Taken place from 13th to 17th APRIL coinciding with Easter, Thingyan or New Year Water Festival is the most important celebration in Myanmar. Thingyan means “change” in Burmese, which is change of old year to new year, old life to new life, old circle to new circle. This festival lasts four days (13th – 16th) and the new year will start from fifth day (17th).
(TRAVPR.COM) VIETNAM - March 26th, 2015
What special on Thingyan
Strolling Myanmar’s streets on this fabulous occasion, travelers will be immersed in the Burmese culture with a series of pulsating activities, stunning spiritual customs along with original religious nuances. Good humor and being-friendly prevail all over the festival accompanying best wishes.
On the first day - Thingyan Eve (A kyo nei), people bring alms and traditional offerings to pagodas and monasteries, and carry out Buddha statue bathing ceremony with fragrant water.
Water Festival will truly start from the second day - Thingyan (A kya nei). Burmese people will welcome Thaya Min God from the heaven down to the earth on his annual visit. After booming of cannon as signal announcing the God’s arrival, the family’s owner lift up pots containing scented flowers and leaves toward the sky as a welcome gesture of homage. Then, it is the time for water throwing and other funny activities. People with buckets, pots and cans of water splashes to any passer-by. Powerful water pipes, decorated cars and carts are everywhere to douse crowds. Some groups fight each other by water pistols. In big cities, even fire hoses, hoses and hydrants in gardens are also used. No one escape from drenching including foreigners except monks, elders, sick ones and pregnant women. The atmosphere is animated with performances of puppets, choirs, farce, plays, dance and music. Local damsels apply thanaka on face, pin sweet scented yellow padaukflowerson hair and dance on streets.
A series of joyful activities still continue on the second day (A-kyat nei). Sweet cakes and fresh drinks are served freely for passers-by and merry-makers.
On the final day (A-tet nei), throwing water to others still keep on but in a more courteous way with an apology, something like “Thagya Min God left his water tube and he will come back to get it.” To see out Thagya Min God back to the heaven, the family’s owner pour out slowly water from pots to the ground, accompanying prayers for fortune, good rainfall and good harvest for the new year.
The next day is New Year’s Day (Hnit Hsan Ta Yet Nei), the day for traditional customs.Fish and many other animals are released back to nature with the wish: “I release you once, you will release me ten times.”Young people wash hair for elders by beans and barks of acacia rugata tree, offer them terracotta pots of water and fragrant soaps. Young girls attend to the manicure and hair washing ceremony hold for the most senior citizens. Old ladies are given paste of sandalwood or thanaka.
What should notice for travel on Thingyan
Merry atmosphere along with the unique cultural character of Burmese perhaps make you think of a trip to Myanmar in the middle of April. To make this trip more perfect, we give you some recommendations.
Firstly, you should book in advance a few weeks or even months all services and flights. Offices are closed, banks are closed, no public transport as well as private transport, no long-distance bus, no train, air-ticket offices are also closed; BUT domestic airlines are still available. So the only way is travelling by air whenever and wherever possible, but you should stay a day BEFORE and AFTER the festival time due to the transportation services are flocked up by locals. Let make sure that you get your Visa done BEFORE festival time.
Next, you should have meal on hotels, inns or hostels. No restaurant open but these places still work.
To be ready for water fights, you can prepare plastic bags or waterproof items to protect your electronic devices. Bring along so plenty of easy-to-dried clothes so as that you can alter many times.
Noticeably, owning to this is the biggest festival in the year of a country so you should accept possible services changes and alternatives.
Are you ready to immerse in the animated atmosphere of Water Festival?
HIT Indochina (holidayindochina.com) offers a wide range of special tours to Myanmar that are expected to bring again new experiences along with authentic discoveries for travelers.
Taking the special occasion, HIT Indochina prepare special gifts for customers tend to travel on Easter – Thingyan holiday. For those ones are planning, put booking orders within 1st – 30th April will get DISCOUNT up to 10% for Myanmar tours and 5% for Myanmar-Vietnam combining tour with HIT Indochina.
The spiritual culture along with other impressive things on Thingyan are waiting you. Let’s TAKE ACTION NOW.
Contact us:
Via mail: info@myanmartour.com
Website: myanmartour.com or holidayindochina.com
Hotline: 84-902-243637
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