Peaceful Thingyan in Yangon: Yangon Region CM observed the merit-making activities

Residents of Yangon Region Celebrate Traditional Myanmar Thingyan Festival with Merit-Making Activities.

On April 14, the Descend Day of Maha Thingyan Festival in the year 1386 of the Myanmar calendar, people across Yangon Region engaged in various merit-making activities. These included observing precepts at pagodas, monasteries, including Shwedagon Pagoda, freeing animals as merit, reciting Paritta parittas, meditating at the meditation centers, and offering charity food to the Sangha and devotees. 

Under the supervision of the Yangon Region Government, a Jivitadana (life-saving) fish release ceremony was held at the Dagon-Thiri Sanctuary Lake within the Kaba Aye Pagoda compound. Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein and wife, along with the Region High Court Chief Justice, members of the region government and their spouses, and officials, released 5,000 fish into the lake as a merit-making act. They also fed the fish already residing in the lake. 

At the Yangon People’s Square, donors offered food to the public while promoting Myanmar’s traditional Thanaka culture. Efforts are underway to include this practice in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Attendees, including locals and foreigners, participated in Thanaka application demonstrations. Chief Minister and wife, High Court Chief Justice, region government members, and officials observed the events and encouraged the participants. 

Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) staff and their families organized a mass charity food offering event. Chief Minister U Soe Thein and wife, along with officials, attended and observed the food distribution and Thanaka application demonstrations. They also sprinkled water on the staff and their families using (eugenia) branches, a traditional Thingyan practice. 

Later, Chief Minister U Soe Thein and wife, High Court Chief Justice, region government members, and officials visited the Shwedagon Pagoda’s west entrance parking area. There, the Central Committee for Interfaith dialogue Group was offering vegetarian biryani to pilgrims visiting the pagoda on the descend day of Thingyan. The dignitaries observed the event and donated funds to the organizers.