Religious Significance : Crowds visit pagodas and temples on Full Moon Day of Tawthalin

Buddhist devotees visited pagodas, temples and other religious sites on the Full Moon Day of Tawthalin, observing one of Myanmar’s significant Buddhist occasions with prayers, offerings and acts of merit.

Also known as Garu Dhamma Day, the Full Moon Day of Tawthalin falls in the middle of the rainy season in Myanmar’s traditional calendar. Buddhists observe the day by paying homage to the Buddha, taking the Five Precepts, making offerings and sharing merit with others.

The term Garu Dhamma is associated with the Five Precepts, abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech and intoxicants. Devotees regard observing these moral principles with reverence as an important part of religious practice, with the performance of meritorious deeds traditionally believed to bring worldly and spiritual benefits.