Myanmar is a land full of festivals and fun. The Mekong Water Festival includes the countries Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos. The celebration is called Songkran in Thailand, Chaul Chnam Thmey in Cambodia, Thingyan in Myanmar and Pimai in Laos. But it is believed that water festival washes away sins and welcomes the New Year.
The water festival represents the most popular, raucous and colorful celebration of the year for more than 120 million people who will abandon any thoughts of work and bring their nations to a standstill. People around the country gather together again and visits pagodas, offers and pay homage to the monks, play traditional games and celebrate with their joyous spirit.
Thingyan (New Year Water Festival) is celebrated from 13th to 16th April this year. Revelers go around the city in small pick-up trucks shouting happily. On other hand, there are Pandals built on roads for those who want to douse water. Some stages are built by sponsors. At the pandals where famous people come, young people are dousing water and are being doused in jeeps and trucks full of them. Dance, comedy and songs are staged at this pandal. By the stage, about 200 people are dousing water eagerly holding multicoloured plastic pipes.
After playing around and having fun throughout the country, the city-dwellers welcome the New Year on the 17th by cleaning the floors of the pagodas and monasteries, washing old and aged peoples' hair, helping to cut them their nails. Some offer free food and drinks for everyone who visits the pagodas, some make other donations. If you can be here with us, you will never forget the true joy.