Ja N Dawng

Alena balmforth/
04//17/16
Writing 900-004
Myanmar water festival
Burmese New Year water festival is called Thingyan in Burmese. The
water festival usually falls around mid-April. It is a Buddhist water festival
celebrated over a period of four or five days, culminating in the New Years.
The water festival begin April 13 to April 17. This water festival celebrated
over the whole country and water festival is the main tradition in Myanmar.
Also water festival is comparable to other New Year. Water festival is Buddha
Sabbath day similar to Christian Sabbath. This is the most important public
holiday throughout Burma and are part of the summer holidays at the end of
school year.
This water festival celebration did not originate from Myanmar, it was
from the Indian who migrate to Burma and served in the courts of the
kingdoms during ancient Burma. Oldest recorded history of the celebration of
the water festival was in the 13th century.
The eve of Thingyan, the first day of the festival called A KYO NEI is the
start of religion festival. They start pouring water ceremony everywhere. In
the first day of festival having only one meal before noon because this is the

rule comes and they pray. The next day is New Years Day and its a time for
people to visit the elder and pay obeisance called GADAW. They visit each
other house, friends and having a good time day. Also they have to go to the
pagoda temple, meet up with their monk and GADAW to the monk. And
people make donation like foods to monk and proved to free foods to those
participating in the New Years celebrations.
In the night time they have special activities. Like the real fun begin
with music, song and dance of the tradition water festival. People have
practiced for weeks and even years, in the run up to the great event in song
and dance. They prepare for great performance on stage. They have each
band of girls uniformly dressed in colorful tops and skirts and garlanded in
flower and tinsel. All girls wear fragrant called THANAKA on their faces. On
the water festival they use to celebrate on the street and people are pouring
water on each other. Some people are on the big trunk and throwing water
trough out of the way.
There is two thing main important for water festival. They are Thingyan
flower and foods. The flower name called PADAUK PAN Blooms which only
flowering during THINGYAN. Typically season flower of Burmese PADAUCKS.
Each year during water festival and is popular known as the THINGYAN
flower. The flower is yellow and smell very strong. Women use for wearing on
their hairs and make garlanded for water festival. Next one is food. The food
is very simple it called MONT LOUN YAL PAW. Its not a big deal food but
traditionally like desserts. The food is make with stinky rice ball. Make a small

ball and put palm sugar inside. And it is cooked by put in the hot boiling
water and ready to eat with coconuts chopped.
When I was in my old town I joined to celebrate with my Buddhist
friends. As I am Burmese person, I like this tradition of water festival. I
enjoyed that and it was much fun with my friends. I am different from this
tradition. Because I am Christian and we dont celebrated water festival. So
its like opposite way to go. As I say I used to joined water festival when I was
a young kid but not anymore because I am here and too far to celebrate with
them. Even though I am stay other side of my country but I miss the foods
and that time of holidays. I remembered, people are wasting water in this
April month. People had lost lots of fun time. And April is the hottest falls
season in Myanmar.