In Myanmar, the Thingyan festival is one way to immerse oneself in Burmese culture fully. The festival celebrates the new year and falls in mid-April. Thus, dance, music and religious ritual shows are highlighted for four days. Also, people enjoy splashing themselves with water bowls or water guns. Indeed, this act symbolizes the erasure of ►
In Myanmar, the Thingyan festival is one way to immerse oneself in Burmese culture fully. The festival celebrates the new year and falls in mid-April. Thus, dance, music and religious ritual shows are highlighted for four days. Also, people enjoy splashing themselves with water bowls or water guns. Indeed, this act symbolizes the erasure of the previous year's sins.
A pilgrimage to the Golden Rock is a must for those who wish to delve deeper into Burmese culture. This sacred place, visited by many each year, is steeped in legend. Local belief holds that this rock, perched on a mountain's edge, is balanced on a lock of the Buddha's hair, preventing it from falling. Male pilgrims follow the tradition of applying gold leaf to the rock, a spiritual act that connects them to the country's rich culture.
Exploring the temples of Bagan is a must on a trip to Myanmar. The region was once the capital of the pagan kingdom, and about 10,000 temples, pagodas and monasteries were built there. But that's not all, as this area is ideal for learning more about the country's history. With over 2,000 archaeological ruins, Bagan is now a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For the more adventurous, climbing the 777 steps to Mount Popa is extraordinary. By the way, it is good to know that Mount Popa is a monastery on top of an extinct volcano. In addition to being a sacred place, the locals consider it a center of worship for Nat spirits. They revere them by making offerings in the form of food, money and flowers at the entrance to the mountain. The bravest who will undertake to climb the 777 steps will also have the pleasure of seeing hundreds of monkeys during this escapade. ◄
