For three days Myanmar is lit up by fire balloons and paper lanterns and families make offerings at the local pagoda. Among the many festivals in Myanmar, Thingyan is the merriest and one of the few observed all over the country. Thingyan welcomes the Myanmar New Year by washing away the dirt of the body and bad memories of the old year. Everyone who ventures out of the house risks getting doused from head to toe by enthusiastic revellers. As it so very hot no one minds this a bit.
Young people enjoy it most of all.
Although they act scared of being soaked, it is a fine way of showing off to the opposite sex. Thagyamin, King of the Celestials, visits earth every year at this time in human form. The festival starts on the day of his descent, and ends with his ascent back to his celestial kingdom four or five days later. It is believed that during his stay on earth Thagyamin examines every human being and inscribes the names of all the good on a golden tablet, while the bad are recorded on a dog-skin. Parents warn their children to behave and not kill or steal or tell lies because 'Thagyamin is watching'.