THIS season is a time for change as well as a special occasion for celebrating. The sun leaves Pisces for Aries; the God Indra – king of the celestial abode – comes down to the earth to note the virtues and vices of each individual; and everyone is keen to leave behind or forget about all the terrible things they have done over the year.

The period marks Myanmar’s most important yearly event: the four-day Thingyan festival, or our New Year festival which people from all backgrounds enjoy. For those few days, it's all Thingyan, all the time. Music fills the air, dancing goes on at all hours, the seasonal golden padauk flowers (pterocarpus macrocarpus) spread their pleasant fragrances and Thingyan souvenirs are the big draw at shopping centres.

Thingyan has its root in the Sanskrit word sankranta, which literally means “transition” – the transition from one year to the next. There is no fixed date on the Roman calendar for Thingyan because the timing of the festival is calculated using the lunar calendar.

There is an interesting historical tale behind the timing of the New Year.
The story goes that a dispute concerning a mathematical calculation arose between the God Indra and a Brahma. The dispute lasted a long time with neither Indra nor the Brahma accepting that the other was right; finally they agreed to wager their heads on the outcome. The God Indra won the bet and cut off the Brahma’s head.

But the Brahma was so powerful that if his remains were thrown into the sea it would dry up immediately; if it was thrown onto the land everything would be scorched and if it was thrown into the sky it would burst into flames.

The God Indra therefore ordained that the Brahma’s head be carried by one princess devi after another, taking turns for a year each. The new year came to signify the changing of the holder of the Brahma’s head.

Historically water is thrown during the festival to wash away misdeeds but it does not hurt that it is the hottest time of year and throwing water is a great way to cool down.

Every-one gets wet as soon as they step out of the house, but The intention is to make merry, so nobody is supposed to get angry. The tradition of throwing water is said to have started during the reign of the Bagan Dynasty (11th to 13th Century).

However, ancient practices were more polite and gentle. People would dip sprigs from the Eugenia tree in thanaka-scented water before sprinkling it on one another. With the passage of time, the tradition has evolved. Today, people use hoses, huge syringes, water pistols and other devices to squirt water, with some resorting to water balloons and firehoses (thankfully hoses have now been banned).

To help spread the water around, pandals are built beside major roads, where ladies hose groups of revel-lers who move from pan-dal to pandal in trucks, jeeps, on bicycles, motorbikes or on foot. At larger pandals, traditional dances are also performed by troupes of young women, but some pandals also feature western music and dancing.

During Thingyan people are not to throw water on elderly people, pregnant women, monks, nuns, postmen and police officers. Some lads who want to preserve the culture even ask for per-mission before they throw water onto young women.

In the countryside, water throwing is simpler. People use bowls or buckets to hurl water around. They also sing songs of amuse-ment or satire, known as thanjat, which have now almost disappeared in the big cities.

Thingyan a period when the whole country is soaked with water and enthralled by the sound of chants, songs and musical instruments.

At night, people also come out to the streets again to watch decorated floats carrying amateur bands around to entertain partygoers. Prizes are awarded for the best decorated float and best band, with the procession continuing until dawn.

During the festival, people hand out snacks such as mont-lon-yébaw (balls of dough boiled with palm sugar inside) and mont-lat-saung (bits of sticky rice in jaggery syrup and coconut milk). Almost every household makes these snacks and shares them with each other, with friends and with complete strangers who walk by – supposedly to encourage good will and prosperity. But while you’re eating mont-lon-yébaw, be wary in case the ball you get has chilli instead of palm sugar inside. Just a little practical joke some people like to play.

Thingyan involves not only merrymaking but also religious duties. People who are not interested in partying go to monasteries to keep the Sabbath (eight precepts) or go to meditation centres to purify their minds.

Many parents let their sons join the Buddhist order as novices and learn the teachings of the Buddha during the Water Festival holiday period.

On New Year’s Day, people wash statues of Buddha and clean their houses. They also visit the elderly in the community to bathe them, wash their heads and cut their nails before paying our respects to them. Some people set animals free too and donations are made to pagodas, hospitals and homes that care for the aged, deaf or mute. Some people even make New Year’s resolutions.

Those visiting Myanmar during Thingyan will experience some of the most valuable, unique and time-honoured traditions that the Golden Land has to offer.