Shwedagon Pagoda Light Festival (Thadingyut)

Thadingyut Light Festival at the Shwedagon Pagoda 

Octobre 16, 2016

The Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred Buddhist Pagoda in Myanamar.  In the center is a 99 meter (325 feet) tall stupa and it is dominates the Yangon skyline.  It is supposed to contain 4 relics of Buddhas:  staff of Kakusandha Buddha, the water filter of Konagamana Buddha, a piece of the robe of Kassapa Buddha, and eight strands of hair from the head of Gautama Buddha.

Thadingyut is "held on the full moon day of the Burmese Lunar month of Thadingyut. As a custom, it is held at the end of the Buddhist lent (Vassa) and is the second most popular festival in Myanmar. Thadinyut is the celebration to welcome the Buddha’s descent from the heaven after he preached the Abhidhamma to his mother, Maya, who was reborn in the heaven" (Wikipedia). 

It's a huge celebration and Shweddagon is one of the places that many Buddhist from different regions make a pilgrimage to celebrate the special day.  There are extra food and toy stalls everywhere, lots of people, and often free entertainment offered.  People set off fireworks (our neighbor did in his backyard) and some light floating lanterns, although we didn't really see that.  We went to the Shwedagon Pagoda to celebrate and it was a beautiful cultural experience, definitely one I will remember.  



The end of Buddhist Lent (usually end of October) in Myanmar is marked by a national 3 day festival of lights called Thadinyut.  According to my very limited understanding, the lights are meant to celebrate when Buddha returned to earth after his ascension into heaven.  Those on earth set out lights to guide his path to them.  All pagodas, but especially Shwedagon, are packed with people (many from farther distances) that have come to light candles and lanterns to pay homage to and gain favor of Buddha.



My light haired blue-eyed girls are often met with ooos and awes and people asking to take their picture.  They are usually very gracious and will even smile most of the time.  However, when we went to the light festival, they were even more of a sight for many of those who had come from long distances for the festival and had never or rarely seen a fair skinned person.  We went with a group from the embassy to the festival and it took us a million times longer to see the sights because we were being stopped every few moments by people who wanted their picture with the girls.  Maya was in the carrier and we decided to keep her in there because otherwise we might never move!  Here are just a couple of the girls' many admirers:

We finally did make it to the area where people were lighting candles.  At the pagoda, people offer food and other items for the pagoda, but light candles is the main way to celebrate this festival.  During the festival lights are lit and electric lights are strung to light the way for and commemorate Buddhas return to earth.  We were just going to watch but then this kind Buddhist monk came over and offered candles to the girls and helped them light them.

(poor Sienna burnt her little finger a little trying to get the candle to stick on the table)

We were able to walk the circle of the pagoda seeing many different shrines and worship areas along the way.

As the night grew dark, the lights shining against the magnificent gold leafed stupa was quite beautiful.

Lighting the candles,  offering prayers 

I will leave you with our girls ringing in the festival with bang.  It is said to be good luck to ring the bells in the pagoda, but you must only ring it in increments of odd numbers… or was it even?  Shoot, I should try to figure that out. 

See you again soon!

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