Tourists, locals enjoy traditional elephant dance festival
in Kyaukse
The Kyaukse Elephant Dance festival is an
impressive show that is steeped in history. King Anawrahta (1015-1078) is one
of Myanmar’ most famous rulers and considered the father of the Burmese nation.
He is also the founder of Kyaukse.
This year's
opening ceremony of the Elephant Donation festival and elephant dummy dancing
competition 2016 took place at the elephant competition grounds at the bottom
of Shwe Thar Lyaung hill in Kyaukse, Mandalay Region on 15 October.
U Soe Than, the
Minister for Agriculture, Livestock Breeding and Irrigation and a member of
Mandalay Region Government and Mandalay Region Hluttaw representatives attended
the opening ceremonies.
A total of 29 teams
-- 17 traditional elephant teams, 6 sequined costume elephant teams and 6
children’s elephant teams-- participated in the event.
The Kyaukse elephant
dance festival has been celebrated every year since the 11th Century, the era
of Myanmar King Anawrahta.
Legend has it that King Anawrahta
obtained several Buddhist relics on a trip to China. Upon his return to Myanmar
(Burma), he decided to build a pagoda to house the precious relics. He strapped
the relics to the back of his elephant and told the elephant to choose a
suitable spot for the new pagoda. The elephant walked straight to the hill east
of Kyaukse and knelt.
It was at this spot that the king built
Shwe-tha-lyaung Pagoda, which remains there to this day.
In
this year's celebration, the competition teams from various wards of Kyaukse,
accompanied by drums, oboe, cymbals, brass gongs and bamboo clappers, toured
around the Kyaukse Myo Ma bazaar three times. The teams competed in front of a
panel of judges in different prize categories — Ks1 million for first prize,
Ks8 lakh for second prize and Ks6 lakh for third prize in the traditional
elephant dance competition; Ks8 lakh for first prize, KS6 lakh for
second prize and Ks4 lakh for third prize in sequined elephant dance
competition and Ks6 lakh for first prize, KS4 lakh for second prize and Ks2
lakh for third prize in children’s elephant dance competition. KBZ bank
presented the cash prizes to the winners.
The roads and streets during this year's
festival were crowded with pilgrims as well as tourists, some of whom
travelled great distances in order to observe this unique cultural celebration.
–Thiha Ko Ko
(Mandalay)
