" Shwe Set Taw Pagoda Festival "

= Hpone Thant =

hwe Set Taw (The Golden Footprints) pagoda is one of the most venerated pagodas in Myanmar. Actually there are two pagodas: the Ahtet Set Taw Ya or the Lower and the Ahtet Set Taw Ya, the Upper.

The pagoda history tells us that in the 12th year after Lord Buddha attained his Enlightenment He came to this area with a retinue of 500 followers. At that time the present Mann Chaung (Mann Creek) was known as Namada and here lived a Dragon King. Once this Dragon King invited Lord Buddha to his realm for worship and at the request of this Dragon King, Lord Buddha left an imprint of His feet on the banks of the present Mann Chaung. This day this place is known as Auk Set Taw Ya (Lower Golden Footprint). 

Then Lord Buddha journeyed up the Thitsa Banda Hill that rose by the Mann Chaung where he met a hermit named Thitsa Banda. He also gave a sermon to the hermit and left His left Footprint here at the request of the hermit too. This is the Ahtet Set Taw Ya (the Upper Golden Footprint). Although there were some historical references to the pagodas during the Bagan era when King Alaung Sithu was said to donate some land to the pagodas they were largely lost and forgotten. But the story continues that only by the efforts of a most revered monk, the Taung Phi Lar Sayardaw, fairly recently that they were re-discovered and made possible for the succeeding generations to worship them.

But whatever the story, the Shwe Set Taw Pagoda Festival is one of the most unique pagoda festivals in Myanmar. As the rains recede from Myanmar, sandbars appear in the streams and creeks that flow into the Ayeyarwady River from the eastern foothills of the Chin Hills. Sandbars also appear along the banks of the Mann Chaung too. And these sandbars eventually became the venue where stalls and accommodations for the pilgrims spring up during the festival time. City folks from all over the country travel to this festival with the double intention of paying homage to the Buddha Footprints and also to enjoy the scenery on the way to the Pagoda and escape from the hectic rat race of city life even if for a week only.

The Shwe Set Taw Pagoda Festival normally begins in the Myanmar month of Tabodwe( February) and continues for a long time, until the Myanmar Thingyan (New Year) in mid-April. But going after that time is dangerous. Unexpected squalls, the precursors of the monsoon rains, will come suddenly and the Mann Chaung is prone to fl ash fl ood at that time.

The pilgrims stay in bamboo and thatch huts that are erected on the banks of the Mann Chaung. Food is also plentiful as there are many food stalls: traditional Myanmar food, Chinese dishes and Indian biryani, all available. Just make your choice. Other stalls selling various kinds of merchandise are also here and most villages around this area depend on these shops to buy what they need for the coming year. There will be turbaned Bamar farmers as well as a sprinkling of tattooed Chin ladies browsing among these stalls. And jostling with them might be a bevy of city girls decked out in more modern attires. Entertainment troupes are also here. Local Myanmar entertainments, called pwes, perform throughout the night. Their performances are a mix of pop songs and stories of traditional Jataka tales taken from the Holy Scriptures. Aside from these the visitors can also enjoy splashing in the cool waters of the Mann Chaung right at their doorsteps.

But apart from the holy sites Shwe Set Taw has other attractions too. Only a few people know that it is also the centre of the Shwe Set Taw Wildlife Sanctuary. Established since 1940 it has as its purpose:(1)To protect and conserve the endemic Shwe Thamin(Cervus eldithamin) deer which can only be found in Myanmar;(2)To conserve the unique Thandahat forest type(a kind of mixed dry zone plants) Eco system;(3) To conserve the watershed area of the Mone and the Mann creeks which are important tributaries of the Ayeyarwady River flowing in from the west;(4)To preserve the environs of the Shwe Set Taw Pagoda.

According to Forest Department data bears, gaurs, samburs, barking deer and various types of smaller wild feline species are found in the surrounding forests. The rare Star Tortoise is also present but is on the endangered species of the IUCN Red List. Forest/ vegetation types range from Thadahat forest type to low Indaing or (dry Dipterocarp) and dry deciduous forests.

There are several routes to Shwe Set Taw Pagoda. One preferred route accessible via Minbu in Central Myanmar is to drive to Magway and cross over the Ayeyarwady river by the Magway Bridge. The road to Shwe Set Taw is dusty but more or less passable even by smaller saloons but the added incentive is the opportunity to visit several other notable pagodas along the way, notably the Mya Tha Lun pagoda in Magway, Shin Pin Sek Ka Te in Minbu and the mud volcanoes at Naga Pwet Taung. Accommodations are available at the festival venue. Most are primitive with little or no amenities. They are temporary huts of bamboo and thatch built on the sandbanks of the Mann Creek. Bathing and washing are done in the creek too. Some government departments maintain guesthouses for their departmental guests but these can be rented for a fee on the spot if there is a vacancy. These government guesthouses come with ensuite toilet facilities.

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