THE 2,589th Buddha Pujaniya Festival of the Myathalun Pagoda in Magway will be held with grandeur from the 10th waxing day of Thadingyut to the 14th waning day of Thadingyut (from 1 to 20 October), according to U Aung San, a member of the Pagoda Board of Trustees.
At this year’s Buddha Pujaniya Festival of the Myathalun Pagoda, more than 1,000 shops and stalls will be arranged as part of the pagoda festival fair.
U Aung San explained, “The Buddha Pujaniya Festival will be held from the 10th waxing day of Thadingyut (1 October) to the 14th waning day of Thadingyut (20 October). For pilgrims coming from across the country, free rest houses with full facilities of water and electricity have been arranged to accommodate about 1,000 visitors.
“During the festival, there will be continuous recitation of the Maha Pathana. When the recitation concludes, alms will be offered to the Sangha. A total of 1,500 monks will be offered alms rice. On the full moon night of Thadingyut, we will hold a grand ceremony of offering 9,000 oil lamps, 9,000 joss sticks, and 9,000 flowers”.
On regular days, the number of pilgrims visiting Myathalun Pagoda is usually between 800 and 1,000, but on major days such as the full moon day and Uposatha days, the number of devotees can reach about 4,000. — ASH/KNN
