Pongal, also referred to as Thai Pongal, is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. It is observed in the Tamil calendar month of Thai and usually falls on 14 or 15 January in the Gregorian calendar. It is dedicated to the solar deity Surya and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the Hindu observance celebrated under various regional names across the Indian subcontinent. The festival is celebrated over three or four days with Bhogi, Surya Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kanum Pongal, observed on consecutive days.
The Marma are the second-largest ethnic community in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts, primarily residing in the Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rangamati Hill Districts. They belong to the same community as the Rakhine people. Marmas along with Barua Maghs and Jumias make up the wider Magh community. There are three endogamous groups within Magh Community which are known as i) The Thongtha, Thongcha, Jumia Mags, ii) The Marma, Mayamma, Roang or Rakhaing Magh, iii) The Maramagri, otherwise called Barua Magh. They belong to the second sub tribe or group within the Magh Community.
Burmese cuisine encompasses the diverse regional culinary traditions of Myanmar, which have developed through longstanding agricultural practices, centuries of sociopolitical and economic change, and cross-cultural contact and trade with neighboring countries at the confluence of Southeast Asia, East Asia, and South Asia, such as modern-day nations of Thailand, China, and India, respectively.
The nats are god-like spirits venerated in Myanmar and neighbouring countries in conjunction with Buddhism. They are divided between the 37 Great Nats who were given that status by King Anawrahta when he formalized the official list of nats. Most of the 37 Great Nats were human beings who met violent deaths.
Water festivals are vibrant celebrations that occur across the globe, often marking the start of a new year or season. These festivals are deeply rooted in cultural and religious traditions, and they showcase the importance of water as a life-giving resource. In Asia, countries like Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and the Xishuangbanna Prefecture and Dehong regions of China celebrate their respective new years with lively water festivals such as Songkran, Bunpimay, Thingyan, and Chaul Chnam Thmey. These festivities involve the joyous splashing of water, symbolizing purification and renewal. Beyond Southeast Asia and China, other countries have their own unique water-themed celebrations, from the Holi festival of colors in India to the Water Battle of Spain. These festivals serve as a reminder of the universal significance of water in our lives and our connection to it.
The Rakhine or Arakanese are a Southeast Asian ethnic group in Myanmar (Burma) forming the majority along the coastal region of present-day Rakhine State, although Rakhine communities also exist throughout the country, particularly in the Ayeyarwady and Yangon Regions. They constitute approximately 4.61% or more of Myanmar's total population. Rakhine communities also exist in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts and India's Northeastern states, where they are known as the Marma and Magh peoples respectively.
Shinbyu is the Burmese term for a novitiation ceremony (pabbajja) in the tradition of Theravada Buddhism, referring to the celebrations marking the sāmaṇera (novitiate) monastic ordination of a boy under the age of 20.
The Pa'O are an ethnic minority living in Myanmar, with a population of roughly 1,200,000 and it is 2.1% of Population in Myanmar.
Dance in Burma can be divided into dramatic, folk and village, and nat dances, each having distinct characteristics. Although Burmese dance resemble the traditional dancing style of its neighbors, in particular [Dance in Cambodia ], it retains unique qualities that distinguish it from other regional styles, including angular, fast-paced and energetic movements and emphasis on pose, not movement.
This is a list of holidays and festivals celebrated within the Buddhist tradition.
A kyaung is a monastery (vihara), comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Buddhist monks. Burmese kyaungs are sometimes also occupied by novice monks (samanera), lay attendants (kappiya), nuns (thilashin), and white-robed acolytes.
Thagyamin is the highest-ranking nat (deity) in traditional Burmese Buddhist belief. Considered as the king of Heaven, he is the Burmese adaptation of the Hindu deities Indra.
Gadaw is a Burmese verb referring to a Burmese tradition in which a person, always of lower social standing, pays respect or homage to a person of higher standing, by kneeling before them and paying obeisance with joined hands, and bowing. This is usually done by students to their teachers or children or grandchildren to their elders, in order to show gratitude and reverence and an opportunity to ask for forgiveness, often involving gift-giving.
The Tazaungdaing Festival, held on the full moon day of Tazaungmon, the eighth month of the Burmese calendar, is celebrated as a national holiday in Myanmar and marks the end of the rainy season. It also marks the beginning of the Kathina season, during which monks are offered new robes and alms.
The Thadingyut Festival, also known as the Lighting Festival of Myanmar, is held on the full moon day of the Burmese lunar month of Thadingyut. As a custom, it is held at the end of the Buddhist sabbath (Vassa) and is the second most popular festival in Myanmar after Thingyan Festival. Thadingyut festival is the celebration to welcome the Buddha’s descent from the heaven after he preached the Abhidhamma to his mother, Maya, who was reborn in the heaven.
Burmese folk religion refers to the animistic and polytheistic religious worship of nats and ancestors in Myanmar (Burma). Although the beliefs of nats differ across different regions and villages in Burma, there are a handful of beliefs that are universal in Burmese folk religion.
Bua loi or bua loy is a Thai dessert. It consists of rice flour rolled into small balls, and cooked in coconut milk and sugar. Some Bua loi also adds sweet egg into the recipe. It was inspired by Tangyuan, a Chinese dessert that is traditionally eaten around the Lantern festival. Bua Loi is also traditionally eaten during the Dongzhi Festival in Thailand, which is a festival for the Chinese-Thai bloodline. There are a variety of versions of Bua loi such as ones that use food coloring instead of natural color, use soy milk instead of Coconut cream, add sliced pumpkin inside the rice balls, et cetera. There are other types of Bua loi from other countries such as China, Japan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Southern Vietnam and Malaysia. 1 cup of Bua Loy has total calories of 295.5 kilocalories, protein of 10.4 grams, carbohydrate of 6.3 grams, and fat of 25 grams.
Weddings in Myanmar, considered auspicious occasions in Burmese culture, reflect various ethnic, religious, and regional traditions. Depending on an individual's family social economic status, personal preferences and titles held, Burmese weddings can be religious or secular, and extravagant or simple. Wedding expenses are covered by the groom's family. Myanmar is a predominantly Buddhist country, and many wedding customs and traditions are influenced by Buddhism.
Mont lone yay baw is a traditional Burmese dessert commonly associated with the Burmese New Year, Thingyan season. The dessert plays an important role in Burmese history as it is a traditional snack served during the Thingyan festival. It is usually made in a group and served to the public as a good deed during the new year. Mont Lone Yay Paw is a savory rice ball made from rice flour stuffed with sweet palm jaggery inside, which creates an excellent mix of textures and flavors.
Sangrai is the name of the New Year celebration of the Bangladeshi Marma and Rakhine ethnic groups, which is celebrated from April 13 to 15 every year. Although it is one of the main traditional ceremonies of the Marmas, the Rakhine also celebrate the New Year with their own rules. In the case of the Marmas, it is celebrated according to their Burmese calendar. The calendar of the Marmas is called "Mraima Sakraoy". The Marmaras observe Sangrai as a total of three days, including the last two days of the old year and the first day of the new year. Earlier, according to "Mraima Sacramento", these three days fell in the middle of April of the English calendar, but now they are observed on April 13, 14 and 15 in line with the English calendar. The traditional games of the Marmas are also held on the morning of the 13th with Pangchowai, the main Sangrai on the 14th and the water on the 15th.
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