On July 2, 2019, Myanmar Post issued another stamp in the Burmese Calendar series, dedicated to the month of Waso.
Myanmar Post continues to issue stamps dedicated to the months of the traditional Burmese calendar: one stamp for each month.
As a reminder, the Burmese calendar is based on a cycle of 19 solar years. Of these, 12 years consist of 12 lunar months, and another 7 years consist of 13 lunar months, with each month having either 29 or 30 days. Therefore, a Burmese year has either 354 or 384 days. The Gregorian calendar is also used in Burma, but the traditional calendar takes precedence, especially in everyday life. The Burmese calendar is closely linked to the annual agricultural cycle and all aspects of traditional Burmese life and knowledge.
The stamp series was designed by artist Wai Zin Paing: all stamps in the series depict seasonal flowers and one of the traditional festivals that takes place during this month.
The seventh stamp in the series is dedicated to the month of Waso, which is the fourth month of the traditional Burmese calendar and corresponds to July as we know it. It is during this month that the ordination ceremony for Buddhist monks is typically held.
In Myanmar, it is a widespread tradition to send children aged 7-10 to Buddhist monasteries. There, children learn to read and write, study the basics of Buddhism, and are also inculcated in discipline and teamwork. It should be noted that residence in a monastery is temporary. A child may be sent to a monastery for a few days or a week, or for a longer period, but they can be taken home at any time. A stay, even a short one, of a son or daughter in a Buddhist monastery is a sign of respect and honor for the family, as well as good karma for their parents.
Monastic ordination is a very important event in the life of every Burmese. The ordination of children is a festive ceremony attended by many guests and relatives. Sometimes, several families whose children are being ordained gather together for a sort of "farewell." Beautiful outfits are prepared for the children, with boys dressed as princes and girls as princesses. On this day, children's feet should not touch the ground, so boys are carried to the ordination ceremony on horses in rich trappings, while girls are seated on beautifully decorated carts.
This festive procession is depicted on a postage stamp issued on July 2, 2019. On the left edge of the stamp, the artist depicted a blooming Alexandrian laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum), the traditional plant of the month of Waso.
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