Shwesettaw Shwethamin sanctuary being opened before festival season

Hundreds of bamboo huts line Mann Creek during the Shwesettaw Pagoda Festival in previous year.

Yangon January 15

run from February 13 to April 17, is one of the longest pagoda festivals in Myanmar.

Now, Shwesettaw Shwethamin (cervus eldithamin) sanctuary is being opened before the festival season so that pilgrims can observe Shwethamin, according to the township forest department.

"The natural reserve is situated near the entrance of the Shwesettaw Pagoda and travellers usually visit the areas to see deer, "said an official of the sanctuary.

There are altogether 10 male and 11 female Shwethamin and one barking deer in the sanctuary and conserving processes are being done to protect the endangering species.

The big draw at Shwesettaw is two footprints of the Buddha, one beside the creek, known as Auk Settawyar, and one at the top of a nearby hill, known as Ahtet Settawyar.

Another attraction is Shwesettaw's unspoiled nature which features mountains and forests. Trekkers and lovers of mountain scenery visit Tagyar Pone Mountain and Yahan Nar Chaytawyar, while swimmers are delighted by the thumb-sized fish that cluster around them in Mann Creek.

The Myawady Daily