Minhlakyin village keeps Myanmar’s bullock-cart pilgrimage tradition alive during Shwesettaw Festival

 

MINHLAKYIN village, located in Minbu Township of Magway Region, is the only village that continues the Myanmar tradition of making a pilgrimage by bullock-cart.

“Our village is 12 miles from Shwesettaw Pagoda. Every year, during the pagoda festival, we travel there using a caravan of bullock-carts. The younger generation is enthusiastic about participating in this tradition, while our grandparents and elders treasure it as part of our cultural heritage. We are committed to keeping this tradition alive, so each year when the Shwesettaw Pagoda Festival arrives, we gather together for this pilgrimage,” explained U Ohn Kyaing, the village administrator.

The village has around 430 households, with agriculture being the main source of livelihood for the villagers. In addition to farming, they are involved in various crafts such as weaving, bamboo work, and basket making. When the festival season approaches, the village administrator and youth leaders organize the pilgrimage, which involves the entire village.

Photographers from across Myanmar, drawn by the unique bullock-cart pilgrimage, visit the village to capture stunning photographs of the scenic landscapes and the bullock-carts with arched roofs, as they journey through valleys and hills towards the festival. These images are often shared widely on social media. — Zayar Htet (Minbu)/ TRKM