Padauk flower blossoms to welcome traditional water festival in Myanmar

Golden Padauk flower are blossoming due to the first rain shower nationwide, signifying the upcoming traditional Thingyan water festival in Myanmar.

The Padauk flower is well-known for its blooming period only in April when the country's traditional Thingyan water festival falls in the first month of Tagu of Myanmar calendar year.

The Padauk flower are currently seen almost everywhere across the country.

Myanmar people celebrate traditional Thingyan water festival annually to welcome the new year as other Southeast Asian countries such as Songkran in Laos and Thailand, Chaul Chnam Thmey in Cambodia and it is also celebrated in China's Yunnan province by local Dai ethnic nationality.

Among Myanmar's 12 seasonal festivals throughout the year, the Thingyan water festival represents the grandest, which is believed to bring peace and prosperity to everyone, and also represents a unique and entertaining event.
As part of celebration of the festival, people throw and douse water onto one another to wash away the sins and moral impurities from the previous year.

This year's Thingyan festival will be celebrated on April 13 to 16 and the new year will fall on April 17.

The festival will be celebrated in full swing by people roaming around the city to receive the water-throwing from pandals where people throw water using hoses.

According to the authorities, there will be 19 large, 11 medium and 32 small water throwing pandals in commercial city Yangon.

Moreover, special events featuring "Walking Thingyan festivals" organized by the Yangon regional government will be held at Yangon City Hall, Maha Bandoola Park, Kandawgyi Myay Padaythar Garden, Kandawgyi Garden and Thakin Mya Park.

Apart from throwing water, breathtaking performances by Myanmar traditional dancing troupes and traditional Thingyan music can be enjoyed at the pandals.

Meanwhile, the regional authorities will increase measures during the festival to ensure security.

Another highlight of the festival is Myanmar's mote lone yay paw, or floating rice balls with palm sugar inside, a typical food of water festival. It will be offered to people passing by on streets which is also expressed as Satuditha, or food donation.

During the festive holidays, some Buddhist people go to pagodas and monasteries for making religious good deeds such as meditation.

For young people, they go to the homes for the senior citizens, doing good deeds including helping elderly people in bathing, washing their hair and cutting their nails.

Editor: John Li