The month of Tazaungmon was the eight month of Myanmar Calendar. (November was the eight month of Christian Calendar.) In the month of Tazaungmon the ceremonies of Kahtain, Tazaungdai (or) Lighting, Shin Marle, Instant Robe for Buddha and Hot Air Balloons were held.

Special robes and other offertories for monks who had kept the lent for three months, from the Full Moon of Wazo to the first Wanning Moon of Thadingyut, were offered in the Kahtain Ceremony. Kahtain Ceremony could be held during the time of one month ending on the Full Moon Day of Tazaungmon. Kahtain ceremony could be held individually, collectively and organizationally. It was very ceremonious indeed.

The main ceremony of the month of Tazaungmon was Tazaungdai Pwe Daw (or) Lighting Festival. It was not a religious ceremony of the Buddhists but the funny ceremony of worshipping god of fire.

Again in the month of Tazaungmon the religious ceremony of Shin Marle was also held. That ceremony had its background; Pro-Buddha Ari Mittaeya, a god in the abode of gods, requested Shin Marle Mahti of Sri Lanka every year on the Full Moon Day of Tazaungmon to preach Way-than-ta-ya Jataka. Accordingly Shin Marle Mahti preached it in a thousand verses grandly. In honour of that preaching Shin Mrle festival was celebrated by offering one thousand fruits, one thousand oil lamps, one thousand cups of water, one thousand flowers and etc. on the Full Moon of Tazaungmon.

The next festival was Instant Robe Weaving Competition. It has also a background story: on the eve of Pro-Buddha’s renunciation into the forest his mother, then a certain god, namely Thanduthita, in Tawadain-tha Abode of gods urgently wove robe for the son. The robe was finished in one night and its was offered in time to the renouncing son. In honour to that great event, Instant Robe Weaving Competition was included in the Instant Robe Weaving Festival.

There was “Sulamani Pagoda” in the Tawadain-tha Abode of gods, the king of gods, Thakyamin, had built it. The devoted Buddhists worshipped the Sulamani pagoda by launching Hot Air Balloons. Nowadays Tazaungdai Pwe Daw and Hot Air Balloon Launching Festival in Taungyi, The Shan States, was the most outstanding.

The Full Moon of Tazaungmon Night was spent by offering the Myanmar traditional snack such as “Mont-lone-yae-paw” (small glutinous rice dumplings stuffed with palm sugar) to the neighbourers of feeding the close friends with that snack. Some, however, spent the night by playing various Myanmar traditional sports and games. According to Myanmar belief edible flower buds of Mezali had medicinal value on Full Moon Night of Tazaungmon and hence every Myanmar family took Mezali Salad as a special medicine.

The funny festivity of Tawataintha was held by youths. They secretly picked out any property or furniture from nearby houses and piled them up at the visible junctions. It meant they would climb up the abode of gods, Tawadaintha, through the stolen pile of things. Some youths on the other hand held Tazaungmon Night Picnics after asking for money from the elders in addition to stealing rice and chicken. Stealing, however, was no problem for that night in accordance with Myanmar tradition.

There was “Sulamani Pagoda” in the Tawadain-tha Abode of gods, the king of gods, Thakyamin, had built it. The devoted Buddhists worshipped the Sulamani pagoda by launching Hot Air Balloons. Nowadays Tazaungdai Pwe Daw and Hot Air Balloon Launching Festival in Taungyi, The Shan States, was the most outstanding.

The balloons are made of paper and each town or village spend a lot of money producing them, they hang candles onto the paper balloons and on the basket they hang the fireworks, meticulously timed to give a fantastic firework display, the balloon is fired by home made bamboo and tar burners similar in operation to the old fashioned plumbers paraffin blow lamp.

Lu Ping festival commonly known as hot balloon festival celebrates by Pa O, one of the many ethnic groups in the region. The word Lu Ping generally means eliminating all evil by giving alms and offertories to Buddhist monks. On the occasion people also enjoy fun and merriment by holding firework launching competitions. The firework is in the form of rockets. There is also hot balloons competitions on the day and night occasions. Day balloons are usually in the form of Pagodas, and animals such as elephant, dragon or ducks while the night balloons usually in the shape of rugby ball, huge elongated paper balls with small lighted multicolored paper lanterns hung around their sides and balloons would sting along fireworks and fire sticks which are set off mid-air fireworks.