Wagaung
Myanmar Festival
It is the fifth Myanmar
month. It is in July-August, the rainy
season, when rivers are in spate.
In the time of
Buddha, when the Lord was staying at Weluwun
Monastery in Yazagyo, some disciples
supplicated to him the matter of individual
disciples having some difficulty to
donate meals and alms for
all the
Sangha at the monastery at
the same
time, whereupon Buddha laid down a way of
disciples
drawing
lots to determine which monk to offer meals
and alms. Thus began the practice at
this time of the year to hold lot-drawing
offerings of meals and alms to the Sangha,
although the exact time for such offerings
is not definitely prescribed.
In ancient
times, this month was also time for the
festival of propitiation to the two nats of
Taungbyone. This nat
festival has
been in vogue since Bagan times to the
present day.
This is also the time for
holding of boat races in olden
days.
The Text is by Myat Min Hlaing, Illustration from Wa Thone
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