The annual Buddha Pujaniya festival and township rice-offering ceremony will be held at the Myathabeik Pagoda in Thaton Township of Mon State, according to U Soe Myint, Chairman of the Myathabeik Pagoda’s Board of Trustees.
The annual Buddha Pujaniya festival is held on the full moon day of Tabodwe including Myanmar traditional Htamane-making competition, township rice-offering and oil light-offering ceremonies as well as launching market fair with many stalls in the pagoda’s precinct.
“From the full moon day to the 3rd waning day of Tabodwe, the Buddha Pujaniya festival will include a Maha Pathana treaties recitation with rice-offering event to invited members of the Sangha, just like the previous years,” U Soe Myint explained.
During the Buddha Pujaniya festival, the Buddha’s sermons are recited on the Pagoda’s platform. Additionally, at 5 am on the full moon day, the Pagoda located at the summit of the mountain will be consecrated by members of the Sangha with offering of flowers, candle lights, joss sticks as well as 1,000 alms.
After that, the donors will offer the Htamane alms, rice and foodstuffs to more than 680 monks from 174 monasteries and over 70 nuns from 36 nunneries in Thaton Township at the foot of the mountain starting at 7 am.
The food donations for people from four corners and 9,000 oil lights offering event along the way to climb the Pagoda will be hosted starting at 4 pm.—ASH/MKKS/TH
