Images of owls, rabbits, a Shan long drum and dozens of others will be projected into the Yangon night sky when Myanmar celebrates Thadingyut Festival of Lights from October 10-14.
The lightshow will take place at Maha Bandula Park, where well-wishers will donate food on October 13, the full moon day of Thadingyut.
The Yangon City Development Committee building opposite the park will also be lit up as dancers and musicians stage night performances in the area.
But the celebrations are not limited to Yangon: at Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, or Golden Rock, in Mon state, thousands of pilgrims offer candles and flowers to the Buddha.
Performers slip into elephant costumes for a dance competition at Shwethalyaung Pagoda in Kyaukse, Mandalay region, while Bago’s Shwe Kyin hosts a decorative boat competition on the Sittaung River.
As well as marking Buddhist lent and an end to the rainy season, the festival celebrates Buddha’s descent from Tavatimsa heaven after teaching the Abhidhamma texts to heavenly beings including his mother, who was reborn on the plane.
On his descent—the full moon day of Thadingyut—the people of the earthly realm set out bright lights to guide the Buddha.
In that vein, expect candles, electric lights and lanterns to illuminate the streets, along with street fairs, games and art displays scattered around downtown and beyond.
Myanma Railways also announced today special trains between Yangon and Bagan for pilgrims travelling to the ancient city. It will depart from Yangon Central Station at 2.15pm on 11 October and will reach Bagan at 9am the following day.
It returns from Bagan station at 5pm on October 14 and arrives back in Yangon at 12.20pm on October 15.
Stops include Thayawady, Letpadan, Minhla, Okkpho, Gyobingauk, Zegone, Nattalin, Paungde and Pateegone. Tickets cost 4,500 kyats per seat for ordinary class, 12,000 kyats for first class, and 16,500 kyats for upper class.
