THE Shite-Thaunghmyaut, or traditional sand pagoda festival of the Rakhine, was held at Sittway’s urban Point and Ngapali Beach on the Full Moon of Tabaung yesterday.
The festival was chiefly organized by Tharki Mandine Rakhine Culture Association and the public in Sittway, and by Dwayawady Ashinkutala and Dwayawady Youths in Ngapali, Thandwe Township.
The Rakhine people build sand stupas on the Full Moon of Tabaung as a form of reverence to the 84,000 Dhammakkhandha (Dhamma teachings) of the Buddha. The tradition was a way to invoke abundance of crops, safety from various kinds of danger, good weather, and peace and prosperity on the country.
People young and old can be seen building sand replicas of prominent Rakhine pagodas and stupas and then making various offerings to them. The Shite-Thaungmyaut festival was first held in Sittway in 2005 and yesterday marked the third time the festival was held in Thandwe, Ngapali Beach.—Tun Tun IPRD (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
