Mann Shwe Set Taw pagoda festival to start next Feb

Yangon December 22

The annual Mann Shwe Set Taw pagoda festival will kick off on February 1 next year, according to Magway Region Government.

The pagoda festival will be held for 76 days from February 1 to April 17, and the region government is adopting regulations and will also reform the new pagoda board of trustees.

“In this year’s festival, arbitrary donations will not be collected in tender process,” said the pagoda board of trustees. Previously, the region government collected donations for regional development tasks.

And the region government also plans to make the tender process transparent and cancel tenders for some services.

“We won’t invite tenders for some services which pose burden to pilgrims. Mainly, there will no longer be tolls, parking fees and so on. And our board will supply electricity,” said U Myint Thein, chairman of the pagoda board of trustees.

The festival is the longest pagoda festival in the country and usually draws large number of festival goers, but there are also criticisms over high prices of accommodation, meals and so on.

The Myawady Daily