The festival of Phaung-Daw-Oo Pagoda - the Pagoda Festival - is held after the paddies have been harvested, round late Tawthalin (September) or in the month of Thadingyut (October), depending on the full moon. The cleared fields become the festival grounds, and people gather from all over, bringing their wares to sell: glazed earthen-ware, hand-woven cottons, bamboo and cane baskets, ‘toddy’ palm leaf boxes of all sizes, with beautifully carved designs on the outside.

It is not long before happy, relaxed festival goers with cash to spend are enjoying a holiday after months of hard work. They camp under the huge tamarind trees set up their stalls around the grounds. On the river barges are secured, most of which have wares to sell, but the most popular is the one with the marionettes aboard.

The bamboo puppet stage is set up on the shore, which tradition decrees should not be built with its back to the village. It slopes slightly towards the audience who sit on the ground on mats they bring from home. These open puppet air shows usually last all night.

The themes are traditionally drawn from historic legends, the ten great lives and the 550 birth stories of Lord Buddha. The Mandalay Marionettes (Yoke Thay) display all traditional artistic elements of Burmese puppetry: Myanmar dancing, music, wood carving, sequin embroidery and painting.

All puppet shows start with the ritual dance and song that “pays respect to whom respect is due,” asking the powers that be to chase away all dangers that may be threatening the festival grounds and people. This dance is lively and exciting and the music, dancing and singing stay in perfect synchronization.

The backdrop of the stage is white and a leafy branch standis in the middle at the back representing the forest. To one side is an arrangement of two bunches of bananas and a green coconut. The dancer is Nat Kadow, the Voteress. She is all in red, with a red silk band around her head, crossing her forehead, and her hair hangs loose, cascading down her back. The orchestra and choir are out of sight behind the stage, as of course are the puppeteers.

Source: Mynamar Culture