Sand Pagoda Festival held in Twantay

The 456th Shan traditional Thei Pone Pagoda Festival (Sand Pagoda Festival) was held at Shwesandaw pagoda of Twantay Township of Yangon Region on 17 April (1st day of Myanmar New Year).
The people from four Shan Villages- Shansugyi, Nyaungdaga, Muelaman and Ngakhonmasan collectively carried the sand and built the pagoda.
These four Shan villages yearly hold the festival, and Ngakhonmasan village made diamond ord for the pagoda this year festival. In contrast, Nyaungdaga village made five-terraced bamboo coils and shaft, Shansugyi village made bell and inverted lotus flower and spreading lotus flower and Muelaman village made umbrella. The villages alternatively made the parts of pagodas yearly, according to the responsible person of the festival.
The young Shan people preserve the tradition of Shan, and now the festival reaches its 456th anniversary. The four Shan villages have to construct the pagoda in accordance with the measurement fixed by Shan Literature and Culture Association (Twantay). The pagoda is 9 ft high. “The Shan religious hall was constructed in the Shwesandaw pagoda precinct to contribute to Shan literature, tradition and culture to young Shan people,” said U Ba Win, member of festival organizing committee. — Myo Hlaing (Twantay)