Flowers and Festivals In Myanmar (Burma)

March

The last month of Myanmar calendar fall in March. Days are getting warm and each morning singing of the birds greets the new day. The month of March is the month of pagoda festivals, the harvest is safely home and people can look forward to leisurely days of enjoyment. The special festivals of the month are concerning with the religious affairs.
Spend your spring days in Myanmar! As the whole Myanmar country is already occupied by the sounds of auspicious Myanmar royal drum and the sounds came from the golden pagodas festivals. As mention above, March is the month of Pagoda festivals you would see and enjoy in the various pagoda festivals, which are held in every parts of the country,
As the great chance, you can travel to the whole parts of Myanmar as in this month each state and division has their own regional festival. By exploring Myanmar's pagoda festival, try to touch the scenic beauty of Myanmar's beauty.

Welcome to Myanmar in Month Of March! You'll touch & Feel about the great joy and pleasure

The Buddhist acceptance of nat is rooted in the basic teaching of the Buddha- that all beings go round the cycle of rebirth, human, animals and nats. And that the state of being is decided by his own Kamma (his action).
          One of the many example of nats serving the Buddha is when the prince Siddatha as the Buddha- to be went forth into the forest renouncing his family and kingly glories. The nats, with their super natural powers, put the whole city to sleep so that even the guards at the city gate did not know of the prince departure. Those are called the nats who are looking after the "Sasana" or the guardian spirits of the Buddha's scriptures.
         Myanmar are not content with only the nats mentioned in the sermon of the Buddha. There are also nats, family guardian nats, personal guardians nats and many others. Roughly speaking, the number of chief executive nats often listed at "37".
         The "Nat" now I would like to say is "Ko Gyi Kyaw"(the moat popular one among "37" nats) He is an opium smoker. He is a local nat from central Myanmar and his actual name was U Min Kyaw but affectionately known as Ko Gyi Kyaw meaning "Big brother Kyaw" His locality is famous for the toddy palms who sap makes toddy drinks, Ko Gyi Kyaw made the most of it. So that the ritual feast in his honour are marked with drinking bouts and boisterous songs.
          It is the Great Spirit festival and which is well known spirit by the name of "Ko Gyi Kyaw". He who like Cigarettes , Rum, Beer, and all alcohol. He was born in a village of central Myanmar where many of palm trees are occupied. Thousands of "Nat" believers came to "Nat" shrine to pay respect, to make good deeds (according to the Astrologer's advisement) and they believe that by doing like that their Ko Gyi Kyaw will give great chance and good luck when they are gambling and selling liquor. He is the great guardian for Gamblers toddy wine sellers.
          The thing that surely will attract you is " Kadaw Pwe" the collection of offerings; it is a tray of offering two branches of bananas, with green coconut (must have unbroken stem) placed in the middle of the tray. This offering is an integral item in all family rituals. Any musical entertainment or play begins with ritual music and the female dancers circles round the Kadaw Pwe.
          Gamblers, fowl fighters, and "Nat" worshippers are going here and there, with noisy songs, medium are singing to praise Spirit Ko Gyi Kyaw with boisterous songs. Having the location is rural area of central Myanmar; vendors are selling mat, toys made from palm leaves, and other bamboo products.
          The special attraction is the festival itself and medium are dancing spirit dance with shinning costumes and they offer alcohol sometime toddy palm wine to the statue of Ko Gyi Kyaw while dancing. The boisterous music will make you to participate in their dancing. The dancer are really possessed by " Spirit”, so that their body are shaking and moving , eating roasted chicken, drinking alcohol.
 

Inn Daw Gyi Pagoda Festival

Means Of Pagoda Name
The pagoda name was given after the name of great lake "Inn Daw Gyi" which is situated near the pagoda in Kachin state northern site of Myanmar.

Character of the festival
It is not only religious festival, but also it is the social activities of Myanmar people. People can enjoy in pagoda fun fair and people built small building as bamboo stall, to sell their goods in pagoda's compound. So that the sellers lavishly occupy the whole compound, pilgrimages, and observer who want to study about Buddhism and Myanmar's ways of lives.
Visitor can enjoy in the natural scene of Myanmar's festival and going around with horse cart of bullock cart ,any other vehicle as you like and going sightseeing around to Inn Daw Gyi lake.
 

Pindaya Cave

Many of statues that were dating back about 18 centaury are being collected here. The cave is 490 feet long and the oldest statue was curved in 1772. The most wonderful things is a big collection of Buddha statues and the long wooden flat depicting many of Buddha images approximately about 1440.

History of the Pagoda
Legend say that the cave was dating back over 20 millions years ago, and it is the lime stone cave. It is situated about 5000 feet above sea level but the city only is situated about 3880 feet above sea level. According to the legendary, one day the seven beautiful princess came to the nearby place of the cave. The scene of the cave area was very beautiful and it attracted to seven princesses almost to forget all things. So that they forgot for their returning and entered to the cave to overnight. That night a big spider came to the cave of Princesses and he wanted to eat them so that he sealed the cave with a big stone. Next morning when the princesses knew about that they cried loudly and loudly and shouted to save them by someone. At that time a hand some prince reached to nearby of the cave and he heard the crying song , so that that he killed the spider and he shouted that " I got spider , I got Spider" Here " I got spider" in Myanmar language is " Pink Ku Ya )and gradually change into Pindaya. It is the short story of the Pindaya cave.
              Then sitting Buddha statue, which the right palm is touching to small wooden owl, elephant, mouse, and lion, are very rare things to see in others places of Myanmar. Another Buddha statue is that, Buddha hold a seed of "Tha phan" (Terminallia Chebula) while other is holding the pot. It means by combination of the pot and the seed is the symbol of getting long lasting life, good healthy, free from any disease, and great wealth.
               People are believe that in ancient time the cave and it's nearby area are the place for getting good medicinal plants and many of Necromensa ( super men who own magic wands)were residing here to find the plants and other medicinal products. So that in the cave you will see a big stone flat and it is believed that the place for rubbing medicinal plants.
               At the inner most part of the cave, there are more than 8000 Buddha images made from alabaster, teak, marble, brick, lalcquer, and cement. Although many areas within the caves are illuminated by electric light , power has been known to fail.
               From a temple complex built along the front of the ridge you can view the nearby lake and the ruins of Shwe U Min Pagoda.

Location of the festival
This festival is held in Si Baw, Shan state. Well known for it's cool climate, friendly people and relaxed atmosphere.

Special Events
The festival is one of the largest and oldest ethnic pagoda festival, The festival is traditional held as important economic and administrative( as well as social ) events since this was when the saw bwa ( headmen of the Shan races) collected taxes reviewed the accounts of his lieutenants and subjects. The festival still draws a large encampment of traders and festival goers who pay tribute, in spirit of not in cash, to the old Shan ways. Zet Pwe (Myanmar Opera / costumed dance –drama based on Jataka stories) is performed nightly. Before dawn of the special feast day hundreds of Palaung pilgrims who come from miles around offer rice to the images. Colourful tribes are the most interested taste of the festival.

 

Kakku Pagoda

Location of the Pagoda
It is situated 40km south of Taunggyi, in a region populated by the Pa-O people.

Outstanding Things
The sites is said to contain over "2" thousand stupas most of which are only 3m to 4m high and laid out in neat rows. Constructed in a mixture of Pa-O, Shan and Myanmar styles the stupas are of brick and laterite, and some are covered with ornate stucco motifs. Two larger stupas are also part of the collection one contains a highly revered Buddha image.

Special and Outstanding chance to enjoy
Enjoy in Inn Lay Lake to explore wetland Eco system then move to tranquil town of Pin Daya to enjoy in Shwe U Min Pagoda festival and see the amazing of natural cave. Kakku pagoda festival will be the great zenith of your enjoyment.
Colorful ethnic are the main attraction of the festival of Shan state.
 

Festival of the World 's wonder

Location Of the Festival
Needless to say that is held in Yangon the capital of Myanmar.
Shwe Da Gone is the famous one and it should not be missed to visit. One of the high light festivals of the season in Yangon. Shwe Da Gone Pagoda festival celebrated on the ground around the hill where stand the great pagoda. It is impossible to miss the Pagoda festival if you were here in March.

What are the outstanding things in festival?
Oh! How can I tell you to be enough in one page? Products from all over the country from the plain of central Myanmar, northern hill tracts, lowland and the delta area of the south, are there baskets, trays and mats, boxes made from cane, bamboo or palm leaves, bags and hand woven textile in colourful pattern paper dolls are occupied to the whole area of the pagoda's compound.This part of the festival ground is wonderland where you may wander and browse for houses and come away finally laden with beautiful things.

History of Pagoda in brief
The pagoda's history was dating back over 25000 years ago. In India the prince Siddhata attained the enlightenment and became a Buddha. At the same time the two trader brothers by the name of Tappusa and Balika from Myanmar went to India for trading. On their way of back they visited to Buddha and offered their honey cake and paid homage. As return Buddha pull out the "8" sacred hair from his head and gave them to enshrine. When they arrive to Myanmar the two brothers and the King of their Kingdom built " Shwe Da Gone Pagoda" enshrining the eight sacred hairs. Traditionally believe that the pagoda was built in Full moon day of Tabaung (March). So that Myanmar annually held the festival in this month with great festivities.
 

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