Mann Shwesettaw Buddha Pujaniya Festival preparations almost complete

As the Mann Shwesettaw Pagoda Festival is set to commence on 14 February 2024 (5th Waxing of Tabodwe ME 1385), 90 per cent of the preparation work for the festival has already been completed, according to U Tun Tun Win, the administrator of Minbu District, Magway Region.
“The preparation work involves decorating the landscape and planting flowers (flower boxes) along the three-mile-long entrance lane to the pagoda, constructing retaining walls and two box culverts for convenient travel, making arrangements for diverting water flow at the festival site, cleaning the land where lodgings and shops will be built, organizing measures to control erosion of the creek bank along the way to the Upper Golden Footprint, renovating the dragon lake, and installing the iron Bailey bridge, etc.,” said U Tun Tun Win.
The report also states that the Mann Shwesettaw elephant resort is scheduled to open together with the opening ceremony of the Shwesettaw Pagoda Festival.
Pilgrims and visitors can ride the elephant for a short trip, bathe in the Mann Creek, and enjoy entertainment programmes featuring elephant dances.
Although the festival is usually held for 80 days, it is scheduled for only 64 days since the second month of Waso is intercalated into the Myanmar calendar this year. — ASH/ TMT