FESTIVAL OF FIRE FLOWS (SHWE KYIN)

October 6th, 2009

THADINGYUT & SHWE KYIN FESTIVAL OF FIRE FLOWS

In Myanmar, there are seasonal festival in every month of Myanmar Lunar Calendar. These festivals develop harmony among the Myanmar people and make them relax both in terms of mentally and physically. The lunar Thadingyut month falls in October. At the middle of the month, the Thadingyut festival, which is also known as War Kyut festival is celebrated throughout the country, especially on the full moon day.

Different regions celebrate Thadingyut in accordance with their respective rituals and traditions. People decorate pagodas, monasteries , houses and streets with various kinds of lighting: candles, oil lamps, oil lamps posts, lanterns, electrical bulbs, etc. for about 3 days. Some entertainments such as stage shows, dances traditional opera (in Burmese: Zat Pwe) are shown. Some regions pay homage to Lord Buddha with 9,000 Lights (See Mie Koe Htaung), some areas organize alms offering and free food donation for all visitors rich or poor (in Burmese: Sa Tu Di Tha), some celebrate with classical dances and sport competition and the likes.

Apart from the usual celebrations, people from TAVOY of Tenasserim Division celebrate a special occasion: the FESTIVAL OF ALMS BOWL FLOWS (in Burmese: Tha Beik Hmyaw Pwe) at the early morning hours of the Full Moon day of Thadingyut. They usually put candles, joss sticks, fruits and money into the bowl and let it flow along the river. They said to pay respect to the noble Shin U Pa Gotta, the guardian of the sea in Buddhism.

And SHWE KYIN of Bago Division celebrate Thadingyut inimitably. People from these area commemorate so called FESTIVAL OF FIRE FLOWS (in Burmese: Mie Hmyaw Pwe) believing that their sins will be wipe away on the religious occasion of Thadingyut. It’s been 158 years that Shwe Kyin has been keeping that tradition. On the festival day, the competition of decorated boats and flotillas is also held along the Shwe Kyin River. People not only from Shwe Kyin but also from other regions nearby come to this festival and participate. Pleasantly decorated Motor Boats compete in Shwe Kyin River the whole day. When the sun sets, the beautifully decorated Karaweik Barge which carries the images of Lord Buddha and the Stupa of Shin U Pa Gotta monk turns round right three times to accept the homage of the people’s worshiping. Then, the people fire firecrackers and set oil lotus lamps along the Shwe Kyin River. There are countless oil lamps floating along the river. After lighting the camps, the stupa of Shin U Pa Gotta from the Karaweik Barge is moved to the bamboo raft, which is surrounded by the bamboo fence and then set adrift. According to the Buddha teaching, it is believed that the setting of Shin U Pa Gotta Stupas in the river will save and protect the people who make a living on the water.

COLORFUL LOTUS OIL LAMPS

The Thadingyut Setting Oil Lamps Festival of Shwe Kyin in Bago Division is very renown in Myanmar. It is annually held on the 1st day after the Thadingyut full moon day. The very objective of this festival is to offer lights to Lord Buddha and Shin U Pa Gotta by setting the colorful oil lanterns along the Shwe Kyin River. The makers of these lotus shaped oil lanterns believe that the festival wipe away all the sins and bad lucks along with the water. Thus, ladies from Shwe Kyin spend time to manufacture these oil lanterns by themselves to gain merit.

THE MAKING OF LOTUS LANTERNS

In making oil lanterns, the first step is to cut the oil-paper of various colors around 2 x 4 feet. The oil-paper is a type of smoky paper, which bears heat, resists long hours of lighting and prevents from burning easily. Later, it is systematically cut and fold to the lotus shaped cups and stick with glue. A great deal of customary skill is needed in sticking to get the shape of lotus cup. Then the liquid wax is poured into lotus shaped cup paper and the wick is buried in the middle before the liquid wax gets formed. The wick is compacted to light a long time. Finally, you can pleasantly see the colorful, lotus oil lanterns. “Every year, not less than light 50 thousand oil lamps are manufactured not only for the people from Shwe Kyin but also for the visitors from various regions of the country,” a local said.

Credits: Ko Than Lwin & family (Ma Dauk Myo) for their heartiest host and the accompany. Without them, there won’t be this post here…

Many groups of Burmese Classical Dancing Troupes (in Burmese: Yein A Phwe) on decorated boats to pay homage to Lord Buddha on this auspicious day…

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