N 101  How Shans celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent (Thadingyut )

Among the most celebrated religious days the Thadingyut ( end of Buddhist lent which usually falls in October )is the most significant and important one. Buddha in his time is said to spend lent in Tavatimsa which is the abode of celestial beings, preaching to his late mother who was one of them.

On the full moon night of Thadingyut the Lord was to descend to earth (Singatha

nagou ) accompanied by his entourage of high ranking monks and sanghas.To welcome the Buddha to earth people built gold and silver and ruby stairways decorated  lavishly and brilliantly with lights.

In commemoration of this event the people of Myanmar celebrated Thadingyut in this way by lighting their homes and environments and religious places. This  festival is celebrated for three days when schools and workplaces are closed and everybody enjoys some holidays. 

In our Shan State on the eve of the full moon day men of the household prepare to build a small stage or platform with four bamboo poles and split bamboos. It has a floor and the sides except the front is covered partially with woven bamboo strips called yarzamat. At the farther end of the platform a small altar with a Buddha statue is placed. In front of the altar a bowl consisting of a coconut, some bunches of bananas, betel squid, fermented tea leaves, and tobacco are placed as offerings to the Buddha. At night incense and candles are also offered.

On the bamboo poles which hold the platform banana trees, sugarcane leaves, young coconut leaves, paddy plants, flowers and small colour flags are tied decoratively. Under the platform fruits like coconut, oranges, pomeloes, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, bananas, cucumber ,groundnut, and all kinds of fruits are hanged. These all are offerings to Lord Buddha, so as to gain merit and at the same time to get a bountiful harvest of the crops.

On the eve of the full moon day people prepare foods to offer to Buddha early the next morning.The already acquired various fruits and nuts are washed and cleaned and kept together with  jams and biscuits and  snacks. All kinds of sweet potatoes, ripe pumpkin are steamed. Those who have more than enough share with their neighbours.

On the full moon day people get up before dawn to prepare food offerings to Buddha. They peel, they skin, they cut fruits and prepare the hsoon cups with cooked rice as the basic item. Then the fruits, nuts, jams, special snacks and steamed food are arranged carefully over the rice,to form a pretty hsoon offering. Over ten bowls have to be prepared. When these are ready the elder and  the family gather and sit in front of the 4 pole stage and the elder first invited the Lord Buddha to come and reside in the altar to accept the offerings. Then all the family members paid homage to the Buddha and recite prayers.

After the offerings to Buddha are  finished family members do the other offerings with the ready made bowls of food. The most common offerings are made to  Guardian Spirits of the house, the village, the town and the district. And then to deceased parents and grandparents, the guardian spirit of the fireplace, the main gate, the front door, the ladder, the well, the money or treasure box, the rice barn etc. We believe that these are to bring good fortunes and keep the family from bad things.

After the household offerings of the early morning is finished people prepare to go to the village monastery. The people dress themselves in the best attire and with offerings depart for the monastery. Sometimes village people go together in a procession accompanied by ozi boun moung ( drums and gongs ) with tounaya and keinayar dance.

Village people then offered their offeteries to Sanghas and pay homage to them. Then prayers are said and monks give their blessings to the villagers. Merit is shared before libation water is poured and the ceremony comes to an end, when villagers departed for their homes.

After that people, especially young ones started to go around to visit and pay homage to parents , grandparents and elders of the village with offeteries, sometimes with rice and curry packs only. Sticky rice  is wrapped in plantain leaves and the curry is usually minced meat or fish wrapped in plantain leaves and steamed until it is cooked well as is the custom of Shan people. Shan people put much effort in this kind of merit making. They would go to far away places on foot and sometimes last even a month or so.

The festival last 3 days and nights. At nights people light candles and lanterns at pagodas and monasteries and at their homes. Lights can be seen everywhere and people would be in festivities mood. Nowadays there may be a stage show or some kind of entertainment to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent which is also called the festival of lights