Oil Lamps Business: Oil lamp makers started their business for light festival

Oil lamp making businesses have been started to operate in Tatkyi village in Amarapura Township in Mandalay Region for Thadingyut Lighting Festival. The majority of residents of the Tatkyi village make their living by making clay pottery businesses.  As the oil lamps were sold very well during the previous Thadingyut Lighting festival, the residents are making many oil lamps to cover the high demand of the purchasers this year.

Tatkyi Village, Potter, Khin Pu sai "A basket holding 1,000 oil lamps worth 15,000 Kyats in retail price and 13, 000 Kyats in wholesale price. We start to receive orders currently and the demand will be higher soon as the festival is drawing near. We sold many oil lamps last year so we are preparing to make many oil lamps to meet the high demand of the customers this year.  We also make Thingyan pots for Thingyan Festival."

Oil lamps are usually distributed to Mandalay, Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Lasho and millions of oil lamps are sold during Thadingyut Lighting Festival. One potter can make about 1,500 oil lamps a day.

The full moon day of Thadingyut marks the end of Buddhist Lent and the Buddha descended back to the human realm from Tavatimsa, abode of celestial beings. Therefore, the Buddhists celebrate the Thadingyut Lighting Festival by offering oil lamps to Buddha statues and doing good deeds.