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Wahsou (Waso): July |
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The Month of the Sobriety, Self-Denial and Religious Contemplation
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Goldenrod Flower
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| Waso, the fourth month of the Burmese calendar, marks the beginning of the lenten season. It is a time for sobriety, self-denial and religious contem-plation. The fresh moist air of the early morning is filled with the tinkling of brass triangular gongs that summons lay folk to come and contribute what they can towards the communal offering of alms food for the monasteries. |
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In Rakhine State, communal offering of alms food for the monasteries. |
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| They are members of the voluntary service groups called wut-thins, which play an important part in the life of the community. Such wut-thin activities are still very much alive in small towns though rarely seen now-a-days in Rangoon. In Mandalay, where old customs and traditions are still revered, wut-thins -operate in grand style. Members of these wut-thins wear all-white suits. They go round in procession collecting alms for monasteries. Some carry silver bowls to receive coins, and for receiving food, there -are large three-legged lacquer trays with sets of small bowls inside. They are beautiful things with red-domed covers. Each tray is suspended from cords attached to a yoke. With the tray hanging in the middle, two men shoulder the yoke at each end. The yoke is often painted red and splashed with gold and glass mosaic flowers. The huge brass triangular gong suspended on a pole is carried by two men, one at the tear striking in tune to the chanting while moving in step with the procession. No easy task, this. |
| Sometimes, the procession is attended by music troupes of drums, cymbals and flute. Even as the blink-ing Stars fade away and the dawn steals over the horizon, lights shine through the window panes and people come out with offerings. The air is filled with music interposed with recitations and the tinkling of the brass gong. |
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| People bless the neik-banz-saws, who make things easy for people to do meritorious deeds that would open the gates of celestial regions. They see that monks are supplied with their needs during the lenten season when they are not allowed to travel or stay overnight outside the monastery precincts. |
| Waso is the time when people do meritorious deeds and practice contemplation and self-denial. People make it a point of fasting and observing special precepts one day in the week. Even habitual drinkers take a vow of abstinence, for the season, at least. It is good in a way for people to be reminded of the need for self-discipline. |
| Marriages are taboo during the lent. This has nothing whatsoever to do with any religious concept. Mon-soon season is a busy time for the farmer and it is more convenient to celebrate weddings after the harvest is safely home. But, some impatient lovers often rush off to wedlock before the lent begins. |
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| By Daw Khin Myo Chit |
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