Pandals are fabricated structures erected for religious gatherings and events.

The control of the number of pandals is to ensure that those gathering around the popular Mandalay moat to celebrate Thingyan, or the water festival, in April will not be hindered in the festivities.

Only Mandalay City Maha Thingyan pandal and Nan Myo Thu pandal, which will be built by the Central Command, will be allowed to be set up in the southern section of the moat, said U Ye Mon, Deputy Mayor of Mandalay Region on March 1.

“We want the Thingyan festival to be full of Myanmar traditional heritage. The program will be similar to last year’s Mandalay festival.

“Currently, we will permit two pandals at the southern part of moat, and we will have to discuss plans for the other areas. We will permit the pandals in the downtown areas,” he continued.

It is known that MCDC aims to build between four and six pandals at each side of moat and the permits for building the pandals will be given out via an auction system.

“It is not true that there is no pandal around the moat. We just do not permit it at the southern part of moat. We will permit its construction at the eastern, western and northern sections.

“But we will not allow so many to be built. We will only allow pandals to be built at places like Kandawgyi and other crowded places in downtown areas,” he said.

Many Mandalay residents complained that last year’s Thingyan festival celebrations in Mandalay were muted, as most of the pandals were built around the moat. Those who could not afford to be fit into the pandals were unable to celebrate it fully.

“During previous years, most of the pandals are beside the moat and it looked like the water festival was held around the moat, so people from the wards and streets were neglected and had little concern with the festival,” said a resident from Chan Aye Tharzan.

“It is also very dangerous because people drink alcohol and may end up fighting each other near the moat. I think it will be better if they [the authorities] come up with programs for the youth to enjoy the festival safely, so that our traditional culture will not disappear.”

Ten pandals, measuring 100ft in length and 25ft in width, were allowed at each side of the moat during the 2016 Thingyan festival. The celebrations then used more than 40 million tonnes of water.

– Translation by Khine Thazin Han