SHWEDAGON Pagoda will hold its annual Tabaung full moon festival from March 12 to 21, marking the last month of the Buddhist lunar year, said U Win Kyaing, an official from the pagoda’s board of the trustees.

“We will hold the Tabaung festival in the spirit of respecting the three Gems – Buddha, Dhamma [way of truth] and Sangha [community of monks],” he said.

The festival will open on March 12 with a nakyake shitsu ceremony for offerings to the 28 Buddhas, from Taningara to Gautama, followed by a 10-day, nonstop recital of the Pahtan, or Buddhist scriptures on the 24 causes of worldly phenomena.

“The Pahtan will be recited by 54 monks and 54 nuns, along with 54 laymen and 54 laywomen, at the same time on March 12 after the opening ceremony until the full moon day of Tabaung on March 21,” U Win Kyaing said.

On the full moon day alms food will also be offered to Shwedagon Pagoda, he said.

Religious teams will be in charge of selling alms food to pilgrims for offering to the pagoda.

“The price of the food won’t be fixed. This is so that poor pilgrims, especially those from rural areas, will be able to perform the good deed of getting alms food to offer to the pagoda,” U Win Kyaing said.