Myanmar traditional water festival kicks off across country

Myanmar's traditional Thingyan Water Festival kicked off across the country Tuesday morning with the opening ceremony of the festival launched at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw.

The ceremony was attended by new President U Htin Kyaw and the country's First Lady Daw Su Su Lwin.

This year's water festival is also the first launched after Myanmar new government took office.

A number of state-level artists and singers joined the event for entertainment in celebration of the happy event .

In Yangon, the opening ceremony of the water festival was held at the biggest water throwing pandal of Yangon City.

Extending Thingyan New Year greeting, new Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein unveiled the City Water Throwing Pavilion.

The event was highlighted by performances of Myanmar traditional dance troupes in colorful dress.

Roads and streets were thronged with people dancing to music and dousing each other with water.

There are 210 water-throwing pandals, big and small, erected in the city this year to celebrate the festival. Of them, 7 major ones are run by government departments, 12 by private groups and 191 are small and medium ones.

However, setting up of commercial pavilions, which draw bigger crowds of revelers, for throwing water was banned for the reason of security and prevention of traffic jam which usually occurred in the previous years.

The denial of such commercial pavilions is also said to prevent exploitation of Thingyan water festival for commercial gain.

Myanmar preserves some unique styles in celebrating the water festival with special Rakhine ethnic traditional water festival also being launched in Yangon in which young men and women stand face to face and drench each other with water while standing in long boats.

This year's Myanmar traditional Thingyan water festival will run for five days until Saturday after which Sunday will usher in Myanmar new year.

The Myanmar water festival, which is for all ages, also represents a unique and entertaining event.

Water is a symbol of not only cleanliness but also auspiciousness. Myanmar's people believe that celebration of the water festival can wash away past evil and sin and prepare for a happy year ahead.

Among Myanmar's 12 seasonal festivals throughout the year, the Thingyan water festival represents the grandest which brings peace and prosperity to the entire people. Enditem