Myanmar Festivals : Myanmar  

Myanmar Festivals - Travel guide

Myanmar

Festivals

Myanmar is a Land of Festivals: a festival for every month of the year. Most festivals 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 fullmoon day of month.

January

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 Myitkyina
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 housewarming.

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 a rotation; in one of the townships in Sagaing Division viz Khamti, Layshi, Namying and Lahe. There is a great feasting and the NAGA get attired in their colourful 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

Mahamuni 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 scriptures, 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 souvenir 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 merit 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

Waso Fullmoon Day is celebrated with the offering of Waso Thingan yellow (Robes) to the monks which mark 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.

Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival in Inlay Lake is popularly celebrated in the Inlay Lake every year. The images of the Buddhas from Phaung Daw Oo are placed on a decorated royal barge and taken around the Lake; stopping at villages for people to pay homage. The procession of the Inlay leg rowers in full pageantry makes this Festival more unique then ever.

Kyauktawgyi Pagoda Festival in Mandalay is celebrated at the Pagoda premises, located at the foot of the Mandalay Hill.

November

The Buddhist Lent is over and the cool weather allow for more festivities 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 day event features gala illuminations at all pagodas and monasteries, offices and houses. Thingan robe weaving competitions are held at all prominent pagodas on the full moon day of Tazaungmone. Particularly at the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, this competition is a significant event. Buddhist devouts pay homage at Shwedagon Pagoda, watch the competition enthusiastically and wait for the dawn when the prize winning robes are offered to the Four Images of Buddha.

Taunggyi Tazaungdine Festival attracts many pilgrims and foreigners. A traditionally Shan festival with a competition of hot air balloons, fireworks and firecrackers to celebrate Tazaungdine Festival.

December

Shwemyetmhan (the Golden Spectacled Buddha Image) Pagoda Festival is celebrated in Shwetaung.
Christmas celebrations and Happy New Year Festivities.