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As Myanmar is known as happy-go-lucky peoples, we are fond of festivals or ceremonies, which are usually based on the culture or religion. All of them are celebrated traditionally and each festival has its special feature. Since there are twelve months in a year, almost every month has the festival or ceremony. Most of them are worth seeing and we can observe the real ways of lives of Myanmar peoples, their culture and customs.
In order to participate those special events and occasions, we here expose the places and the reasons of celebrating the festivals in brief. The dates are verified annually according to lunar calendar.
January
Kachin Manaw Festival (Myitkyina)
This colorful festival is traditionally celebrated by Kachin tribesmen. Literally, the sacrificial to Kachin traditional home gods concerned, feasts to everyone who joins the occasions, sipping Kaung Yay traditional intoxicating brew and the group dances in their ethnic costume on the sacrificial ground all night long. Other festival activities like food stalls, meals and entertainments can be seen at the celebration. It usually starts at the end of December and finishes at the beginning of January.
Naga New Year Festival (Naga Land)
The authentic Naga hill tribes (approximately 68 different groups) wear their respective traditional costumes to participate this emotional festival. They worship to their Lords by scarifying the animals. Their unique traditional dance, martial music and cults of animism are eventually interesting. The festival usually falls on 14th and 15th of every January.
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February/March
Bon Fire Ceremony (Pyay)
Full moon day Tabodwe of Nyan Yoe Plants which emit no smoke when lit, are burnt at four cardinal points on the platform of the pagoda in the early morning of 15th waning day. Worshippers than proceed to Pho U mountain top resort where Lord Buddha is said to have visited and made preordination of events. The festival usually falls on the first week of every February.

Mawdin Festival (Cape Negrais, Pathein)
Pilgrimage and recreation go together at this seashore location. The festival usually falls at the end of February or the first or second week of March and lasts about two weeks.

 

Inndaw Gyi Festival (Moe-Nyin, Kachin State)
The ceremony is sponsored by Kachin Buddhists. The summer, a footpath leading to the pagoda surfacesenabling pilgrims to walk to the pagoda. Usually the pagoda is surrounded by a large volume of water. The festival usually falls at the end of February or the first or second week of March and lasts about one week.

 

Ko Gyi Kyaw Festival (Pa-Khan, Bagan)
Ko Gyi Kyaw is a nat (spirit) who is famous as a drunkard. He is one of 37 nats, which are famous all around Myanmar. The peoples believe that by worshipping Ko Gyi Kyaw, they’ll get prosperity and will take over all the enemies and good luck will come true.
During the festival, the nat is coaxed to ascend the throne, nat figures are cleansed with water and regilded, drum-thumping for the nat and cock-fighting, etc., can be seen.
The festival usually falls on the first or second week of every March and lasts about six days.

Pindaya Cave festival (Pindaya, Shan State)
Typical Taung-yo pagoda festival. Different ethnic minority races can be seen. The festival usually falls on the first or second week of every March and lasts about one week.

Pyidaw-byan Image Festival (Zalun, Ayeyarwady Division)
First taken to Mumbai, India, by colonialists but later regained. Famous as returnee pagoda. Robe-weaving contest, and alms-bowl offering are major highlights. The festival usually falls at the end of February or the first or second week of March and lasts about one week.

Bawgyo Image Festival (Thibaw, Shan State)
A large volume of Shan and Bamar merchandise is traded. There are boat races on Dote-hta-wa-di river. The festival usually falls on the first or second week of every March and lasts about five days.

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April
Water Festival (Throughout the country)
Being a happy-go-lucky people, Myanmars hold several festivals in a year. In the days of Myanmar Kings, there was a major festival in every month of year even though some of them have ceased to be celebrated, there must be dozens of them left, various pagoda festivals and other regional ones which are held all over the country. Thus, our country is a veritable land of festivals being the land of Pagodas.
The merriest among them is Thingyan, the Water Festival. The Thingyan Festival marks the changing of the old year to the new. In other words, Thingyan is the Myanmar New Year Festival. It is usually falls on 13th April and last for three or four days. Customarily, children usher it in a day advance.

The main feature of the festival is water-throwing or pouring water. Anyone can throw water at or pour water on anyone else with impunity during the festival.
The festival falls on 13th to 16th April annually.

 

Thanakha grinding Event (Sittwe, Rakhine State)
In the late evening on the eve of the Water Festival, young women grind thanakha bark to a fine cream using water on rounded stone slabs, They are accompanied by music played by young men. The festival falls on 13th April annually.

 

New Year Day & Animal freeing Ceremony (Throughout the country)
Buddhists, young and old alike, spend the day performing meritorious deeds like releasing live animals, offering food to monks, paying homage to elders etc. The festival falls on 17th of April annually.

Sand Stupa Event (Twante, Yangon Division)
Stupa of sand built on the compound of Shwesandaw on the receding day of Thingyan. Sponsored by descendants of Shans, who migrated over a century ago. Buffalo dance included. The festival falls on 17th of April annually.

 

Popa Ceremony (Mt. Popa, Bagan)
Large number of pilgrims pay respect to nat shrines on top of Mt. Popa. We can observe the cults of spiritualism. The festival falls on 17th of April annually.
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May

Shwe-kyet-yet Event(Mandalay)
Full-dress, large-scale procession followed by water-pouring on the sacred Bo-tree, significantly, on the waxing day of Kason, a day before normal watering day. The festival falls in the first week of May and takes place one day only.

 

Shit-thaung Festival (Mrauk Oo, Rakhine)
Dummy boat races on land, real boat contests and water splashing in Mrauk Oo canal on full-moon day. Traditional wrestling at the foot of the pagoda; finals held on full-moon day. The festival usually falls in the first or second week of May.

Kason Day (Throughout country)
Buddha’s birthday is commemorated by pouring water onto the sacred Bo tree.
The festival usually falls on the full moon day of May.
Traditional wrestling at the foot of the pagoda; finals held on full-moon day

Taung Yo Festival (Pindaya Cave,Shan State)
Torchlight procession by Taung Yo tribe in the early part of the night to pay homage to the numerous statues in the cave. The festival usually falls in the first or second week of May.


Pa-Oh Rocket Festival (Water Hole, Taunggyi and elsewhere)
Locally made rockets stuffed with powerful gunpowder are ceremoniously carried and launched in competition. Observed mostly by ethnic Pa-Oh people to predict the weather and crop. Young men and women use small mirrors to tease one another. The festival usually takes place one month.

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June
Buddhist Recitations (Kaba Aye Hillock, Yangon)
Recitation of five parts of Nikaya held at Kaya Aye Hillock. Similar recitations are also held township wise throughout the country by both monks and nuns. The festival usually falls on first or second week of June.
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July

Full Moon Day of Was-Beginning of Buddhist Lent (Throughout the country)
Special occasions and recitations are held in all pagodas elsewhere. The festival usually takes place in the first or second week of July.

 

Guardian Spirit Ceremony (Sittwe, Rakhine State)
Women of Sittwe annually gather at the cliff where they believe the Guardian Spirit dwells. They stick yellow papers onto the boulder with banana paste. The festival usually takes place in the first or second week of July.
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August


Taung-byone Ceremony (Taung-byone, Mandalay)
For eight days before the last full-moon every August, the village of Taungbyon, 20 Kilometers (13 miles) north of Mandalay, becomes the focus of the Taungbyon Spirit Festival. Tens of thousands of Myanmar people attend this annual celebration, held in honour of the Taungbyon Brother lords. The rites for these two brothers, honoured as “Nats”, originated during King Anawrahta’s 11th Century reign.
Wooden figures, representing the brothers are ceremonially washed and paraded through the crowds as everyone present strains to touch each of the figures at least once.The brothers are in fact historical figures.
Washing ceremony of the Two Brothers is the most crowded and busiest day of the festival. On that very day, the two Lords, after putting them on the palanquin, surrounded by four Queens including the Royal King’s attendants and a great number of people, carried two figures of Lords to the spirit-tree near the Ayeyarwaddy river beach where washing ceremony is taken place.
The tree spirit of washing the figures is to have nice clean with dear friends and some people wash with Shampoo water and spray wilk scented water on two Lords playing Myanmar orchestra and long drum and so forth.
The festival usually takes place within first or second week of August and lasts for one week.

Tens of thousands of Myanmar people attend this annual celebration, held in honour of the Taungbyon Brother lords. The rites for these two brothers, honoured as “Nats”,
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September
Yadanagu Ceremony (Amarapura, Mandalay)
It is of much glories and distinguished spirit festival occurs annually on August, just one week after the end of Taungbyon spirit festival. It takes 8 days to complete the occasion of the Yadanagu Spirit festival.
The festival is held annually in honour of Popa. Médaw, Méwanna (mother of the two Lords) who came back from Taunbyon Festival, on her way back to Mt. Popa, she halted at the Yadanagu as her Transit-Camp.
It is also believed that the festival is held in the commemoration of Popa Médaw who has been sent to Mt. Popa by her Sons, Mingyi and Minlay.
There are two pantheons or Spirit Shrines at Yadanagu, the people held the festivals annually at two places at the same time in comparatively. When visiting Yadanagu Pagoda Spirit Festival one might see the Kinship between nats and humans. Some group of people could be seen holding a ceremony to propitiate nats everywhere around Yadanagu area. Some are dancing as if he is possessed by a nat. But you could see some people though he is not possessed by nats would be dancing like anything. The music playing in this ceremony could stimulate the people more than any other type of music and hence everybody wants to get into the ceremony.
The festival usually starts on the first or second week of September.

Sacks of white rice donated from around the country are given away in large volume to residing monks and nuns of Mandalay and Sagaing Hill
Rice-donating Ceremony (Padamya Pagoda, Sagaing)
Sacks of white rice donated from around the country are given away in large volume to residing monks and nuns of Mandalay and Sagaing Hill. Nuns are presented on the 14th waxing day and monks on full-moon day. Children’s play of wood apples, 3 days before the ceremony, is also growing interest. The festival usually takes place between second and third week of September.
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October


Thadingyut-Light Festival (Throughout the country)
Thadingyut, the seventh month of the Myanmar calendars marks the end of lent, monsoon is on the way out and the skies becoming clear. There is a great festival of Thadingyut, celebrated on a full moon day and marked by illuminations, the three day lights festival, namely the day before the full moon, the full moon day and the day and the day after will be those of music, dances and fun. Illuminations are there to celebrate the anniversary of the Buddha’s return from the celestial abode where had spent the lent teaching the gods his law.
It was on the full moon day the Thadingyut month that the Buddha descended to the abode of human. Human on earth illuminated the homes, streets and buildings with coloured electric bulbs to welcome the Buddha and his disciples.
The Thadingyut is not only a season of festival and rejoicing, but also a time for remembering those to whom we owe respect and gratitude.
The festival usually falls in the second or third week of October and lasts for three days.

 

Dummy Elephant Festival (Kyaukse-Mandalay)
From 14th waxing day until the full-moon day, numerous life-size dummy elephants sing and dance to the accompaniment of music. The dances are very cheerful and you will discover Myanmar people can preserve their traditions hand by hand from many hundred of years. The festival usually takes place between second and third week of October.

 
Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival (Inle Lake)
The festival of Phaung daw Oo Pagoda in Inle Lake in Shan State held in October is the biggest occasion of the Lake. The festival is held with great magnificence and pageantry fun fairs and dances are also held.
The holy images of the Buddha from Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda are placed on a decorated royal barge called Karaweik (Mythical Bird) and towed by leg-rowers around the Lake, stopping at each village to let people pay homage. The pagoda festivals are held for each pagoda and there festivals could be viewed as the Myanmar equivalent of western fun fairs.
In a pagoda festival, one can find food stalls, toy shops selling sundry consumer goods, magic show, puppet shows and dramas. People young and old simply love to have a stroll around the place where there is pagoda festival. Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda festival begins on 1st Waning of Thadingyut every year in Myanmar month but closing day may be different according to the decision of the members of the Pagoda Associations.

The holy images of the Buddha from Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda are placed on a decorated royal barge called Karaweik (Mythical Bird) and towed by leg-rowers around the Lake

The unique and most interesting event of the festival is, of course, the Shan traditional boat races participated by leg-rowers of both men and women dressed in their national costumes.
The festival usually takes place between the first and second week of October and lasts 18 days to complete.

 

Shwe-zi-gon Festival (Bagan)
Candle lights and fireworks are carried in procession before offering to the pagoda.
The festival usually starts in the first or second week of October and takes 15 days to complete.

 

Kyauk-taw-gyi Festival (Mandalay)
The image was cast out of a single piece of alabaster in 1854 under the guidance of King Mindon. The festival usually takes place in the first or second week of October and lasts about five days.

 

Kyaikhtiyo Festival (Golden Rock Festival)
The boulder, standing on the edge of a peak in the highest mountain range, is said to be freely hanging over the cliff. Famous as pilgrimage and holiday outing spot.
The festival takes place on the full moon day of Thadingyut, usually falls on the second or third week of October.
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November
Hot-Air Balloons Festival (Taunggyi)
In the month of Tazaungmon, we have lighting festival which is known as Tazaungdaing festival. This festival is not only lighting festival but also celebrates religious activities. During this festival Myanmar Buddhist people celebrates offering ceremony of robes to the monks and paying a greater attention to the needs of the monks.
At night, there are variety pattern of lights on houses and pagoda platforms. In every parts of the country, youths set off flying Lanterns (Balloons protecting a light against wind). In Myanmar, it is called “Mee-Bone-Byan”. It is a huge balloons made of way paper, Marajin Cloths and plastic sheets. In olden days Waso paper are widely used while in modern days plastic sheets are used.

We filled the balloons with smoke from grease-soaked rag let at an opening the bottom. After getting enough smoke, the balloon slowly rises as everyone cheers, then floats upwards until only a flowing round flub of light is seen. More creative villager make balloons in the form of tigers, elephants and birds.
The people make the balloons and set them off flying for offering the light to the Sulamani Pagoda in Tawadaintha Heaven, built by the King of Celestials Beings, and enshrined relic of the Buddha’s hair.
The festival falls between first to third week of November and lasts for five days.

 

Robe Weaving Contest (Shwedagon, Botahtaung, Kyaikkasan and elsewhere)
On the 14th Waxing day of Tazaungmon, groups of young women take part in competitions held on the platforms of the pagodas. The robe is to be finished flawlessly overnight and offered at dawn to the images of Lord Buddha around the Pagoda.
The festival usually takes place between second and third week of November.

 

Candle Light Event (Koe Htat Kyi Pagoda, Yangon)
On Full moon day, 9999 candles are ceremoniously lit. At midnight, visitors are served with mixed salad with maezali buds, believed to possess powerful magical and medicinal properties if eaten at this time. The festival usually takes place between second and third week of November.

 

Kaung-mu-daw Festival (Sagaing, Mandalay)
Pilgrimage and holiday outings on country oxcarts can be seen. The festival usually takes place between second and third week of November.
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December
Powintaung Caves Festival (Monywa)
The 6 days ceremony of festival is held at the pagoda of Po Win Taung Cave in Monywa. Most of the devotees and revelers of Myanmar are coming with more than 500 bullock carts carrying clay pot in each cart to this festival. On the ceremony day, they drop this clay pot from the front part of bullock cart , it’s called Hlae Oo Cha [it means paying homage to the sprits of the cave with their bullock carts]. Normally there’re a lot of monkeys along the way to the cave, how wondering is no monkeys during the festival ! and all the natives believed that the guardian spirits keep them from harm of people who’ll intend to kill them and not to disturb the devotees and any others who come to participate this event. The festival usually takes place in the first or second week of December.
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