Traditional Custom of Mon People Alms food offering held on Tawthalin full-moon day

Mon Literature and Culture Committee (Yangon) and Ramanya Ponnya Kari Association (Yangon) jointly held Mon traditional alms food offering at the Mon Community Hall on Thursday.

On every full moon day of Tawthalin, Mon ethnic people from every ward, village and township across the nation offer alms food dedicating to the Lord Buddha. The tradition of alms food offering of Mon people has flourished since Sasana Era 450 (94 B.C).  

According to the saying of ancient wisdom and the chronicles, the tradition of alms food offering in the ship-shaped stupas has been held every full moon day of Tawthalin in wards and villages of Mon people since the time when Pitakat or religious scriptures were started to bring in the region of Ramanya, Mon land.

Dr. Min Khin Sein, Chairman, Mon Literature and Culture Committee (Yangon) said " Actually, alms food offering is held at dawn of the full moon day of Tawthalin. As a Mon tradition, variety of fruits, snacks and food, flowers, candles and streamers that we want to offer will have to be brought to the monasteries or community places in the evening of the day before the full-moon day and then, the sanghas offer the donated food to the Buddha images at dawn and shared merits."

 At the alms food offering ceremony, Mon ethnic people in the respective townships of Yangon region offered variety of fruits, snacks and food.

Mi Moe Moe San, South Dagon Township‌ said " As the preservation of our Mon tradition, our new generations annually come to donate variety of fruits, streamers, snacks and desserts to the Lord Buddha. This is our Mon tradition and the event is held annually every full moon day of Tawthalin."

Mi Aye Aye Thein, Hlaing Township said " This is the tradition and custom of Mon people. It is a festival that has been held since long ago.‌ We also bring new generations of Hlaing Township. We’d like to know this tradition to them and to preserve it."

The donation is also aimed to intend to promote unity and friendship among Mon people living in the townships of Yangon Region and to preserve the traditional custom by handing down to the new generation.