2. Thadingyut Festival (festival of lights)
This festival is held on the full moon of Thadingyut in October marking the end of Buddhist Lent. The three-day Festival of Lights during Thadingyut symbolizes the return of the Buddha from heaven while angels are lighting the path of his descent to earth. During these days pagodas are crowded with people. The country is covered in coloured lights and candles to welcome Buddha’s descent from heaven. The streets are full of people strolling through the markets and food stalls. They celebrate this time with traditional open-air performances and concerts. It's the end of Buddhist Lent, and it means there is an abundance of music and dancing everywhere. It is not only a time of joy but also of thanksgiving and paying homage to teachers, parents, and elders, and asking pardon for any committed misdeeds.
This public holiday in Myanmar takes place on the full moon day of Thadingyut, the seventh month in the Burmese calendar. The Thadingyut Festival lasts for three days from the day before the full moon through to the day after the full moon. Depending on the day of the week that the full moon falls on, extra public holidays may be declared on the other days of the festival.
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3. Paung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival
Phaung Daw Oo pagoda is the most venerable Buddhist temple which is situated in the middle of Inle Lake, Southern Shan State in Myanmar. Inlay is located in the Nyaungshwe Township of Shan State, part of Shan Hills in Myanmar. Inle lake is the second largest lake in Myanmar.
Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival is one of the most famous festivals in Shan State, which is celebrated for 18 days. Residents and people living around Inle Lake and Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda will hold the festival to show reverence to Buddhas every year by the time of the full moon of Thadingyut month in the Burmese calendar (mostly in September or October depending on each year).The festival starts with a solemn procession, when four of the five images of the Buddha are removed from their shrine in the Phaung Daw Oo pagoda and placed on the Royal Karaweik barge.
The barge is towed by long boats manned by up to a hundred leg rowers in colorful costumes. The Royal barge stops at 14 villages around Inle lake, where the images stay in the main monastery for one night.
Finally, the images arrive in the main town of Nyaung Shwe, where most pilgrims from near and far on hundreds of floating boats come to pay their respects and veneration. One more interesting highlight of the festival is the long boat race, where the participants row with an oar attached to one leg.
Highlight of this festival is that locals pay respects to Buddha images that are wrapped in thick gold layers. One-legged boat races are a main attraction during this festival. People gather at Inle Lake in September or October to celebrate this festival. This is considered the largest Buddhist celebration in Inle Lake, Shan. Tourists and pilgrims come to this pagoda to see the Buddha images that are enshrined in it. The images are covered with so many layers of gold leaf that the actual features could no longer be recognised. Attendees pay tribute to the Buddha images by placing offerings on the pagoda and providing donations to monks nearby. There are rituals involving attendees dancing and singing. Tourists also get to enjoy the unique one-legged boat race that could only be seen in Myanmar.
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