Thingyan & Myanmar New Year

This time of the year will be synonymous with Water Festival, also known as Thingyan in Myanmar (read: tin-jan). If you familiar with Songkran in Thailand, Thingyan in Myanmar is equivalent of that. Like in Thailand, Myanmar Water Festival usually for 3-4 days. 2014 will be from 13th until 16th. 

What follows after Thingyan is Myanmar New Year. Like any other lunar calendar, it changes every year depending on moon phase in the old days but now it had been fixed with Gregorian calendar. Myanmar New Year pretty much after Thingyan and for year Gregorian calendar 2014, it will year 1376 in Myanmar year. Thingyan is basically the longest holiday in Myanmar, taking up up to 10 days including weekends.

During Thingyan, lots of pandal (water throwing stage) available by road side and people will throw water to all passerby. Since it's the peak of hot season with temperature up to 42-43 degrees Celcius at certain places, it would be refreshing to get thrown some water. Thingyan is a big celebration which people are having fun, sometimes to the point of intoxicated. It's quite common to see men and women, sometimes even underage teenagers intoxicated either on alcohol and/or drug. Traffic will be god damn awful during this time of the year due to people at no rush than just enjoying themselves. 

So, what about me? I'm going back home. Getting wet in the midst of hot weather is so not my cup of tea cause I easily get sick and I'm knowingly despise crowded, hot and wet public area. 

Although, I will be back on 14/04 thus still have half day of 13th to observe the Thingyan celebration.