Thingyan Water Festival – Burmese New Year’s celebrations

In Yangon and probably all over Myanmar everything is closed from April 13-16 as everyone is celebrating the Thingyan, the Burmese New Year. In these four days which are also referred to as the water festival you should be careful what you carry when leaving the house as you might be getting a bucket of water straight to your face around the next corner. All over town each and every one is splashing water around in celebration of the New Year. By pouring water over someone you clean them from the dirt of the past year and prepare them for a fresh start.

Since Lara knew what to expect from experiences made in Thailand in 2012, we were aware of what was coming and prepared ourselves by buying some kick-ass water guns. Since we were not sure where the big water battle was taking place in Yangon we tried to find some hints in the internet. According to some blog, the place to be during Thingyan is around the Kandawgy lake not far away from our apartment. Shortly after noon we thus left from home in search of some water battles. To our surprise, nothing was really going on in the Kandawgy lake area. Every once in a while some pick-ups carrying soaking wet, young Burmese people partying to extremely loud music passed by. 

 Ready for Thingyan!

 

Nothing really happening around Kandawgy Lake...

Since we did not really know where to go next we asked a taxi driver to take us to the “water festival”. After a few minutes we got off the taxi at city hall, where things looked very different to Kandawgy lake. In front of the stage at city hall, a big crowd of Burmese people were partying to hit parade pop songs that were performed live. Every few minutes, the crowd was soaked with water by official committee members operating powerful water hoses and sprinklers similar to those on tennis courts. Next to the main stage there was another very crowded tribune where everyone was holding a garden hose spilling hundreds of liters of water over the pick-up trucks passing in the narrow street between the stage and the crowd. Everyone from young to old was dancing and chanting along the obviously famous songs. 

Next to city hall: increasing pick-ups and small trucks indicate that we're on the right track...

 We are indeed!

 Center stage to the left, crowd to the right and in between the narrow passage for the party-mobiles

 Scenery in front of city hall

The tribune where everyone carries a garden hose

For about one hour we partied with the excited crowd, feeling slightly exposed as most people were probably 20-30 cm shorter than us. After having drawn the attention of a very drunk young man who was starting to get annoying we then sat down at a table behind a market stand where a few kids were selling beverages. We quickly got into a conversation with a young Burmese man who wanted to speak German with us since he had spent the past 8 years in Frankfurt. Flo asked him whether it was prohibited to drink beer in public or if one could get a beer somewhere, and he told us that although the selling of alcohol was forbidden, some stands do have beer and you just need to ask for one. Before we could say anything, he handed his friend some money and told him to get us some beers. Simultaneously he reached for the bottle of whiskey in his bag and offered Flo a decent glass and two refills, wishing us a happy new year. A few minutes later his friend returned and gave us two special beers both containing about 8% of alcohol. When we wanted to reimburse him for the beers and the service he respectfully declined and told us that it was time for them to go dancing in front of the stage. After they left we got ourselves into a water-fight with the youngest of the kids selling beverages. 

 Flo and the generous burmese guys, thanks for the drinks!

 Fighting with the kid from the beverage stall

 It was hilarious!

Once we finished our drinks we asked ourselves if maybe someone would allow us to get up on a pick-up and pass the tribune and stage. Of course they did! We were gladly invited by the first ones we asked to join them on the truck. Standing on the back of the pick-up we passed by the tribune of a million hoses. We could barely see anything as the water was coming from all directions imaginable. Clinging to the handrail which they had attached to the car we enjoyed the crazy shower mostly with our eyes closed. Once we reached the center stage area, the incoming water decreased and we danced and waved at the huge crowd cheering and smiling at us. What an awesome 30 second ride!! On the other side of the stage we descended the truck, wishing everyone a happy new year and giving high fives. The rush and the excitement of the moment, doubtlessly supported by the beers and whiskey, is something we will probably never forget. Thingyan is absolutely great!!

 Happy and excited after the ride along 

 In the taxi on our way home. Taxi-drivers sure know how to prepare for Thingyan :-)