A Poem on Thingyan Festival: When Padauk Flowers Appear

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When Padauk Flowers Appear



With the air filled with Thingyan songs
Happy dance and chants come around
Impregnated with scent of padauk
Revellers come out with happy shouts.

Padauk blooms once in a year
Thingyan usually brings us good cheer
With all the dousing and merriment
Thingyan has been a happy event.

With the sprig of Euginia as usual
Lads sprinkle scented water on damsels
Some have nice time in reveling
Others take happiness in merit-making.

King of the Celestials visits our abode
Hail Thee Thagyamin with new hope
On the parchment of dog-hide
The bad will surely be inscribed.

Mont-lone-ye-paw is fed to all
Charity-feasts for all are within call
Some indulge in revelry as usual
Others do meritorious deeds in festival.

Thingyan falls in as merry as possible
Traditional pandals make it enjoyable
Rhythm of Thingyan will ring forever
It comes out but once a year.

Wishing to be as cool as water
Wash the impurities of the old year
New year will bring peace and prosperity
Water-splashing symbolizes unity and amity
Be ready to cleanse sin and impurity!!

Maung Swe Ngae
Taken from The New Light of Myanmar
13 April 2014 issue


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