h Myanmar New Year: Thingyan

Myanmar New Year: Thingyan

Myanmar has a calander system that operates differently than of the Western one which widely used around the World. The Burmese calendar is a lunisolar calendar in which the months are based on lunar months and years are based on solar years. One of its primary objectives is to regulate the lunar part that it will keep pace with the solar part. Although Burmese people do follow the normal calander, all the traditional events and festivities are based on the Burmese calander. Despite having the same 12 months a year, the week consist of 8 days rather than 7. The Burmese week is composed by eight days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday morning (00:01-12:00), Wednesday afternoon (12:01-00:00) also knownas Rahu, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Each day is linked to a star sign, a compass point and a planet. Every year, Myanmar celebrates 12 Buddist festivities, one each month. The biggest festivity of the year for Burmese people is the Burmese New Year which is also known as Thingyan

Thingyan is a festive period which runs from the end of Burmese year to the start of the next. It is celebrated with the famous water festival over the 5 days of celebrations. The Thingyan period begins every year on the 13th April (on the world calander) and end on the 17th April. However, an extra day celebrate every leap year which takes it to 6 days of celebrations. Thingyan is celebrated by pouring or throwing water on one another to cleanses all of the dirt, grime and bad vibes of the old year and cools and clears the minds of the people for the up coming new year.