Myanmar's festivals

On a national scale, the festivals of Myanmar (Burma) are almost exclusively Buddhist and take place according to the lunar calendar.

The largest and most important of Myanmar's national festivals is Thingyan, the Theravada Buddhist New Year celebration during which everyone throws water at each other in a traditional purification ritual. Pagoda festivals also play an important part in the festival calendar of each locality, commemorating important events in a temple's history and usually celebrated during the dry season.

You will find that festival celebrations are most evident in villages and smaller rural towns, where the local festivals provide a fascinating insight into Burmese culture. These celebrations mix mainstream Buddhist practices with nat-worship, the veneration of indigenous Burmese spirits.

Click the links below to find out more about some of Myanmar's most captivating festivities.