Organizers in Amarapura Township, Mandalay Region, have begun preparations to ensure the traditional Taungthaman Boe Boe Gyi Festival is held on a grand scale, according to event organizing committee member U Pho Ko.
The annual celebration usually starts from the 2nd Waning of Tawthalin to the 10th Waning of Tawthalin. Organizers are currently making arrangements to accommodate large crowds of visitors and pilgrims arriving from across the country to participate in traditional spirit-worship ceremonies, which feature ceremonial bathing, summoning rituals and offering rituals.
A central feature of the festival is the ceremonial bathing ritual held on Taungthaman Lake. During the ceremony, spirit statues are placed aboard a royal barge and escorted by surrounding boats to pay respects at the sacred Boe Boe Gyi pillar before being taken to the shrine pavilion in Ywathit Village for ceremonial bathing.
The event will also feature a traditional Myanmar regatta on Taungthaman Lake, with local crews from surrounding villages competing in the annual boat races. — ASH/TH
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