Thadinguyt Festival
Thadingyut is 7th month of Myanmar lunar calendar. Thadin means the Buddhist Lent which spans three months and guyt (or kyut) means end or free from. Thadingyut is a month which is also end of the Buddhist Lent. After full moon of Thadingyut get little rain in Myanmar and say Thadingyut is end of monsoon.
Mother of Buddha died seven days after The Buddha was born and she was reborn as a celestial deva in the Tavareinseinta Haven. Lord Buddha went to the Heaven to preach Abidhama to his mother. It last one day at the Heaven, but for human being world, last 3 months. Full moon day of Thadingyut, Lord Buddha descend to the Earth. The duration of 3 months, absent of Lord Buddha on the Earth, is Myanmar Buddhist Lent.
Thadingyut festival is the celebration to welcome the Gautama Buddha’s descent from Heaven to the Earth with lights. Thadingyut festival is the second popular festival after Thingyan festival in Myanmar.
Full moon day of Thadingyut (October) Myanmar Buddhist celebrate Lights festival. It is also called Abhidama day. Buddhist offer candle lights at the shrine at home, at the pagodas and temples, enlightening and festooning the streets and public building with colored electric bulbs or candles.
Some families offer candle lights for the guardian spirit of the earth and of the house.
Myanmar Buddhist celebrates Light festival for three days, pre full moon, full moon and one day after full moon. At the day of full moon, Buddhist offer thousands of light at famous pagoda such as Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon, Mahamuni temple in Mandalay, Shwezigon pagoda in Bagan, Sulamani temple at Pyin Oo Lwin. Balloons festival is also celebrate at some regions in Myanmar.
We have two periods in a year that young people pay respect to their parents, teachers and elderly relatives and offer them with some gifts: full moon day of Thadingyut and Myanmar New Year (17th April). They also ask for forgiveness if they have made some bad actions upon their parents or elderly relatives throughout the year. Teachers, respectable people, parents say Sadu-Sadu-Sadu (means well done) and forgive for all kinds of bad actions. The elder ones wish for happy, wealthy, long life and give them some pocket money.
During the Lent, Myanmar Buddhist cannot celebrate wedding. Buddhist monks cannot travel far from their monastery. Some enter to meditation center, some do not eat meat even eggs during the Lent.
