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 The month Kason usually falls on May of the English
calendar. The month of excessive great. It is the season
water in all ponds, lakes and creeks reduces to its lowest
level. During the month of Kason the length of the day is
longer and the night is shorter. People of Myanmar regard
the month of Kason as Taurus) season and the sign of the
podiac is a ball. The seasonal flower is Sagar and this
festival is water pouring ceremony at the maha-Bodhi tree,
the holy Banyan tree at the foot of which the Buddha
attained Buddhahood or enlightenment. As the month of kason
is at the middle of the hot reason, the earth is dry and
people pour water at the Maha-Bodhi tree to make sure it
does not die of drought during the hot summer. This has
become an integral part of Myanmar culture and on every
full-moon day of kason, the Buddhist people would march in a
grand procession to the Bodhi tree or to the pagodas to pour
scented water.
The full-moon day of kason is significant for other seasons
too. It is the day on which Gotama Buddha was born, attained
enlightenment, passed away, and as a recluse in is this
previous existence, blessed by the prophecy of Depankara
Buddha that he (sumedha) would also become a Buddha one day
in the very remote future. It also is the day on which the
original Bodhi tree arose from out of the earth as an
assurance of the coming of the Gotoma Buddha.
The Bodhi tree has relations with lord Buddha so it becomes
respectable for the Buddhists. Lord Buddha attained
enlightenment underneath the Bodhi tree so the Buddhists
revere the tree. On the Fullmoon day of Kason Buddhist
devotees celebrate not only water pouring ceremony at the
Bodhi tree but also perform meritorious deeds by keeping
Sabbath, meditation, offering flowers, light, water and
incense to the images of lord Buddha.
There are so many banyan tress in various regions of
Myanmar. The majestic trees give cool shade and grandeur as
well as dignity, grace and charm. Water pouring ceremony to
the Bodhi tree in the month of Kason had been performed
successively since the time of Myanmar monarchs to the
present day. The performance of the ceremony is supportive
not only to the religion and tradition but also to keeping
trees green and lush.
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