Pilgrims lighting candles at Shwezigon Pagoda on the full moon day of Thadingyut in Bagan. Photo: Ye Thura Aung (Nyaung-U)
On the full-moon day of Thadingyut, the Bagan region of ancient cultural heritage was crowded with pilgrims from both home and abroad, it was learnt.
“This year, school holidays coincided with long holidays of businesses and offices, making holiday-makers, especially local ones, go on more trips than last year. At many famous pagodas, there are traffic jams, especially at sunset. Being over-crowded with many vehicles some had to go back to their lodging places, without being able to enjoy the scenic views”, one of the tour guides said.
Due to the influx of local pilgrims to Bagan this year, all hotels, motels and lodging houses have been booked since a week prior to the full moon day. Some local visitors were staying at monasteries in Bagan and Nyaung-U, with some pilgrims finding it difficult to find for lodging even for a night, it was learnt.
“We have come to know that it is required to book rooms for lodging in advance when paying a pilgrimage visit to Bagan. It is okay for men to sleep in cars, whereas we are not. To our great pleasure, we had a good time from this Bagan visit”, said one female pilgrim.
A myriad of visitors from home and abroad visited the Bagan region, a bonanza period for eateries, souvenir and craft shops, traditional clothes shops, vehicular businesses and bike rental businesses in Bagan and Nyaung-U, it was learnt.
At the night of full-moon day of Thadingyut, famous pagodas in the region — Shwe See Gone, Ananda, Ah Lo Daw Pyae, Buu pagoda, Lawka Nanda, Htilo-Minlo pagodas are heavily congested with pilgrims, with local residents donating candle lights to the pagodas.—Ye Thura Aung (Nyaung-U)
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