WATER FESTIVAL
THAT I OBSERVED
MYANMAR ETHNIC GROUP
The water
Splashing Festival is originated in Brahman of in Brahmin of ancient India. The
Brahmans used to go to the rivers at the beginning of a year to take a bath to
wash away sins and evils and pray for the Sakra-devanam Indra to come
down from heaven to see whether secular people are kind or evil.
The Water
Splashing Festival lasts three to four days.
After announcing the results of the prediction, the Brahman followers would slash water to one another, as a way of
praying for rain and good harvest.
When Buddhism is spread into Southeast Asia
and today it is to the western countries, the water splashing festival changed
its original religious meaning, which was replaced by Buddhist stories. Water splashing is no longer mainly a way of
praying for rains and good harvest. It
became a Buddha bathing festival. The Buddhist legend had gradually been
mingled with the customs of the local tradition since their conversion to
Buddhism. The modern festival is changed
as water festival.
Today
people are totally forgotten the spiritual values of the water festival. It became a holiday enjoyment. People, mainly youngsters are couldn’t
practice five precept during the festival days. it needs to be reformed.
A scene is in water festival
on 14th April, 2016 near SULE Pagoda
at Yangon, Myanmar.
