Tazaungdaing — Taunggyi Hot-Ground Party

The festival

Tazaungdaing, the festival of lights marking the end of the rainy season and the Buddhist retreat, is celebrated throughout Myanmar at the full moon of Tazaungmon month. Its most spectacular form is played in Taunggyi, capital of Shan State, where the Pa-O community has been organizing since colonial times (competitions would go back to 1894) a competition of artisanal balloons unique in the world.

In the daytime, huge balloons of paper in the shape of pagodas, elephants or birds rise above the party grounds. At night, balloons carry garlands of lanterns and fireworks that explode in the sky, under the vivats of the crowd, in the middle of concerts, food stands and rides. The party lasts several days around the full moon (November 24th, 2006). The situation in Myanmar requires to check the advice to the current travellers before any travel.