Pilgrims visit eminent pagodas on Myanmar New Year Day

The Myanmar year 1383 is over and the New Year 1384 is coming and people did good deeds at famous pagodas including Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon yesterday in accordance with the COVID-19 guidelines.
Paritta recitation ceremonies supervised by venerable Buddhist monks were also held followed by donating offertories to the Shwedagon Pagoda.
Firstly, members of the Board of Trustees donated alms to members of the Sangha at dawn. Next, the Paritta recitation ceremony was held and Chairman of the Maha Withodayon Monastery Sayadaw Tipitakadhara Tipitakakovida Dhammabhandagarika Agga Maha Pandita (Yaw Sayadaw) Bhaddanta Sirinda Bhivamsa gave the Nine Precepts to the congregation.
Then, Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees member U Nyunt Thin addressed the inaugural words followed by donating offertories to the venerable Sayadaws and sharing merits gained. Refreshments were also donated at the pagoda on the Myanmar New Year Day.
Similarly, pilgrims flocked at Botahtaung Pagoda yesterday morning as donors were distributing refreshments.
Likewise, a Paritta recitation ceremony took place at Thiri Mingalar Kaba Aye Pagoda. People took the Eight Precepts from the venerable Sayadaws at the ceremony.
U Thein Oo, member of the Thiri Mingala Kaba Aye Pagoda Board of Trustees explained the purpose of the ceremony followed by donating offertories to the Sayadaws and people shared their merits.
Similar kinds of ceremony were also held at Lawka Chantha Abhaya Labha Muni Buddha Image on the Mindhamma Hill, Sacred Tooth Relic Pagoda (Yangon), historic Kyaikwaing Pagoda, and Melamu Pagoda in Yangon.
Young people performed shampooing for the elderly in a traditional manner with on the occasion of the New Year Day.
Releasing animals, pets and fish, keeping Sabbath, recitation of Buddha sermons and offering refreshments to the people are symbols of the Myanmar New Year.—MNA