133rd Shin Upagutta Lighting Festival to be held in Kyaukkyi Township with COVID rules

According to the decision of the festival organizing committee, the 133rd Shin Upagutta Lighting Festival will be held in Kyaukkyi Township, Toungoo District, Bago Region in line with the COVID-19 disease preventive measures.
According to the advice of Sayadaw Bhaddanta Candima, Ovadacariya Sayadaw of the Shin Sivali Hill, Chairman and members of Kyaukkyi Township Administration Body and Festival Organizing Committee members will offer alms to Sangha (Buddhist monks) from monasteries in and around Kyaukkyi Township from 17 to 19 September.
On the morning of the full moon day, 1,330 traditional food packages will be distributed on the bridge in downtown Kyaukkyi.
In the evening, 1,330 lotus shaped lamps will be set adrift of the creek in Kyaukkyi town following the COVID-19 disease preventive measures.
The Shin Upagutta Lighting Festival is a traditional religious festival in Kyaukkyi Township and is of great interest to the local people, especially the ploughing festival of the farmers.
Until last year, Myanmar traditional rowing competitions were held with more than 100 boat teams in the downtown creek, including five men’s and seven women’s rowing competitions.
Men’s greasing pole event were also held at the festival and football teams from village-tracts competed at the township stadium.
In the evening, lotus shaped lamps will be set adrift of the creek as paying homage to the image of Venerable Upagutta Arhat.
This year, at a time when the world is suffering from the COVID-19 epidemic, the festival has been postponed to prevent crowds, according to the festival’s organizing committee.— Ko Thar Gyi (Kyaukkyi)/GNLM