Pagodas in Yangon, including the Great Shwe dagon Pagoda, Maha Wizaya Pagoda, Botahtaung Pagoda, Thiri Mingala Gaba Aye Pagoda, Shwe Phone Pwint Pagoda, historically-renowned Aparazita Sandawshin Kyaikwyne Pagoda, Nga Htet Gyi Pagoda, Chauk Htet Gyi Pagoda, and Waradahtar Dartuzaytiya Swetawmyat Pagoda, are alive with pilgrims celebrating Thadingyut festival.
Buddhists offered food, water, flower, oil lamps to the Buddha images and stupas in respective pagodas. Members of the Pagoda Board of Trustees, religious associations and staff recited the Abhidhamma and held praying ceremonies in pagodas yestearday. In the evening, members of the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees and staff lit a total of 11,000 oil lamps donated by the people around the Shwedagon Pagoda.
Thadingyut is the seventh month of the Myanmar lunar calendar, in which monks who have been fasting since the first day of the fullmoon of Waso are free from living in their temples. The festival was a celebration to welcome the Buddha’s descent from heaven where He preached to His mother. Based on this offering, Buddhists have traditionally offered lanterns to the Buddha on the fullmoon of Thadingyut.
Similarly, on the fullmoon of Thadingyut Abidhamma Day, people pay homage to the pagodas with flowers and offertories, do good deeds on the streets in various townships, pay homage to elders, parents and grandparents, observe five precepts, and lit candles, lanterns and colourful electric lights.— Ko Ko Zaw/Kyaw Soe Win/ GNLM
