Myanmar’s Sagaing Region is preparing to host one of its most striking religious celebrations, as the Bodhi Tahtaung Buddha Pujania Festival takes place on the full moon day of Tabodwe, 1 February.
The annual event centres on the Mahabodhi Tahtaung Standing Buddha Image in Monywa Township, a towering 116‑metre statue completed in 1995 and recognised as the third‑tallest Buddha in the world. Rising above the surrounding landscape, the statue has become both a spiritual landmark and a magnet for visitors from across the country.
Festival organisers say alms will be offered to 100 monks at the pagoda square, continuing a tradition that draws thousands of devotees each year. The Mahabodhi Tahtaung precinct itself covers around 250 acres and is home to more than 9,000 bodhi trees, creating a vast religious complex that symbolises peace and devotion.
Located nine miles southeast of Monywa, the site has long been a centre of Buddhist practice and pilgrimage. The annual Tabodwe full moon festival is regarded as a highlight of Myanmar’s religious calendar, blending ritual offerings with community gatherings.
Local trustees emphasise that the event is not only a spiritual occasion but also a cultural one, reinforcing the role of Mahabodhi Tahtaung as a living heritage site. For many, the towering Buddha image serves as a reminder of Myanmar’s deep Buddhist traditions and the resilience of faith in times of change.
As the festival unfolds, the combination of ritual, architecture and natural beauty is expected to draw crowds from across Sagaing Region and beyond. For Myanmar’s Buddhist community, the Bodhi Tahtaung Buddha Pujania Festival remains a moment of reflection, renewal and collective devotion under the gaze of one of the world’s tallest standing Buddhas.
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