Rangoon Lights Up as Tazaungdaing Starts
Summary
Tazaungdaing, Myanmar’s Festival of Lights, involves going out to the Shwedagon Pagoda to pray and hold Buddhist ceremonies. Families dress in their finest Burmese sarongs and travel to the pagoda to pray and make donations. Many people fill the grounds of the Pagoda that it is almost impossible to get through the stairway in less than 5 minutes as it was before. Tazaungdaing occurs on the first full moon after the Buddhist Lent. During the festival, shops are closed, candle lights are placed on the streets, and people hand out food and drinks.
My Thoughts, Comments, and/or Reaction
Although I am of Chinese dissent and say that I am Buddhist, I actually do not know much of my own culture. Because of this, I am always curious to learn more about my father's home country and religion. I would like to experience Tazaungdaing because it seems so relaxing and respectful to the monks and the Buddhist religion in general.
Article's Relation to Culture
Religion plays a big part in establishing a country's culture. Buddhism dominates the Asian Continent and generally takes upon a more laid back and respectful approach, This also plays in on how everyday life in Asian countries such as Myanmar function. They do not practice the fast-paced lifestyle that Western countries tend to follow, but rather not rush things such as eating or planning events.