Myanmar New Year
Friday, April 17, 2026
In mid-April on the Gregorian Calendar, Myanmar New Year is celebrated as a public holiday in Myanmar, formerly called Burma. In 2027, Myanmar New Year falls on Saturday 17 April. The holiday will be on Monday 17 April in 2028. Myanmar New Year is a Buddhist festival at root, but it also has connections with Hinduism and is, in fact, the Buddhist version of the Hindu myth of Arsi and Devas. The myth involves a wager between two gods, the loser losing his head but gaining the head of an elephant. But to stop this new head from drying up the sea or scattering fire-shots through the heavens, it was taken away and given to a new princess devi at the beginning of each new year. The celebrations last four or five days, the final culminating day being Myanmar New Year itself. It is traditional to toss water on people or douse people in water on this day. There will even be water-spraying stations set up in the capital city of Yangon, and some will also pour water ceremonially on the ground after the sounding of official New Year’s cannons. School children will be out on summer vacation, and the whole country will be out and about celebrating.
History
In mid-April on the Gregorian Calendar, Myanmar New Year is celebrated as a public holiday in Myanmar, formerly called Burma. In 2027, Myanmar New Year falls on Saturday 17 April. Myanmar New Year is a Buddhist festival at root, but it also has connections with Hinduism and is, in fact, the Buddhist version of the Hindu myth of Arsi and Devas. The myth involves a wager between two gods, the loser losing his head but gaining the head of an elephant. But to stop this new head from drying up the se
How It's Celebrated
In mid-April on the Gregorian Calendar, Myanmar New Year is celebrated as a public holiday in Myanmar, formerly called Burma. The holiday will be on Monday 17 April in 2028. Myanmar New Year is a Buddhist festival at root, but it also has connections with Hinduism and is, in fact, the Buddhist versi