In this month the monks are free again from their observance of the sent and the lay people escaped the take not to marry during the sent. This day is noted as the Aliahama Day because of the Alidhama. Pitaka expounded by the dord Buddha on that day. He was repaying his filial gratitride to his mother who was reborn a deva.

That is why the people pay womage to all their parents, grand parents adn elders as a sign of gratitude. The young and old people dress gaily and pay visit to their friends. All the buildings are beautifully adorm with the fency illeminations. There are music and dance performances everywhere. In the older days there was a fresentation of maze in which the children were amused to roam alow. The Myanmar people make eatalle things at wom and distribute to all neighbours. It is pleasant everywhere.

In the ponds in the monastery compound there were lotus flowers blooming beautifully. It is best time not only for the pious folks but for all the woredly beings. The children were happy to throw fire-ballons sailing up in the cludless sley. This tradition is still maintained in Tounggyi, in Shan State. The elder people are exempted from their ralbath and they camresume normal activities.

The month Thadingyut is the begining of favourable wealthes in the country.

The main festival is the offering of special yellow rober to Sangha, the Holy Order. It is the timely offering. While the Sord Buddha was staying at the Zetawum Monastery in Savathti, the monks, the natives of Paveyaka. Province came to see thim. But as they had to struggle out in rain and mud, their robes were form and dirty. Upon seeing this the sord Buddha permitted them to receive new robes at the end of the Buddhist Lent. That tradition came along. Those who receive that timely offering yellow roves may enjoy certain privillages.

During that month, at about the eve of fullmoon, the overnight prepared yellow roves are traditionally affered. It is called unstale robes, because it is done overnight before the starch on the falic does not get stale. Nowadays, this weaving contest is held in several places in Yangon, Niv. at the precincffs of the Shwedagon Pagoda, Botahtaung Pagoda, Melamu Pagoda and Kyaikkason Pagoda.

The works of ficknly cotton, grinding, spining, preparing at the coon and actual wearing including sewing the robes vare done overmight. In the early morning the robes are offered at the shrines.

The houses are colourfully illuminated on the eve of fullmoon, the fullmoon and aftermath. It is the seasory enttirely free from raim. This time the lighting is to dedicate the Planet. Although the people rarely worshif the teanets the tradition is rept on.

During this month the Nipatkhin, the demonstration of Jatakas, and modern stage shows are held, some makes the teast of knder gluteneous rice. The frolic of pilferrring is done during the night for fum. The friends exchange the salad of Mezali buds among each other to have a round health.

The newage festival of the month in the country which was origanlly known as The Writer's Day. The Writers Assocation was imaugeraed only in 1939. During the Japanese regime it was revived and in about 1944, the members of the writers association prescrived the first nwe moon day of the month Nadaw as the literary Day in honour of ancient Myanchar Men of dellers. That particular month is the auspicious time when the poets, composers and writers were awarded the royal titles adn appamages.

On the eitarary day the people the occccasion for litorary competetion, lectures and delates, and discussions between the writers and their audience. Teh elderly writers attaiming the age of eighty years and above are venerated with presents. The writers, in those days dramatized the carthiwlong relected brography of one of the ancient writers or their works.

In Yangon, the awarding ceremony for the winners of the literary competition and manuscript relection. The writers go down the country side to make literary lectures adn round take discussions there between the writen and his audience. They gain a lot of knowledge of the locality. It is essemtial to have contact with the audience on the hart of writers.

Some of the local writers fullish commen moralive magazines and wall jousmals. It is greatly benefitial to celebrate the literary day all over the country.

In the golden days the king honoured the Horseback heroes and apprecitaed the art of riding. The caverry was the main force of the kingdom in war. In the cavalry parade the cavalry men had to show their skill and might in demon stration and completion of riding skill. There were thirty seven mamrs of riding the horse. In the royal presence the cavalry man participated in lance throwing a disk while on horse back, and word brandiraing through the line culting the banana stalles neatly without letting the water pot on the plant tilting and spilling. The artillary men also look part in their craft. The skillful heroes overe awarded with weven coins, head bands and the folder of showes. There are special songs for the occasion.

Nowadays similar demonstration is carried out during the cavalry parade.

In this month of the year 1948 Myanmar gained jthe independence from the ylke of colonialism and therefore we celerate the independence ammuals in;this month. Furmerly there was a militery parade and marching during the celerations but as where was an armed forces day in March, the military parade has been dropped on the independence celebration. On that day the cist of the civil and militery averdees are notified publicly and the independence Dinner was heed at the Pyithu Hlettaus Building. On celebration day, there hd been receptions in the different embassies alroad to commonmorate the accasion. To safgard and upkeep the independence and soverignty is the role rsponsiblity of every citizan and we should reaffirm it ammually.

The month of Pyatho brings a five vove weathers and we can celebrate the occasions in a grand scale.

In this month, the cultivators after competron of field works rest in their devellings and they can relish the now crops. They competively make the community cooking for offering to the sord Buddha and to disturibute among themselves. The glutinus rice is cooked in oil and water in the huge couldrons and the stirring is a strenugus job. A group of strong men do this job. If there are more than me cauldron the men stirring may compete each other.

The food preparing is not only a works on merrit but it is an communal enjoyment. The food is shared and the duties are shared too. One donor is heeped by others happily. The boys and girl participants chat and joke together and sometimes it is the source of their love affairs. The gires have to clean the bama leaves to pack the food for distribution and the boys do a little painstaking works as cutling coconuts and stirring.

Sometimes there are music and dancing while preparing food in enormous scale. There in also completeion. They can score marks on the even - cooking, tastiness, and early completion. The friges were awarded to the winner.

In their month, there in a tradion of offering furmaces infont of the Buddha minages to produce heat in the winter months. Since then the gatherings before the bonfire started. The pastieipanks goily sing in unicon. This is the pleasure of the month.

The majority of the people in the villages are the cultivators and farmers. They are free from work only in a few months of the year and they want to ammuse themselves whom only they are free to enjoy. After the bouneifit harvest they have a little savings in their hands. They want to get menit also. So they try to celebrate the pagoda festivals. At that tme they are still staying in the farm houses near their worksite. Teh usual pagoda is in the far away village. So they build makeshift stupas pushing the sand on the sand banks in the river. That is enough for them to celetrate. The passage is also easy for the vistiors.

In the Pagoda festival there are shopping malls where the visiters from ajacent villages buy and sell. There is a big crowd for the pagoda marlet.The villagers, most of them having argricultural products, try to buy kichen staff and some itensils enough for the coming year. Many variaties of items, including brass wares to iron wares can be bought there. Most of the sellers are roaming from festival to festival all over the country.

In the festival the free shows of Theatrical troups, dancing troupe and marrionette troape are engaged. They perform thoughout the might for two or to three incessant days. Nowaday we have stage shows adn film shows. The children are happy to run and play. There are a lot of eat able things sold at the stalls. The rice cake, waifer sheets adn baked glutimus rice in bamboo stalks.

The gift what you can buy are paper mache dolls of dog, tiger owl, bull and fat boy and some minifuffets.