Myanmar Traditional Water Festival (Atar Thingyan)

Myanmar Traditional Atar Thingyan Water Festival

The Thingyan festival is the first of the traditional Burmese 12-month seasons, held in the month of Tagu, the first month of the year. It usually falls in mid-April. April is also the hottest time in Myanmar.

The Thingyan festival is celebrated five to six days. They are Thingyan Akyo, Thingyan Akya, Thingyan Akyat, Thingyan Atat, New Year’s Day. Thingyan is usually celebrated for five days. In the case of two consecutive days, it is usually held for up to 6 days.

What is Thingyan?
The word “Thingyan” is derived “Thinkanta” from the Perli word “Thingyanta” from “Thagata” world and meaning is “transition”.

The Thingyan festival is one of the largest and busiest of the traditional Burmese 12-month seasonal festivals.

The Thingyan festival dates back to the Tagaung period and became more prominent during the Bagan period (849-1297 AD).

History derived from Hinduism
King Sakka and King Brahma (Arsi) had a dispute, so King Sakka won the title of King Brahma. King Brahma was so powerful that if he threw his head into the sea, it would dry up and if it was left on the ground, it would be destroyed by fire. If it was thrown into the air, all the creatures would be burned, so Sakka did not want to leave it anywhere but had to hold it in his hand. Later, powerful deities were assigned, and each year a deity was ordered to guard the head. The Brahmins calculate the exact time when the head will be released from one hand to another, and this transition period is called the Sanskrit period. It is also considered a full year.

At that time, Sakka went down to the world to promote good deeds and spread Buddhism. Records are kept, he said. Write down the good ones on the gold leaf. Bad people are said to be written in dog skin.

Thingyan Festival Painting from Bagan Age

Thingyan Scenes and Feature

1. Padauk Flower (Golden Flower)

Thingyan and Padauk are inseparable. Padauk flower is Myanmar New Year Flower. It is also a flower that represents Myanmar. The flower blooms once a month, once a year. It is a kind of flower that blooms in a special way during the month of Thingyan festival. In the month of Tagu, as soon as it rains, a series of myrtle green buds appear and a series of head-shaped saffron flowers bloom. The flowers are beautiful to look at and fragrant.If you are a Burmese, you will know that the New Year is here.

1. Thingyan songs
   Thingyan songs are composed and composed of the unique features of the Thingyan period. Thingyan songs are often heard from time to time as the Thingyan festival approaches. The uniqueness of Thingyan music is that it exhilarates the mind. It calms down. It is true that those who have Thingyan bugs will be happy when they hear the music of Thingyan.

Most of the Thingyan songs are about the symbolic flowers of Thingyan, Thingyan Lady for those who listen to the poems written on Thingyan-related topics. It makes the images of Thingyan more vivid.

These are some of popular songs for Thingyan

Man Taung Yake Kho

Shar Po Tow Min Thar Gyi

Nway Ma

3. Atar Pot.

As soon as Thingyan arrives, you will find pottery in the houses of Myanmar people. The pot must be prepared before Thingyan as a symbol of waiting for Thingyan. There are seven kinds of flowers or seven kinds of shoots in a pot full of water. The seven shoots represent the seven-day offspring. As soon as the Thingyan falls, pour water from the pot and put on the Thingyan flower. Thingyan shoots are planted on the walls of the courtyard. If you pray like this, you will have bad luck. It is traditionally believed that bad luck disappears, good fortune rises and success in the social sphere.

4. Thingyan dances

Yae dance is also a symbol of Thingyan. Wearing traditional Burmese costumes, the dancers often perform traditional Burmese songs and dances. Burmese traditional dance စိစ်၊ Feet Let’s dance moves in a balanced way. Combined with the beauty of Thingyan young mothers and lively music, the festive atmosphere is even more exhilarating. In addition, when combined with the breathtaking beauty of the Thingyan dance troupe, it is filled with the festive atmosphere everywhere.

5. Atar Thingyan Traditional Food

Floating Nuts are the most famous traditional food of Atar Thingyan. It is eaten by putting jaggery into floating nut and sprinkling coconut. Sometimes, it put chilli within nut to make fun between friends. In addition, Shwe Yin Aye, There are also differences in eating habits such as Thingyan rice. The Thingyan festival is also a family gathering. Good food and drink for family members and friends. They enjoy eating and drinking with relatives and friends, and the devout Burmese often share the food with their neighbors and donate it as sadudithar.

How to celebrate Thingyan

The water is clean and pure. As a symbol of peace and tranquility, the New Year is celebrated with the sprinkling of old-fashioned filth and the sprinkling of water on each other to welcome the new year with a new spirit. As the annual Atar Thingyan festival approaches, there are large and small festivals in various parts of Myanmar. Medium Small and large water parks of various sizes; Coconut palms; Walking Thingyan ceremonies and Thingyan water cannons are being repaired. The silver cup was filled with fragrant water and sprinkled with laurel leaves. Water cup Water pipes; Fire hoses are also used to spray water. Not only big cities but also rural villages, Roads Sidewalks; Under the stage, under the stage. Cars and pedestrians of all levels. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor. Everyone, regardless of gender, celebrates the Atar Thingyan Water Festival and sprinkles water on each other to wish each other a Happy New Year.

The Thingyan festival is celebrated in China. Thailand It is also held in Laos, Cambodia and other countries. It is an important New Year festival of the Khmer and other ethnic groups and is also an important ethnic festival.

Doing good deeds
One of the most prominent features of the Great Thingyan Festival in Myanmar, where Theravada Buddhism is practiced, is the practice of good deeds. During Thingyan, there are people playing in the water. Go to meditation camps and observe the Sabbath. Meditators 3 days 5 days 7 days Dolpa monks for 10 days. There are also nuns. After the end of the Thingyan period, on the first day of the new year, there will be a pilgrimage to the Buddha. Observing the Sabbath; The safe release of animals; Feeding fish; Old man Giving head and hair to grandparents and elders. Nail clippers; Sadudisar feeding. There is a practice of taking charity by donating items.

The Thingyan festival is a celebration of the traditional cultural heritage of the Burmese people. Beauty It is a traditional festival with many religious traditions. It is the responsibility of every Myanmar citizen to preserve his or her traditional heritage. It is a responsibility for every Myanmar People.

Memories about Thingyan
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Reference: Myanmar Encyclopaedia Vol 13. Myanmar National Portal Website Baidu Baike

Translator- Phoenix