Myanmar Religion and Beliefs

Food Offering Ceremony

Every year, at the end of the Buddhist lent, the Myanmar People hold the Thadingyut light festival in conjunction with food offering ceremonies throughout the country. According to traditions, there are many different ways of offering food to the Lord Buddha.

Among them, the annual food offering ceremony in Shwekyin Township, Bago Division held on the full-moon day of Thadingyut is a well-known event in the country. Devotees offer fruits, food, flowers, water and light to " Ashae Maha Buddha Pagoda, early in the morning at dawn on full moon's day. It is an admirable Myanmar custom that devotees who visit the festival from all round the country perform meritorious deeds such as offering food to Buddha.

The Shan nationals reside on the other side of Shwekyin at Alai Paing and Zawtika villages across the Shwekyin creek, where Thadingyut oil lamp floating festival are held in conjunction with traditional food offering ceremonies, in Pagoda and monasteries. Flag mast is planted, after paying obeisance to Buddha.

At the festival, the Shan nationals entertained the populace and visitors with the Myithical bird, the Keinnayi Keinnaya dances, Shan traditional Martial arts, Tonaya dance and the dances of Shan damsels with Shan long drums strapped on their shoulders. Food offering a ceremony in Shwekyin is celebrates yearly at the end of Buddhist Lent.

So, if you want to discover and see for yourself the lovely traditional custom of the Shwekyin food offering ceremony and other delightful regional customs, why not pack up your bags and come visit our beautiful land and see for yourself these wonderful traits of the Myanmar people.