A ban on liquor advertisements by the Burmese regime has adversely affected contractors who make Mandats (pandals) and collect fees from people playing with water during the water festival. Sponsorship this year is becoming hard to come by.
The contractors depend heavily on sponsorship for such pandals. This year, with the junta banning alcohol and beer advertisements and prohibiting any such pandal on Inya Road, which is one of the busiest places in Rangoon during the water festival, contractors are in a spot.
In Burma, Thingyan, water festival is celebrated on the eve of Burmese New year day, which is calculated by the lunar calendar. This year, Burma will celebrate the popular water festival from April 13 to 16. The government has however allowed for water pandals on Pyi Road, Kabar Aye Road and Saya San Road, which were not allowed last year.
"The big and famous pandals that usually garner good sponsorship will have no problems. But for the middle range ones that rely on alcohol or beer company sponsorship rather than drinking water or soft drink sellers, are having problems. They have to compete hard to get sponsorship," said a contractor who puts up a pandal at the corner of Bo Sein Hman ward in Tamwe township.
A sponsorship for a pandal is between 10 to 20 lakhs Kyat (USD 1,000 to 2000 approximately) and for a big pandal that provides entertainment and music, it is up to Kyat 40 lakhs (USD 4000 approximate).
The pandals are temporary raised stages erected on main roads and have high powered water jets to spray plenty of water on people who visit the pandal during the water festival days.
With most business people in the country turning to Mandalay, Burma's second capital and former royal capital, to provide sponsorship for pandals with stage shows and entertainment, a pandal in Rangoon can expect a maximum of 30 lakhs Kyat in sponsorship, says a young contractor in Rangoon.
"We have not got any sponsorship till now. We have already contacted Alpine (drinking water brand) and PMG (Peace Myanmar Group Co. Ltd.) and some others for sponsorship. Previously Tiger (beer) and Myanmar Beer used to sponsor us but this year there are reports circulating that alcohol and beer advertisements will not be allowed for water festival pandals," said a contractor who cannot construct a pandal on Inya Road, which he did last year.
A Thingyan pandal on a busy Rangoon street for the water festival. Loud music is mandatory in a pandal. Photo: Mizzima/Archive. People play with water while entertainment and music is on.
Alcohol and beer companies used to play a major role in providing sponsorship to pandals of Burma's cities during the water festival. Each company used to provide sponsorship of a minimum 1 lakh Kyat and 120 beer bottles to a maximum 5 lakh kyat and 240 beer bottles to a pandal.
Revellers enjoying water festival at Rangoon’s Inya Road last year. Photo – Mizzima/Archive.
Pre-dominantly Buddhist Burma, traditionally celebrates the water festival as a symbol of cleansing the past year’s sins with water as they usher in the New Year.
