" You Better Be Good During Thingyan "

= Hpone Thant =

When Thagyar Min or King of the Celestials comes to visit the Abode of Humans during the Thingyan (Myanmar New Year) holidays and that is one important assignment he has given himself.

Thingyan would mean many things to many people. For the pious and the elderly it would mean going to the monasteries and observing the Sabbath for the duration, listening to the monks recite the Holy Words from the Buddhist texts and meditation. Others would take these holidays to go on vacation. But many, especially the younger generation, would tour the town and just enjoy the festival.

But whatever the style of one’s mode of spending the auspicious Myanmar New Year there is one unseen person who is watching one’s every move.

Children are told to be extra good during this time. No more getting grumpy or ignoring your elders’ words this time. If Mom says enough water splashing today they need to obey her. If Dad says its time you go to bed and so you go. All must be well behaved. Stay well behaved, give respect to the elders.

And all this because Thagyar Min is in town. Like Santa Claus he is making a list, checking it twice to see who’s naughty and nice. He is said to have two kinds of parchments--one of gold and another of dog skin. For the good children he will put their names on the gold parchment but the bad ones will be on the dog skin one. Anybody wants his name to be on the dog skin parchment? Of course not! So every child is well behaved during this time. And that was the story we all heard when we were young and still tell it to our children even these days as it is such a wonderful tale.

But with so much wickedness and cruelty in the world these days, maybe Thagyar Min should include the grownups in his survey too and be ready to put them on the dog skin parchment!

SO GUYS BETTER BE GOOD DURING THINGYAN!

#Themyawadydaily