Mons celebrated the 256th anniversary of the Hongsawatoi Kingdom across Thailand, Burma and many other places in the world where they have resettled. The fall of the kingdom, on the 8th waning day of the second month of 1119 of the Mon lunar calendar year, 2300 in the Buddha calendar, is honored during the annual ceremony that took place last Saturday.
In 1757 A.D, the Hongsawatoi Kingdom was destroyed by the invading Burmese King U Aung Zeya. Thousands were killed, including Buddhist monks, women and children. The resulting occupation and oppression by U Aung Zeya stripped the Mon ethnic group of their self-determination and killed thousands of people; making them a minority in their own land. Many from the Burman ethnic group were moved into Mon state.
The Hongsawatoi Kingdom was founded by two brothers, Samala and Vimala, who started the first dynasty, on the 1st waning day of the 11th month of 1116 in Buddha calendar, or 1440 years ago. This day is also remembered on the annual Mon National Day.
“The future generations should know that we had a sovereign nation. They need to see and learn the lessons of the way of this mundane world, where nothing is permanent, including gains and losses. Through understanding this we can maintain our nationality, language, and Buddhist religion teaching,” said Nai Aung Pain, who also the MC for ceremonies held at Sangkhlia Resort in Sangkhlaburi, Thailand.
During the event, Mon youth wore black-colored t-shirts, red sarongs and lit candles. Buddhist monks chanted and many people gave merit to the many Mon soldiers, monks and civilians who died during the destruction of the kingdom.
“When I was young, I used to think that our Mon history of once being sovereign nation was a fairytale. But at this ceremony where our history is discussed with factual explanations, I now know more information about Mon history. I know that our Mon sovereign nation lasted for thousands of years and only fell about 256 years ago,” said one Mon youth during the ceremony attended by about 200 people.
At night the ceremony continued at Buddha Gaya Pagoda on the Mon side of Wengka village in Thailand. The area is heavily populated with ethnic Mon. Lit candles were arranged to spell the 256thanniversary of the Fall of Hongsawatoi Kingdom in Mon language.
Other ceremonies in Thailand took place at Wat Denkanoi in Mahachai Town.
Across Burma, residents of Rangoon, Moulmein and many Mon villages in the state also held ceremonies to remember this historic day.
