ROBE WEAVING CONTEST 2011

THE MONTH TAZAUNGMONE

The auspicious Tazaungmone (pronounce as Ta – Zaung – Mone) is the 8th month of Myanmar lunar calendar. Tazaungmone (also known as Tazaungdaing) is a pleasant month at the end of the rainy season and also regarded as the beginning of the winter. Tazaungmone is a month with lots of merit making activities and events. Katina Robes Offering, Tazaungdaing Lighting Festival, Tazaungdaing Night Bazaar and Mathoe Robe Weaving Contests are outstanding events held in the month Tazaungmone.

MATHOE ROBE WEAVING

“Mathoe Robe” means the robe must be completed weaving and must be offered to the Lord Buddha before dawn of the full-moon day. Mathoe Robe offering takes place in many towns and provinces throughout Myanmar. But Contests taken place on the platform of the Shwedagon Pagoda is the biggest and the most famous in Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands of audiences are assemble on the platform of Shwedagon Pagoda to participate in the Mathoe Robe offering.

ROBE WEAVING CONTEST

Nine groups of six competed, each with a loom named after flowers. All competitors came to Shwedagon Pagoda prior to the contest to practice and learn the contest rules. The weavers came from various parts of the country. The contest kick off at 5:00 PM. Contestants taking part in the contest make great endeavor in weaving the robes. Every team must weave 2/80 fabric between 86 inches and 94 inches.

A contesting team has six members including the team leader. Though there are six members in each group, only three contestants (weaver, sparer and mechanic) may stay on the loom, while the others stay behind the loom. When the loom pauses, the mechanic must hurry to make repairs while the others wait. Members with stamina, energy and thoroughness are selected for weaving the robes and the other members stand by for assistance. Strength of communal work can be seen in this contest. The contestants feel no tiredness and energetically weave to complete Mathoe Robes before dawn.

During the weaving contest, the contestants can request for 5 minutes time-outs. The weaving contests stop at 10:00 PM sharp. Followed by the inspection and marking of the judges on Mathoe Robes’ Length and Quality. Prizes are awarded to the respective winners.

ROBE OFFERING

Later, Mathoe Robes are being prepared by gluing, sewing, patterning with golden papers and gluing golden lilies respectively. At the dawn of full moon day of Tazaungmone, prize winning team lead a procession of carrying the Mathoe Robes to four Buddha Images at four archways of the Shwedagon Pagoda and other prominent pagodas. Enthusiasts are alive with a teeming crowd till dawn. In fact, Mathoe Robe weaving contest and offering ceremony portrays good deeds of our people and our traditional characteristics.

SHOOTING

I used to have a set of Robe Weaving Contest back in 2008. It was just a small post with a total of 6 pics taken on the platform of Shwedagon Pagoda. This year, I decided to share more pics. I was lucky to have 3 photography friends accompanying me to this shooting. The crowd struck me out upon the arrival to the platform. Believe me, it was the largest crowd I have ever seen on Shwedagon Pagoda. We all got stuck at one corner and couldn’t move forward. There were fenders around the contest area. I wanted to go up the contest arena and shoot the looms. Special thanks to Ko Than Tun Lin who took care of my camera bag. I left them and sneaked into the contest area. Finally, I have got the pictures that I wanted. Happy Tazaungdaing to you all…

YE LWIN OO (MPS)
11.11.11

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Shwedagon Pagoda, the western archway with Tazaungdaing’s Full-Moon…

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The crowd moved very slowly and we all had to follow…

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The exhibition of the Buddha’s teachings along the Western Archway of Shwedagon Pagoda is a part of the celebration…

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Pilgrims pay a great attention to the displays (light boxes) describe the teachings of Lord Buddha with thorough explanations…

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I hope our people maintain this UNIQUE tradition and customs of Tazaungdaing Festival in full length…

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We had spent about an hour to reach to this contest arena… This is where the Mathoe Robe Weaving Contests took place…

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The weaver put a great endeavor amid the sweats in order to finish the robes in timely manner…

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Rules: Six members in each group, only three contestants (weaver, sparer and mechanic) may stay on the loom, while the others stay behind the loom…

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The cotton looms prepared for the replacement…

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Rules: Every team must weave 2/80 fabric between 86 inches and 94 inches…

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When the loom pauses, the mechanic must hurry to make repairs while the others wait…

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It’s such a breathe-taking scene, the weaver uses both hands and both legs, feel no tiredness and energetically weave to complete Mathoe Robes before dawn…

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Prizes are awarded to the respective winners…

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Tazaungmone’s full-bright-moon amid the clouds… Taken with NIKKOR AF-S NIKON 70-200mm f/2.8 ED NANO VRII lens…

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The great Shwedagon with Tazaungmone’s Full-Moon…

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Thousands of pilgrims on the Shwedagon Pagoda’s platform…

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The celebration continues throughout the night…

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The pilgrims spend the whole night on the Shwedagon’s platform… Till the next day morning to offer the Mathoe Robe to Lord Buddha by dawn…

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Every corner on the Pagoda’s platform is packed. Compared to the same event in 2008, the crowd is 3-4 times bigger…

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9,999 CANDLE LIGHTING taken place on the Shwedagon Pagoda’s platform on the same day…

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AK

Love your work (both writing n photos), brother.
Archboy

Nice photos and writing… cheers bro…
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ AK >> Thks for your visit, bro…

@ Archboy >> That’s where I am good at bro… Thk you…
http://www.mgbobo.net Bo Bo

Amazing Photos and Super Shot! Thanks 4 sharing Bro!
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Bo Bo >> Thks a lot for your visit and comment too, Ko Bo Bo…
http://www.mgbobo.net Bo Bo

I’m younger than you, Bro. :D He Hee…
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Bo Bo >> Oh, Sorries… :-)
https://plus.google.com/110194311704084508775/posts Daniel Winn

Very informative, bro. I didn’t know some of the facts you wrote. Just curious, you took every shot in handheld?
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Daniel Winn >> All are 100% haldheld bro… Just FYI, NANO lenses are super sharp in low light. Shooting in low light with the shutter speed of 1/10s on handheld, the pics will still be SHARP…
Dana

Your photos are stunning as usual, and especially fav topic for me. :) Next year is 2,600th celebration so I hope to be there. Your blog is very informative, thx! A pleasure to visit here always…
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Dana >> Thanking you for your strong supports. And hope to see you here next year…
Kyaw Myo Aung

I really appreciate you and you are doing a great job. Try ahead, bro!!! We’ll always appreciate u… :)
Joe

Excellent low-light photos Ko Ye Lwin Oo, good story telling. Thank you for the insightful presentation as always.

Wonders of modern mega-buck image-stabilizer and super sensitive image sensors, and most importantly there is no substitute for the man behind the equipments executing these excellent visions.
https://plus.google.com/110194311704084508775/posts Daniel Winn

Bro, ha ha ha… I shouldn’t ask you that question but, just curious. I know you have gifted hands. Don’t make me feel miserable wanting to get Nano lenses, yeah? Juz bought 50mm 1.8G from Alan Photo. Don’t want to hijack your post. But, I’ll stop buying lens for a while except some accessories, like flash and ND filters. In another one & half year, I’ll straight jump to D700 or equivalent and start buying spree again. LOL…
Chitra

Mingalaba again… fabulous pics… thanks for treating us to this spectacular event…

I have a question… while in Mandalay on Oct 26th morning we visited the Maha Muni Temple at 4.00 a.m. Teeth brushing ceremony… we heard some fantastic ceremonial music… Is that an ensemble of instruments or traditional music. I managed to tape some of it on my camera video… I would love to know more about it…
Samuel Tan

Fabulously nice…
http://www.blackdream21.com Black Dream

I also was there bro, maybe we didn’t notice each or time difference…
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Kyaw Myo Aung >> Thk you for your appreciation bro. I will always keep on sharing those UNIQUE customs of our country and our people. Because it is the biggest reason I have my camera in my hand. Some might complain! Why do I always shoot on Shwedagon Pagoda? It’s because Shwedagon always has biggest celebration of all events and seasons. I would like to share these big events to my oversea fans… And Shwedagon to me is very convenient to commute…

@ Joe >> Thanking you always for your continuous supports and counsels, Ko Gyi. I invested hours and hours on write-ups as many foreigners visit my blog. I would like them to see the pics, and know what actually the pics mean.

Coming to Tech-Talks, yes those Vibration Reduction system (or Image Stabilizer) really helps. Esp in this kind of situation where we are not granted with enough space to set up our tripods.
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Daniel Winn >> Rofl… Yes, you should not have started this topic. Else you’ll end up beaten by Yone Yone. NIKKOR AF-S NIKON 50mm f/1.8G is a very sharp lens. Comparing with my NIKKOR AF NIKON 50mm f/1.8D, it is way to better. It’s a prime lens thus there is a limitation in shooting distance. But talking about sharpness, it is the ONE to go. Make sure you are familiar (handy) with that lens so that you won’t miss out anything during shooting. Focusing is very sensitive. Means, if the Focus is sharp and clear cut, the pic is BRAVO. If the Focus is off, there is no cure. The pic will be uselessly BLUR. Tips: Don’t buy too many accessories. Just buy those needy. If you have too many accessories, you will cry why you travel to a place like KYAIK-HTI-YOE. You’ll like to throw away your cam bag. Just my 2 cents!!!

@ Chitra >> Mingalaba! Warm greeting from Yangon, Myanmar. Thks for your visit and comment here. Appreciated!

Here I come to your question. Well Myanmar people normally open what we called “Dhamma Songs” during any kind of merit making. Donation, wedding, opening ceremony of whatever kind of event, it is our custom that we open “Dhamma Songs”. What is Dhamma Song? Well, it is generally dedication to Lord Buddha. Dhamma Songs can be different kinds depending on the types of the occasions. Very common Dhamma Songs are Truths taught by Lord Buddha, Preachings of Lord Buddha, Buddha’s Eight Conquests, Path to Enlightment, 38 Auspiciousness, etc. You can download Dhamma Songs HERE.
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Samuel Tan >> Thk you for the visit, my friend…

@ Black Dream >> I was kind of late bro. I arrive there ard 8:30 PM. Well, it was way too packed on the platform. We won’t be able see each other. But I saw Ko Kaung Htet shooting inside the contest area…
TZMyo

Like like like… :-)
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ TZMyo >> Thks Thks Thks… :-)
SY

Thanks for your sharing. Those photos are amazing. And you are very good in story telling. I am a Christian don’t know very well about that Buddist festival. Thank you once again.
https://www.facebook.com/nnihtun Nwe Ni

Really like it esp writing…
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ SY >> I am not promoting my religion, sis. I am promoting my country. So everyone belongs to Burma belongs to this post…

@ Nwe Ni >> Thks a lot…
Kyaw

Well, I have never see before such kind of aim for posting those nice picture. I warmly appreciate and proud to u…
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Kyaw >> Thk u for your comment and visit too, Ko Kyaw Zin…
Jaw Seng

These pics are all super duper cool… :) keep it up bro… :)
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Jaw Seng ?? Thks a lot, my friend…
Eward

I didn’t see pic 9 as the cotton looms. At first, I thoutht they were Carrot. What a talented photographer!
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Eward >> Thk you for your kind words and it makes me SMILE, bro…
zinmar

“I hope our people maintain this UNIQUE tradition and customs of Tazaungdaing Festival in full length…” Now you are maintaining it,bro…Proud of u..N.. ur photos,the symbols of Myanmar.
Marlay27

Thanks a lot ! We can’t participate but we can feel it.
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

@ Marlay27 >> Thks a lot. If you can feel it, then it’s more than enough for me to afford…
Gracelad

copy lok twer del shint
http://yelwinoo.com/ Ye Lwin Oo

Sure, sis… Can be utilized for any non-commercial purpose…

ROBE WEAVING CONTEST 2011

THE MONTH TAZAUNGMONE

MATHOE ROBE WEAVING

ROBE WEAVING CONTEST

ROBE OFFERING

SHOOTING

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