Dwellers prepare for water festival celebration in Myanmar's Yangon

Yangon dwellers, especially the young, are preparing to celebrate Myanmar's upcoming Thingyan, a five-day water festival this year due to fall on next Tuesday.

Some water throwing pavilions are being erected with different decorations along the roadside of the city.

The open-air magnificent Yangon City Water-throwing Pandal, which will be the central and the biggest one in the city, is being set up, designed and decorated with elements of Myanmar traditional culture.

Myanmar traditional dancing troupes of young ladies are conducting rehearsal of singing and dancing for performances at respective pandals during the festival.

This year, Yangon region government has granted 210 pavilions for water throwing, of which 7 major ones are run by government departments, 12 by private groups and 191 are small and medium ones.

However, the setting up of commercial pavilions on the city's two most crowded roads for throwing water was banned.

The ban on such erection of pavilions on popular Kaba Aye Pagoda road and Kandawgyi circular road is said to be made for the reason of security and prevention of traffic congestion.

Last year, there were 78 commercial pavilions on the two major roads in Yangon.

The denial is said to reduce the use of water in the festival as part of the preventive measures against possible water scarcity, most likely resulting from El Nino.

New Yangon region chief minister U Phyo Min Thein said exploitation of Thingyan water festival for commercial gain is not allowed, warning of zero tolerance on alcohol consumption by young people during the course of the festival.

According to Yangon police force, it will deploy over 8,000 police force to provide security and safety for revelers.

Traffic police will also be deployed to help ease traffic jam and halt violation of traffic rules in crowded places.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture has called on people to launch the festival in a traditional and cultured manner while avoiding quarrel and liquor drinking.

Myanmar people will celebrate their Thingyan Water Festival from next Tuesday to Saturday and Myanmar traditional new year will be ushered in on next Sunday (April 17).

The Myanmar water festival, which is for all ages, also represents a unique and entertaining event.

Among Myanmar's 12 seasonal festivals throughout the year, the Thingyan water festival represents the grandest which brings peace and prosperity to the entire people.