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The traditional Myanmar year is based on a 12 month lunar calendar. Traditional festivals and Buddhist holidays revolve around this lunar year which begins with Thingyan, the Burmese New Year, in April.



April: Tanku: Thingyan(Festival of water pouring): “Water festival” which lasts for three days (generally speaking, from 13 April to 15 April) sounds mild to describe a celebration especially in the big cities. Pandals (temporary shelter or shed) which entertain with the music and dances, are built on the roads and the streets from which the merry makers actually drench the passing cars and also the passer-by with water using all the available containers and even with fire hoses. Merry makers, mostly young people, go out cruising in open pick-up trucks in order to be able to fight back.

Since 2008, the government extended the Thingyan holidays from 3 days to 10 days though the water festival was held during the first three days. Government offices and businesses stop working during Thingyan.

April/May: Kason: (Festival of water pouring on Bo trees): Myanmar people celebrate the full moon day of Kason as the day of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. On that day, the Bo and Banyan trees in all the pagodas are ceremonially watered. Festively dressed women carry pots of water on their heads to the sacred trees around the pagodas and pour water over the roots of the trees.

May/June: Nayon: (Festival of examination): The rain begins and it’s the end of hot days. Examinations (for the Buddhist monks) are held on the students’ knowledge of Buddhist scriptures.

June/July: Waso: (Festival of Buddhist lent): The beginning of the three month Buddhist lent. All monks go into a deep retreat for study and meditation. The monks are not permitted to travel overnight during this period. It is a custom to offer robe to the monk during Waso. Ordinary people are also expected to be more religious during the lent. Marriages do not take place and it’s inauspicious to move house during the lent.

July/August: Wagaung: (Festival of drawing lot): The name of each member of local sangah is written on a piece of paper, which is then rolled up and deposited into a large basket. A representative from each household of the community draws a slip of paper from the basket, and the next day, provides an elaborate feast for the monk named on the piece of paper. One layman will have drawn a paper containing the name of hosting the Buddha.
And the month of Wagaung, is the time of the Nat festival in Taung Byon, near Mandalay. The merry makers there are allowed to verbally tease the girls and women as they please in this carnival atmosphere.

August/September: Tawthalin: (Festival of boat race): By September, rivers and streams are full so boat races are held in September. The most famous boat races are held in Southern Shan state at Phaung Daw Oo pagoda on Inle lake.

September/October: Thadingyut: (Festival of lights): The Thadingyut festival celebrates the return of Buddha to earth from heaven. Thadingyut marks the end of Buddhist lent. And laymen are allowed to wed till the next lent begins. To symbolize the Buddha’s return, houses, monasteries, public buildings, and the streets are illuminated with oil lamps, candles and electricity.
This is the time when people give particular reverence to their elders and ask forgiveness for bad behavior.

October/November: Tazaungmone: (Festival of weaving): On the full moon day of Tazaungmone, unmarried girls work at their looms from dusk to dawn to finish the robes for the monks. These robes are presented to the pagodas early next morning.
And it is the time for Ka Htein festival in which the monasteries are showered with gifts such as robes, fans, umbrellas, and clocks etc

Novembar/December: Natdaw: (Festival of the Nats): When the full moon day comes, celebrations dedicated to the spirit world are held, in many parts of the country.

December/January: Pyatho: (Festival of horse riding): During the days of Myanmar kings, Pyatho is the month when the Noblemen and the Princes showed their expertise in horse riding and combat skills. Military parades were also held to show off the King’s military strength. Nowadays, local pagoda festivals are held instead. E.g. Ananda pagoda festival in Bagan.

January/February: Tabodwe: (Festival of Hta Ma Nair): To mark the end of the harvest season, glutinous rice was mixed with sesame seeds, peanuts, shredded ginger and shredded coconut and cooked over open fire and stirred with big wooeden paddles until they become a thick mass which is called Hta ma Nair which is wrapped in small banana leaf, parcels and distributed among all the members of the community.

February/March: Tabaung: (Festival of the pagodas): Full moon day of Tabaung is the auspicious day for construction of a new pagoda. Pagoda festivals are held on that day. E.g. Shwe Dagon pagoda festival which is the largest pagoda festival in Myanmar.

 

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