Mahakathina Robe Offering: Mahakathina Robe Offering Ceremony held in Loikaw

The 37th State-level Collective Maha Kathina Robe Offering Ceremony, organized by the State Government, was held at the State Hall in Loikaw this morning. State Chief Minister U Arnt Maw, the State Hluttaw Speaker, the Chief Justice of the State High Court, the Deputy Speaker of the State Hluttaw, members of the State Government, State Hluttaw representatives, departmental officials, well-wishers, donors and invited guests attended the ceremony.

First, the Chief Minister and his wife, together with the congregation, observed the Five Precepts administered by the Chairman Sayadaw of the State Sangha Nayaka Committee, who is also the Presiding Sayadaw of the Monastery Abbots Training School. They then respectfully listened to the Paritta Suttas recited by the members of Sangha.

Next, the Chief Minister and his wife offered Kathina robes and other offertories to the Chairman Sayadaw, while responsible officials made offerings to the Sayadaws from invited monasteries in attendance.

Subsequently, the congregation listened to the sermon delivered by the Chairman Sayadaw and shared the merits of their donations by pouring the libation of water. A meal was then offered to the members of the Sangha, while lunch was served to the invited guests.

At the ceremony, a total of 140.616 million kyats collectively donated by the State Government, departmental personnel at the state, district and township levels, and well-wishers and donors, was used to prepare and offer 118 trees of offertories to 115 monasteries across the state.

It is learnt that the collective Maha Kathina procession, organized by the State Government, was held on Saturday. The procession, featuring ethnic traditional music and dance troupes as well as modern musical bands, proceeded in a festive and lively atmosphere from the stone-paved platform of Kandar Hay Park along Kandarawaddy Road, passing the Taungkwe Pagoda, Thiri Mingala Market and various wards in Loikaw.