Conservation of tradition: Pilgrimage with caravan of bullock carts still maintained

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.

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 300 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 between 13 waxing moon and 3 wanning moon of Dabaung. When they arrived at the precinct of the pagoda, they camp at the OkeThaBin shore. Min Hla Kyin is only Village the has been preserving their traditions originated since their ancestors taken pilgrimage to the Shwe Sett Taw Pagoda by the caravan of bullock carts.