Pilgrimage by Bullock Carts: Traditional pilgrimage of villagers sustained

The villagers of Min Hla Kyin Village, Minbu Saku Township, Magwe Region conserve their tradition of taking pilgrimage to Shwe Sett Taw Pagoda by a caravan of Bullock carts every year. This year also, they will take pilgrimage to Shwe Sett Taw Pagoda by a caravan of Bullock carts this year too, according to the administrator of Min Hla Kyin Village.

Shwe Sett Taw Pagoda festival is held yearly for three months from 5th waxing moon of Tabodwe to the Myanmar New Year Day, it’s a most prominent historic Buddha’s footprint pagodas in Myanmar and during the pagoda festival, the pagoda and precinct is packed with the pilgrims come from the different parts of the country.

There are over 430 households in Min Hla Kyin Village 13 miles far from Shwe Sett Taw Pagoda. They take pilgrimage yearly to the Shwe Sett Taw Pagoda by bullock carts apart from some households that do not have one.

Their yearly pilgrimage takes about a week. When they arrived at the precinct of the pagoda, they camp at the Oke Thaung Byin shore. Min Hla Kyin is only Village has been preserving their traditions originated since their ancestors taken pilgrimage to the Shwe Sett Taw Pagoda by the caravan of bullock carts.