Waso Festival

Waso is the fourth Myanmar month. It is part summer and part monsoon. It falls in June and July.
The full-moon day of Waso is significant as the day the embryo-Buddha was conceived, the day He preached the first sermon of Dhamma Cakka, the day He performed the miracles. The day also marks the beginning of the Buddhist Lent of three months when members of the Sangha go into the rains retreat.

Beginning of Buddhist Lent

Waso Full moon Day in (July) commemorates the Buddha?s First Sermon and the beginning of the Buddhist Lent. It is an occasion for religious function of the Sangha but the laity also participates in it with offerings of food, robes, shelter (Monastery) and medicine (the four requisites of a ?Bikkhu?) to the Sangha going into the rain retreat. Young people go on outgoings to pick flowers in season to offer at pagodas. There are also novitiation and ordination ceremonies all over the country. It is a period for reflection, meditation and contemplation. Ordinary folk are also expected to be more spiritual. Events such as marriages and moving house are avoided.  

It is a time of ordination and novitiation into the religious order, with these events held since the days of ancient Myanmar monarchs for the flourishing of the Sasana.
There is also a practice of young men and women going on outings of gathering flowers to be offered at Buddha images.

A significant practice of Waso is the offering of monk?s robes to members of the Sangha for use during the Lent and so these robes are called Waso robes. Likewise there are also big candles called Waso candles offered at this time of the year.
Among lay people it is also a time to offer elders cakes, fruits and other offertories.

 Waso & Wakaung (July & August)

July, August, Rain and Flood goes a Burmese saying. July - Waso brings in the Lenten season. It is a time for sobriety, self-denial and contemplation. Monsoon is a busy paddy plantation season and 85% oftotal population is being rural and live on cultivation. Monsoon makes less activity in open-air celebration. Marriages are taboo during the lent. This has nothing whatsoever to do with any religious concept and it is probably originated from the way of life, a busy time for farmer and it is more convenient to celebrate weddings after the harvest is safely home.

         
Waso Chinlon Festival

Mandalay, the second capital city of Myanmar has many famous things to take pride. It?s the old royal city grand with the real past images and the heritage of Myanmar traditional culture.
All traditions die-hard and Mandalay takes pride particularly and keeping the right Myanmar traditions.
Traditional festivals are still observed there. One of those events is Waso Chinlon Festival and it has been observed for over 70 years. And in 2003, Diamond Jubilee of the festival is planned to be celebrated.
The beauty of Waso Chinlon Festival is that Chinlon players, while participating festival, they offered flowers, lights and Waso robes to the Maha Myat Muni Buddha Image Pagoda with the collected money they get from playing Chinlon if one wish to see the superb play, he (or) she can see it at the Mandalay Waso Chinlon Festival every year.
A superb play accompanied by Myanma traditional orchestra is very entertaining and lively presentation of the accommodator.
Once, one man played cane-ball but now- a- days, young and old and foreign visitors also joining in the game. It is good for health, enjoyment, cooperation and individual responsibility.
Though Chinlon is the sport, it is also presented as entertainment, a kind of art as social event with the accompaniment of Myanmar Orchestra.
Chinlone, the traditional cane-ball sport is originally a Myanmar sport. But it is on the wane today, in fact, Chinlon is the good sport it required one to express performance.
Chinlone or cane ball is traditionally Myanmar National Sport. It is played by all, young or old with no bearing on gender. Chinlone is good for physical, mental and moral fitness. It is an excellent form of exercise, demanding physical strength and a quick mind.
The play must not stop or move out of the area during the specified time. Basic principles required Chinlone to be kept only six vital points namely, the close, the soles, the heels, the knees, the inside and outside of feet, called as Chae Kwin and Pha Myat in Myanmar. Variations in style and methods are accepted, however, within the basic principles.