As the festival is usually held from 19 February (1^st Wax­ing day of Taboung) to 5 March (full moon day of Taboung), the relevant officials are now mak­ing preparations.

The Buddha Pujaniya Fes­tival of Myat Mawtinsun pago­da has been held every year for more than 100 years, and it is also the famous seaside pago­da festival of the Ayeyawady Region. In the past, the festival was a long-term festival that was held for a month.

In the past, stalls were sold through an auction system dur­ing the Pagoda Festival, but the Pagoda Board of Trustees will be responsible for the convenience of vendors during this year’s pa­goda festival.

As the pagoda festival is approaching, the cleaning is being done on the hill on which the pagoda is situated, the pa­goda mountain, in the wells and ponds, on the main pagoda and its surrounding stupas.—TWA/ KZW