YANGON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar people were hurried doing deeds of merit since early Thursday morning to greet the Myanmar new calendar year according to its traditions and customs beginning with the dawn feasting of monks.

    Crowded in Yangon's pagodas and monasteries, especially the sacred Shwedagon Pagoda, were people, mostly Buddhists, paying obeisance to the Buddha, bathing the Buddha statues and sprinkling scented water on the Buddha images as part of Myanmar people's centuries-old heritage practiced on the new year day after the five-day merry water festival which ran from April 12 to 16.

    People were also seen freeing of bird and fish and other wildlife at wells and lakes, shampooing and bathing by the young people on the elderly ones at homes of the aged and offering natural fragrant bark scents and manicuring.

    During the five-day traditional Thingyan water festival, Myanmar people threw water on one another. By nature, water is cold and clean and therefore Thingyan water makes people cool, fresh and pleasant and gives happiness. It cleans dirt of the old year and causes new and fresh mind for the new year.

    Water is a symbol of not only cleanliness but also auspiciousness. Myanmar people believe that celebration of the water festival can wash away evils and sins accumulated in the old days and prepare for the new one, bringing the people into a happy new year.

    In olden days, Myanmar people used to sprinkle water gently with leaves to one another as a traditional way of holding the festival, but it has developed for a long time into a way that people throw water by splashing with water-gun and even with plastic pipes being joined to water pumps to create throwing force to increase pleasure.

    This year's Myanmar water festival in Yangon came to a close on Wednesday evening with a ceremony at the Yangon Mayor's Pandal with songs and dances.

    As in the past years, this year's Myanmar water festival in Yangon city was able to maintain with a civilized manner with polite approach by people in water throwing in response to the call by the authorities to prevent undesirable accidents out of drink and quarrel.

    The Myanmar water festival, which is for all ages, represents a unique and entertaining event.

    Of Myanmar's 12 seasonal festivals throughout the year, there is no other festival as long, as crowded and as merry as the water festival.