24 December 2562/2019 MYANMAR: Phra Sophonvachirabhorn (Sawai), Vice Rector for Foreign Affairs, MCU is along with administers, lecturers and staff of MCU to Join Ceremonies of Hoisting 126 golden umbrellas to pagodas and 5000 novices ordination at Sandalwood pagoda, Magway Division, Myanmar. MCU group is invited by Dr. Khin Shwe, Chairman, Sasana Nuggaha Association for Border Region.
Sandalwood or Kyaung Taw Yar Pagoda
Kyaung Taw Yar Pagoda is one of the famous pagodas in Myanmar. The Pagoda is located in Pwinbyu Township, Minbu District, Magway Region, Myanmar.
Legend tells us Kyaung Dawyar was visited by the Lord Gautama Buddha himself. He is said to have stayed at Kyaung Dawyar for a week teaching the local people he found there about his lives and Dhamma (Buddhist teachings). The pagoda standing on the banks of the Mon River was built in the memory of His stay. On His return journey to northern India, he stopped at Shwesetdaw on the bank of the Man river in the domain of the ruthless hunter Bandaka. Bandaka is said to have listened to the lectures of the Buddha and become a monk, and requested that the Buddha leave his footprint to remind people of his passing, and as a gift for the King of Naga.
Kyaung Dawyar pagoda is visited not only by the human pilgrims, but also by fish pilgrims! The giant river catfishes appear in the Mone creek during the Buddhist’s lent – July to September – for 3 months. People believe that the fishes come to pay homage to the Buddha. They appear on the full moon day of Waso (4th month of Myanmar calendar) and disappear after the full moon day of Thidinkyut (the 7th month of the Myanmar calendar). Human pilgrims feed them the pop-corn, rice cake and dried bread. Fish Feeding Ceremony is celebrated on 22-July to 19-Oct in Kyaung Taw Yar Pagoda. It is a hilarious ceremony usually held at the bank of Mone Canal in Pwint-phyu of Minbu. A large number of gigantic catfishes so-called pilgrim fishes could be fed throughout Buddhist lent. And most of the local people believe that those fishes appear during that period, only.
