Festivals in Myanmar

Myanmar New Year Festival (Water Festival)

This festival is known as Myanmar’s Traditional New Year Festival or the Water Festival. Every Myanmar citizen is happy on this day and month. There are twelve PRIVATE months in Myanmar calendar too. The first month of each year is calculated from April and the last one is March. According to Myanmar calendar, New Year Day falls on every second week of April.

There’s a tradition to celebrate the water festival all over the country for 3 days before New Year day by throwing water on each other. According to the proofs and references, this sort of water
festival has been celebrated in Myanmar since 500 years ago. In Myanmar this festival is called
‘Thingyan’ means “moving from one year to another”. It is quite puzzling why people throw water on one another during Thingyan Festival.

According to the ancient tradition of Myanmar, they have committed sins the whole year. There is
also a belief that these sins could be washed away and purified both in mind and spirit by throwing one another with Thingyan Water. Thus everyone is happy with a belief that they would be completely innocent after they are purified physically and spiritually in the next year.

As a meritorious deed, some youngsters wash the hair of old people and them too. Moreover, there’s also a custom to buy live fish and cows and let them loose in sanctuaries or rivers or lakes on the final day of Thingyan Ah-Tet Day (the final day of Thingyan). This is a custom that concerns Myanmar religion. Most of the Myanmars believe in Theravada Buddhism and so killing any living creature is a sinful act.

Myanmars will throw water on both Myanmar citizens as well as tourists who visit Myanmar during this festival with an intention to purify their mind and spirit. If you are here at this time, you’ll feel this atmosphere.
May you be able to visit Myanmar then and all your sins be purified with Thingyan Water.

THE REGATTA FESTIVAL ON THE ROYAL LAKE

When Myanmar was a monarchy, the royal regatta was held in the month of Tawthalin ( late
September ) and it remains one of the twelve monthly festivals in the Myanmar calendar. In those
days the king and his entire court attended the regattas, with the royal barge often heading the other boats as they proceeded in regal splendour down the river.

Music and song filled the air on those occasions, held not only for the entertainment of the royal
family, but also to evaluate the competitors, as potential recruits for the King’s Navy. Races during the regattas provided the opportunity for Myanmar’s kings to reward and recognize the skills of their troops and to review the strength of the naval forces. For the spectators, royal races were an occasion to cheer and exhort their favourite teams.

Chronicles show that royal regatta festivals were held by eleven monarchs beginning with King
Anaukphetlun, 1605-28, and ending with King Thibaw. However, it seems quite likely that every
Myanmar King hosted regattas during his respective reign.

THADINGYUT : THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS / END OF BUDDHIST LENT

Thadingyut (October) is the end of Buddhist lent. For the whole last three months of the rainy season, Sabbaths are kept by the laity, young or old. It is the festival of lights on the full moon day. Houses and streets in cities and towns are brilliant by illuminated. Pagodas are also crowded with people doing meritorious deeds. It is not only a time of joy but also thanks giving and paying homage to teachers parents and elders and receive their blessing.

It is originated in the story of worldly beings welcoming back the Buddha with lights as He descended from “ Thvatimsa”, the highest abode of the NATS ( celestial beings). He spent the three months preaching to the celestial beings headed by His mother who has died soon after giving birth to Him and reincarnated as a “DEVA” by the name of “Santussita”. It will be remembered that “Gautama Buddha” after displaying unheard of miracles under the “GANDA” mango tree, had disappeared from that mango grove and gone to “Tavatimsa” and spent the three months of rains-retreat.”Tavatimsa”, the celestial abode is on the top of Mount Meru which itself is a celestial mountain with the legendary gold, sliver and ruby stairways, and colourful lanterns held in the hands held in the hands of the gods, lining up the descent of the Lord.
During the festive nights fire ballons are also seen rising up and soaring in the sky.

MYANMAR TAZAUNGDINE FESTIVAL

Unsatisfied yet with the fun of the lighting festival of Thadingyut, the people start preparing for
another lighting festival called Tazaungdine or Tazaungmon. Tazaungmon (November)is the month when the Krattika plenet (Pleiades) accompanies the Moon, and when Mahavinayaka awakes from his long slumber. It is a pre Buddhist custom in Myanmar to do homage to this deity on the Full Moon night of Tazaungmon with offerings of incense, sweet-meats and lights.

This festival of Tazaungmon is an auspicious time for offering of yellow robes to the monks. The
Buddha’s mother, reincarnated as a god in Tavatimsa, perceived from her heavenly abode that her
son would soon be discarding, the royal robes and wearing a monk’s garments. She wanted to
provide the yellow robes of the monk and she had only a night’s time. But she had it woven in a
single night and offered to the Prince (Siddhata) by a celestial messenger. In commemoration of this event weaving competitions of yellow robes are held all over the country.

An offering of Kathein thingan (ceremony for offering of yellow robes) to the monks is usually a big
affair in large cities of Myanmar. Offering ceremonies consist of a thousand and one gifts pooled by the whole town beside the prime gift of Yellow robes. The Kathein festivals account for the greatest significance in Tazaungmon.

MYANMAR PAGODA FESTIVALS

Myanmar pagoda festivals are plenty almost happen everywhere anytime, Having a good time at a pagoda festival in Sittwe, Rhakhine / Arakan

TAUNGGYI FIRE - BALLOON FESTIVAL

In Taunggyi, the capital city of the Shan State, the people celebrate the Tazaungdine festival with Kahtein (offering of monk robes) as well as the releasing up fire-balloons into the sky. Balloons in the shape of elephant, ox, horse, water-buffalo, bird, pig, fish, owl and parrot are released. The Taunggyi festival is the biggest festival in the country. It is attended not only by Taunggyi Citizens but also by people from southern Shan State and many different races. Taungyi’s Kahtein tradition is amazing and worthy of reverence, (Myanmar Burma Birma Festivals Festivals in Myanmar).