Kyaiktiyo Pagoda sees surge in pilgrims as festival season progresses
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Khit/Cherry (NP News) - Nov 21
The Kyaiktiyo Pagoda Board of Trustees predicts a rise in the number of pilgrims visiting the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, situated in Kyaikto Township, Mon State.
U Soe Hla, Chairman of the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda Board of Trustees, revealed to The NP News that the seven-month pilgrimage season, which began during Thadingyut, has already witnessed a significant/substantial increase in daily visitor numbers.
Recent reports suggest that approximately 2,000 pilgrims are visiting Kyaiktiyo Pagoda on a daily basis.
Despite a recent uptick in daily visits to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, pilgrim numbers are still significantly lower than pre-COVID-19 levels.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of pilgrims visiting Kyaiktiyo Pagoda was comparatively low. The pagoda festival was temporarily suspended during the years 2018 and 2019. However, beginning in 2023 and continuing into the present year, pilgrim numbers have gradually increased.
“Last year’s festival season, the current 2023/2024 season, and the upcoming 2024/2025 season — according to the Burmese Lunar Calendar, this period spans from the full moon day of Thadingyut to the present day. Tomorrow, on the full moon day of Tazaungmon, we can clearly observe significant progress compared to previous years. Last year, the total number of pilgrims for the entire year was just over 722,000. During the seven-month festival season, from the full moon day of Thadingyut to the full moon day of Kason, we welcomed just over 700,000 visitors. As of now, we have not yet completed a full month since Thadingyut; today marks exactly one month until the full moon day of Tazaungmon. Despite this, we have already recorded a total of 72,083 pilgrims so far. We anticipate even more visitors during the Tazaungdaing period,” said U Soe Hla, Chairman of the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda Board of Trustees.
Chairman U Soe Hla anticipates a significant increase in pilgrim numbers during the upcoming Tazaungdaing and Christmas holidays, especially on the peak days of the Tazaungdaing festival.
The Chairman further added that the relevant authorities and the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda Board of Trustees are collaborating and coordinating to ensure the smooth and efficient management of transportation, food, accommodation, and security provisions for the visiting pilgrims.