Myanmar traditional lanterns reaching Mandalay market for Thadingyut Festival 2022

Myanmar traditional lanterns and related products can be found in the Mandalay market with a small price hike compared to the previous year, said U Myint Htwe, a lantern manufacturer.
“We made lanterns throughout our past generations and sold them at wholesale prices. We sold them at as low prices as possible so that buyers do not need much capital. We also created a new lantern design with lotus bud drawing this year. We produce a lot of original lanterns only near the full moon day of the Thadingyut Festival. Many orders came in. We have done toy lanterns such as cars, ships and animals in advance. Even though the price of raw materials has gone up, lantern prices just slightly increase than the last year,” he continued.
In the production of lanterns, over 12 types of lantern toys that children loved such as aeroplane, motorcars, ships and animals were made with glass papers and oil papers imported from China. The price ranges from K500 and up to tens of thousands owing to the size and design of a lantern.
“For it is a seasonal product, we have to make lanterns in Tawthalin (before Thadingyut) and distribute them to local retailers. Retail prices and wholesale prices are different. If the aeroplane lantern’s wholesale price is K2,000, the retail price can go up to K2,500-3,000. Retail prices can be determined depending on the type of lanterns,” he elaborated.
Those seasonal products for the Thadingyut Festival are conveyed and sold all over Myanmar. It is one of the Myanmar handicraft arts and can be depicted with glass papers, oil papers and Cephalostachyum bamboo. It is also a Myanmar tradition of Thadingyut month. — Min Htet Aung (Mandalay Sub-Printing House)/GNLM