Country gets ready for 'Lighting Festival'
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Shopping centres and supermarkets are launching special sales promotions to welcome the Thadingyut Lighting Festival, which will be celebrated from October 28 to 30.
Sandar Khin, maketing manager of Gamone Pwint Supermarket, said “Special sales programmes [for Thadingyut] will be launched from October 15 to November 4. Commodities will be sold at a discount during this period.”
May Zin Soe Htet, marketing manager of City Mart supermarket, said, “We will hold special sales promotions at all outlets of City Mart in Yangon and Mandalay. Presents will be given to the customers.”
China-made paper lantern, fireworks and electric lighting are now on sale and many shopping centres and roadside stalls are offering discounts on items such as foodstuff, clothing and gifts.
Thadingyut is the seventh month of the Myanmar calendar and marks the end of Lent. During the three-day festival, people decorate their houses with lights.
The festival is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the Buddha’s return from the celestial abode where he had spent the lent teaching the celestials about Dhamma.
Streets are lit with lighting and residential facades and windows glow with colourful bulbs and lanterns.
During the festival, young people pay their respects to their parents, teachers and elders and seek pardon for intentional or unintentional misdeeds in speech, thought and acts. In return, the elders extend to them loving-kindness and forgiveness.
All the pagodas like Shwedagon, Botataung and Sule are crowded with devotees. Monks recite the Buddha's teachings to bring peace to the world.
Famous pagodas are illuminated with 9,000 oil lamps and perfume sticks.
