyan is
celebrated for four days in all parts of
the country with much merriment and meit
making.
May
Kason FullMoon Day
On this very fullmoon day of Kason, cool
water is poured on to the sacred Bo
trees planted in the premises of the
pagodas and the Monasteries.
June/July
Wasoo Full moon Days is celebrated with
the offering of Waco Thing a yellow
(Robes) to the monks which market the
beginning of the Buddhist Lent.
The Pagoda Festival at Thihoshin Pagoda
in Pakkoku and at Shwe Kyun Pin Pagoda
in Mingun are prominent occasions.
August
Taungpyone Spirit (Nat) Festival is
celebrated in Taungpyone, near Mandalay
which lasts for five days. According to
tradition, the spirits(nats) are
appeased to bring good luck and
prosperity.
September/October
Thadingyut Festival of Lights signals
the end of the Buddhist Lent and
commemorates the day when Lord Buddha
completed preaching the Abhidhamma.
To welcome Lord
Buddha upon his descent from Tavatimsa
on Thadingyut full moon night, Pagodas,
monasteries, offices, schools and
residences are illuminated for three
days with candle lights, coloured paper
lanterns and neon lights.
Kyaukse Elephant Dance Festival is
celebrated in Kyaukse, near Mandalay. A
huge elephant made of bamboo and paper
has men inside to perform the elephant
dance at the foot of the hill, paying
homage to the Shwe Tha Lyaung Reclining
Buddha.
Paung Daw Oo Pagoda
Festival in Inlay Lake is popularly
celebrated in the Inlay Lake every year.
The images of the Buddhas from Paung Daw
Oo are placed on a decorated royal barge
and taken around the Lake; stopping at
villages for people to pay homage. The
porcession of the Inlay leg rowers in
full pageantry makes this Festival more
unique then ever.
Kyauktawgyi Pagodas
Festival in Mandalay is celebrated at
the Pagoda foot of the Mandalay Hill.
November
The Buddhist Lent is over and the cool
weather allow for more festivies at the
Pagodas throughout the country.
Shwezigone Pagoda Festival in Bagan
Thanbodde Pagoda Festival in Monywa
Phowintaung Pagoda Festival in Monywa
Kaunghmudaw Pagoda Festival in Sagaing
Tazaungdaing Festival
of Lights is also known as the Matho
Thingan ( non stale thingan robe weaving
) festival. The 3 days event features
gala illuminations at all pagodas and
monasteries, offices and house. Thingan
robe weaving competition are held at all
prominent pagodas on the full moon day
of Tazaungmone. Particularly at the
Shwedagon Pagodas in Yangon, this
competition is a significant event.
Buddhist devouts pay homage at Shwedagon
Pagoda, watch the winning robes are
offered to the Four Images of Buddha.
Taunggyi Tazaungdine
Festival attracts many pilgirms and
foreigners. A traditionally Shan
festival with a competition of hot air
balloon , fireworks to celebrate
Tazaungdine Festival.
December
Shwemyetmhan ( the Golden Spectacled
Buddha Image ) Pagoda Festival is
celebrated in Shwetaung.
Christmas
celebrations and Happy New Year
Festivities. |
