List of Burmese traditional festivals

Burmese traditional festivals are based on the traditional Burmese calendar and dates are largely determined by the moon's phase.^{[citation needed]} Burmese culture is most evident in villages where local festivals are held throughout the year, the most important being the pagoda festival.^[1][2]

Festivals

Month	Festival(s)	Day	Significance	Events
Tagu (April)	Thingyan	Mid-April	Marks the beginning of the Burmese new year	Gadaw (paying obeisance to elders), water games, observation of the Buddhist Sabbath (Uposatha), parades
Kason (May)	Bo tree watering festival	Full moon of Kason	Marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha (Vesākha)	Watering of the Bo tree
Nayon (June)	Tipitaka Festival		Nationwide Pariyatti Sasana examinations for Buddhist monks^[3]
Waso (July)	Robe Offering Festival,^[4] Dhammasekya Day	Full moon of Waso	Marks the beginning of the Buddhist lent (Vassa); anniversary of Buddha's first sermon on the Four Noble Truths	Donation of monk robes, shinbyu ceremonies
Wagaung (August)	Taungbyon Nat Festival^[5]
Tawthalin (September)	Regatta Festival			Boat rowing competitions
Thadingyut (October)	Festival of Lights	Full moon of Thadingyut	Marks the end of the Buddhist lent (Vassa)	Gift exchanges, gadaw (paying obeisance to elders), lighting of candles, pagoda visits
Tazaungmon (November)	Tazaungdaing Festival of Lights^[6]	Full moon of Tazaungmon	Marks the end of the rainy season	Lighting of hot air balloons by the Shan people in Shan State, and lanterns nationwide
	Kyi Ma No Festival			Mischief-making
	Kahtein Thingan Offering Festival	Between Thadingyut and Tazaungmon		Offering of Kathina robes to Buddhist monks
Nadaw (December)	Karen New Yearn		Marks the new year of the Karen people
	Nat festivals^[7]		Ritual feasts honoring Burmese nats (spirits)
Pyatho (January)	Kachin Manaw Festival		Marks the new year of the Kachin people
Tabodwe (February)	Harvest Festival^[8]		Celebration of rice harvests	Cooking of htamane, a special sticky rice made with sesame seeds, peanuts and ginger
Tabaung (March)	Shwedagon Pagoda Festival^[9] Nationwide pagoda festivals		Nationwide pagoda festivals	Celebrations on Singuttara Hill

References

1. Tsaya (1886). Myam-ma, the home of the Burman. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink and Co. pp. 36–37.
2. Shway Yoe (1882). The Burman – His Life and Notions. New York: Norton Library 1963. pp. 211–216, 317–319.
3. [1] 25 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
4. [2] 18 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine
5. [3] 8 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine
6. "MODiNS [ Myanmar Online Information ]". Modins.net. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
7. "MODiNS [ Myanmar Online Information ]". Modins.net. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
8. "MODiNS [ Myanmar Online Information ]". Modins.net. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
9. "MODiNS [ Myanmar Online Information ]". Modins.net. Retrieved 19 March 2012.