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Taungbyone Nat Festival
The most famous of the Nat festivals ( appeasing of
spirits) in Myanmar. Thousands of Myanmar people attend
this annual celebration, held in honour of the
Taungbyone Brother lords. This event is especially
visited by the traders and merchants who want help for
more profits.
We can observe the cults of spiritualism. Large
number of pilgrims pays respect to Nat shrines on top of
Mt. Popa. The village of Taungbyon, 20 Kilometers (13
miles) north of Mandalay, becomes the focus of the
Taungbyon Spirit Festival. Washing ceremony of the Two
Brothers is the most crowded and busiest day of the
festival.
The rites for these two brothers,
honoured as “Nats”,
originated during the reign of King Anawrahta in 11th
Century. The two brothers are in fact historical
figures. Wooden figures, representing the two brothers
are ceremonially washed and paraded through the crowds
as everyone present strains to touch each of the figures
at least once. In the centre of Festival where
especially youngsters are merry and enjoy drinking and
where people of all ages can join in the Nat dance.
Ceremonies are mostly at night and it is very hard to
get into the village as it is crowded with the
worshippers. The 5-day ceremony is known as Mother
Taungbyone Festival. Most are enjoyable because of the
rowing boat trip to the site. Spirit dances are rampant.
5-days long celebration procedure is as follow.
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1st day – attending a Nat audience.
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2nd day – having a royal bath.
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3rd day – ascending the throne
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4th day – daughter of Mahagiri reels on the ground in
grief.
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5th day – closing by cutting down htein tree.
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