January
Ananda Pagoda Festival
Place
: Ananda Pagoda Precincts in Bagan, Central Myanmar.
Date
: 26 Dec 2007 till 10 Jan 2008
Duration : 16 Days
Theme
: Anniversary of pagoda construction since old times of
Royal Kingdom. The biggest religious event in Bagan; many
invited Buddhist monks are coming to receive the bowls of
alms filled with crops offered by donors. Not only religious
aspects, but also outstanding commercial activities around
the Place for several days, so that socio-economic exchange
can be noticed.
Highlights
: Many bullock carts belong to villagers who come for
pilgrimages are particularly attractive for professional
photographers.
Manaw Festival
Place
: Myitkyina, regional capital of Kachin State, Northern
Myanmar.
Date : 10 January 2008
Duration : 1 Day
Theme : Most interesting and significant celebration of all
races of Kachin State for New Year, reunion, high prosperity
for future, performed as Manaw dance which is accompanied by
sounds of brass gongs, circular line of dancers approaching
to huge and colorfully decorated Manaw poles erected at the
center of Manaw ground (actual football stadium?). Everyone
can be invited to enjoy with them in the dancing line.
Highlights : Traditional costumes & symbolic designs painted
on the poles are particularly Highlights for visitors.
Naga New Year Festival
Place
: Appointed town of Chin State, near India border,
North-Western Myanmar,
Date : 12 January till 16 Jan 2008
Duration : 5 Days
Theme : Thanksgiving celebration to Mother Nature@ New Year
Festival of Naga, one of the vanishing hill tribes of
Indian-Myanmar border natives, known as fierce warriors,
head-hunters, and animists for many years ago in the past.
Now, they are getting more civilized since recent past.
During this festive time, ritual chants and dances
collectively performed around the symbolic New Year pole at
the center of the ground.
Highlights : Physical features of Naga men carrying shields
and spears wearing head-dresses decorated with animal horns,
fur, and feathers etc are unique; highly recommended for
those whose interests on photography, anthropology, history
etc…
February
Mahamuni Pagoda Festival
Place : Mahamuni Pagoda Precincts in Mandalay, central
Myanmar.
Date : 14 Feb till 29 Feb 2008
Duration : 16 Days
Theme : Annual pagoda festival with two distinctive
activities; one is the contest on glutinous rice delicacy
that is made at full-moon day eve. Incense burning ceremony
in the large amount of flame at the full moon day as symbol
of perfumed heat to sacred Buddha image of Mahamuni.
Highlights : Glutinous rice delicacy contest would be highly
enjoyed by funs.
March
Pindaya (ShweOoMin) Cave Pagoda Festival
Place : ShweOoMin Cave Pagoda at Pindaya, Inle region, Shan
State.
Date : 18 Mar till 22 Mar 2008
Duration : 5 Days
Theme : Anniversary of pagoda construction since old times
of Shan Chefs. Varieties of animation could be seen around
and inside the cave pagoda.
Highlights : Native hill tribes from Pindaya & environs with
full costumes are most attractive for observation upon
ethnic life of Myanmar.
Bawgyo Pagoda Festival
Place : Bawgyo Pagoda Precincts at Thibaw, Northern Shan
Stae.
Date : 16 Mar till 21 Mar 2008
Duration : 6 Days
Theme : Like Pindaya cave pagoda festival, it is also the
anniversary of pagoda construction since old times of Shan
Chefs. Varieties of animation could be seen around and
inside the pagoda.
Highlights : Native hill tribes from villages around Thibaw
with full costumes are most attractive for observation upon
ethnic life of Myanmar.
Taboung Festival
Place : Nation-wide in Myanmar.
Date : 21 March 2008
Duration : 1 Day
Theme : Celebrating the full-moon day of Myanmar lunar
calendar’s last month, Taboung which is said that the most
beautiful since old times. World famous Shwedagon Pagoda
Festival is the most known on that occasion.
Highlights : Colorful local visitors in many sacred Buddhist
monuments can be observed for their rituals.
Kakku pagoda Festival
Place : Kakku Pagoda Precincts, near Taunggyi, East of Inle,
Shan State.
Date : 18 Mar till 22 Mar 2008
Duration : 5 Day
Theme : Celebrating the full-moon day of Myanmar lunar
calendar’s last month, Taboung which is said that the most
beautiful since old times. Hill tribes, especially Paoh
women of those wear cotton black jacket, come for auspicious
day.
Highlights : Colorful tribes with ox carts are camping under
giant banyan trees are the most interesting.
April
Myanmar New Year Festival@ Water Festival@ Thingyan
Place : Nation-wide in Myanmar.
Date : 11 Apr till 20 Apr 2008
Duration : 10 Days
Theme : Buddhist Myanmar New Year celebrations mainly with
water-throwing to each others’ shoulder as a sign of
purification of mind before entering New Year in few days.
It lasts for 4 days. In the big cities, many animations
especially pandals for water-throwing & entertaining such as
dancing, singing are full of hundreds of funs. Old aged
people are used to go to monasteries for meditative goal.
Highlights : Almost entire week, no work at all in all
sectors, everybody enjoys full of happiness. Visitors could
participate in this socially joyful rare occasion in major
cities, especially in Mandalay where most fascinating
animations & pandals could be discovered around the old
palace.
May
Shitt Thaung Pagoda Festival
Place : Shitt Thaung Pagoda Precincts at Mrauk-Oo, Rakhine
State, Western Myanmar.
Date : 19 May 2008
Duration : 1 Day
Theme : Anniversary of pagoda construction since old times
of Rakhine Kings. Ritual religious ceremonies are held
during the festival.
Highlights : Rakhine traditional boxing shows are
fascinating to all visitors.
August
Taung Byone Nats Festival
Place : Taung Byone village, near Mandalay, Central Myanmar.
Date : 9 Aug till 16 Aug 2008
Duration : 8 Days
Theme : This most famous festival, ritually held, is in
Taung Byone village, just 1 hour drive from Mandalay, in
upper Myanmar. It lasts five days and every day has special
spiritual programs mainly related to 2 brothers Nats, most
outstanding legendary sprits in Myanmar, who were executed
in that place.
Highlights : t is a kind of festival where especially
youngsters are merry and enjoy drinking and where people of
all ages can join in the Nat dance.
October
Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival
Place : On Inle Lake, Southern Shan State.
Date : 30 Sep till 17 Oct 2008
Duration : 18 Days
Theme : The biggest religious festival on Inle Lake. The
sacred Buddha images from Phaung Daw Oo pagoda are placed on
a decorated royal barge and taken around the lake, night
stops at villages for people to pay homage. The festival is
full of pageantries, and there are fun fairs, music, dances
and boat races.
Highlights : Unique royal procession of barge moved forward
only by hundreds of leg-rowers, Intha people.
Thadingyut @ Lighting Festival
Place : Nation- wide in Myanmar.
Date : 13 Oct till 15 Oct 2008
Duration : 3 Days
Theme : Meaningful Buddhist religious ceremony at the end of
rainy days, Full-Moon day of this month is believed that
Buddha returned to the earth from his journey to celestial
worlds in the sky. To welcome back him, elegant decorations
with colorful lighting are made everywhere in the places of
Buddhists. Children and young-children pay homage to old
persons in the families on this full-moon day as traditional
way of respect. Music, dance, and many animations are
abundant in the cities.
Highlights : Almost every building is decorated with several
designs of lighting in evening which make beautiful scene
for photography and good time for strollers.
Elephant Dance Festival
Place : Kyauk Se Myo, South of Mandalay, Central Myanmar.
Date : 13 October 2008
Duration : 1 Day
Theme : During Thadingyut @ Lighting Festival, Kyauk Se Myo,
a small town at 40 km south of Mandalay is well reputed for
her feature of festival, elephant dance which is performed
by two men inside the live-size paper elephant magnificently
decorated and painted. Teams of contest do their
best-elephant.
Highlights : Acrobatic skill of elephants while dancing is
surely main theme. Rare chance to take pictures for such
festival in Myanmar.
November
Hot-Air Balloon Festival
Place : Taunggyi, capital of Shan State.
Date : 6 Nov till 12 Nov 2008
Duration : 7 Days
Theme : Traditionally, various competitions of hot- air
balloons can be seen in day and night. At day-time, see the
competitions of decorated hot-air balloons in different
shapes and forms of animals such as elephants, horse,
cattle, pig mythical Hintha bird and hen etc. Also see the
fireworks and firecrackers of hot air-balloon at night time.
Highlights : Night festive event is really fascinating with
its Shan traditional music, in the cool atmosphere of high
land.
Thanbodde Pagoda Festival & Phowingtaung Caves pagoda
Festival
Place : at Phowintaung, near Monywa, west of Mandalay.
Date : 7 Nov till 12 Nov 2008
Duration : 6 Days
Theme : Anniversary of pagoda construction with the usual
entertainment provided.
Highlights : Myanmar Thanaka, sandalwood and woven textiles
(cotton blankets and longyis mainly) can be bought at the
various stalls around the pagoda area.
Dazaungdaing Festival
Place : Nation- wide in Myanmar
Date : 11 Nov till 13 Nov 2008
Duration : 3 Days
Theme : Collective offering ceremony to the Buddhist
monastery, commonly called "Kathein" and every local hope –
at least once in his/her life – to participate in this
event. Many locals of different status offer yellow robes &
other items such as slippers, umbrellas, alms bowls and
other domestic articles to the monks. Especially Sagaing
Hills, near Mandalay, attract quite some crowds, as it is
known as the Buddhist Place of retreat per excellence in the
country with a concentration of monasteries, nunneries and
pagodas in that area. Many people (even from Mandalay) go
and spend the whole night (preceding full moon day) in
Sagaing.
Highlights : The procession with “Kathein” offerings is very
charming to see while coincided during your stay at every
place.
- Shin Mar le Pagoda Festival(Lotus flower
throwing festival)
Celebrated at the time of the Tazaungdaing Festival.
People throw with lotus flowers towards the top of Shin
Mar Le stupa, located at the northern entrance of Great
Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay, as a special homage to the
Lord Buddha.
Shwezigon Pagoda Festival
Place : Shwezigon Pagoda Precincts at Bagan, Central
Myanmar.
Date : 5 Nov till 20 Nov 2008
Duration : 16 Days
Theme : Anniversary of pagoda construction since old times
of Royal Kingdom. One of most impressive religious events in
Bagan; many invited Buddhist monks are coming to receive the
bowls of alms filled with crops offered by donors. Not only
religious aspects, but also outstanding commercial
activities around the Place for several days, so that
socio-economic exchange can be noticed.
Highlights : There are evening entertainments such as Pwe:
(a variety of dances, songs, short and long plays), Anyeint
(a performance of a few hours in which a number of "jokers"
caricature current situations and or person strung together
by a traditional dancer) in the open air. |
