Paung Tsp to host Mon traditional festival of 1,000 offerings

The festival of 1,000 offerings, along with the Buddha Pujaniya Festival, will be held on 17 September at Kyaikpaung Pagoda in Paung Ward, Paung Township, Mon State, according to U Tin Pe, a member of the Kyaikpaung Pagoda board of trustees.
The donation of 1,000 types of alms is part of the Mon traditional Buddha Pujaniya Festival, celebrated annually on the full moon day of Tawthalin. The offerings, which include alms food, banners, flowers, incense, fruits, betel, and lights, are placed on a small ship made of wood and bamboo, following the Mon ethnic tradition.
“Each year on the full moon day of Tawthalin, the local community constructs the ship and loads it with nearly 1,000 different offerings, such as alms food, banners, flowers, incense, fruits, and lights, which are then offered to the Lord Buddha,” said U Tin Pe.
As a cherished traditional festival of the Mon ethnic people, the alms festival, also known as the “1,000 Alms Food Offering Festival,” and the offering of Satumadu (a type of medicine made from butter, sesame oil, honey, and molasses) are held annually in Mon State. — ASH/ MKKS