Htamanai Festival
There are 12 seasonal festivals in Myanmar and among
them is Htamanai Festival held in the month Tapodwe that is between
February and March.
Htamanai can be called as Hnanmanai because it is made up of sesame
seeds. Htamanai is regarded as remedial diet for cold and cough because
of the change of weather from cold to hot season.
Htamanai Festival is held in communally throughout the country. Boys and
girls, damsels and lads, young and old gather and volunteer for this
meritorious deed. One large pan requires 4 small baskets of sticky rice,
20 coconuts, one small basket each of peanut and sesame seeds, 4 kilo of
oil, 0.32 kilo of ginger and 0.16 kilo of salt.
Good preparation is necessary to make Htamanai - Fry coconut slices,
soak the sticky rice for a night, peel and pound ginger and roast sesame
and peanut for colour and fragrance. After the preparation, put the pan
on the fire and pour the oil… when the oil is boiled, add ginger, later
on sticky rice and stir them well.
After that, add water and cover the pan. When the rice is soft enough,
add sesame, peanut and coconut slices and stir them well once more. As
the mixture got oily and brown, remove the pan from the fire and
continue the stirring. It requires two strong men to crush the rice
between ladles.
In order to get the rice stickier not only sheer strength but also skill
and technical is required. While Htamanai is being prepared, the guests
are entertained to Myanma orchestra and music. Then, Htamanai is donated
to hospitals, schools, orphanages, home for the aged, psychiatric
hospital and other social organizations.
The nature of Htamanai festival means a big gathering because many hands
are required. Thus, Myanma traditional custom of Htamanai festival is in
essence an occasion for unity and friendship in the community.
