PRE-THINGYAN 2009
TRADITION
It is believed that water festival (known as THINGYAN) washes away sins and welcomes the New Year. The water festival represents the most popular, raucous and colorful celebration of the year for more than 120 million people who will abandon any thoughts of work and bring their nations to a standstill. People around the country gather together again and visits pagodas, offers and pay homage to the monks, play traditional games and celebrate with their joyous spirit.
On those days people especially young and adult people are throwing water to each other to get relief from the intense heat of the season and to wash away the sins from the past year and celebrate water festival. However, throwing water at elderly people, pregnant women and Sabbath keepers is taboo, especially in rural areas. Many elderly people spend the duration of the Festival observing Sabbath, meditate and donate to charities. In addition, Special interests at Thingyan are the beautifully decorated floats with people singing and dancing on them that go around the city.
SHOOTING
I am now in Bangkok. Yes, I flied here today. I won’t be in Yangon during Thingyan. My apology to my fans who have been looking forward to see the photos of THINGYAN (Water Festival / Myanmar New Year Festival). I truthfully felt so sorry for that and I had been wrestling with my mind at least to have a post with THINGYAN spirit. I indeed wanted to compensate my absentee of fetching the biggest celebration in Myanmar (Burma).
I woke up so early today. In fact, I could not sleep well due to frequent electricity black outs. Weather is burning and there is no electricity for almost all day long. Imagine!! So, I called up my best friend, WYNN THEIN, early in the morning to come and pick me up. 9:00 AM, here he came!! I paid homage to my Dad and left home. Had my breakfast at LUCKY SEVEN local teashop. Then to my Mom’s office just to give a sweet kiss. My departure time is 14:20. I got some three hours. Cool. I asked WYNN THEIN to give me a drive around INYA ROAD, the ever hottest place of YANGON’S THINGYAN. I had some photos of pandals rising along the INYA road. So, I am here sharing with you at least to bring your soul to INYA road and of course YANGON THINGYAN.
This is NGU, a kind of flower which symbolizes the spirit of THINGYAN…
This NGU tree stands right in front of UFL (University of Foreign Languages) on University Avenue Road…
It’s in front of Kokine Chinese Temple. Possibly the biggest pandal in Yangon sponsored by TMW ENTERPRISE (SONY, T-HOME, INAX and LG). The Trees music band will be here on the stage with Phyo Gyi, Tin Zar Maw, Sone Thin Par, Pho Kar and many other renown singers).
This year, YANGON CITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (YCDC) granted 40 pandals permitted along INYA ROAD…
Blizzard by Myanmar DJs association… Look at the speakers on the stage… It rocks!!!
The organizers of this pandal has 6 years of experiences on INYA road…
The entrance of YANGON SAILING CLUB (YANGON BOATS CLUB) is taken by ZERO YGN pavilion… The fees of this pandal is 45,000 KYATS (US$ 45) for 3 days…
Nice Shot! Your post made me missing Thingyan.