Myanmar: spectacular lantern festival lights up ancient temples in Bagan

Bagan celebrated Thadingyut, Myanmar's Festival of Lights, with hundreds of lanterns released into the sky above ancient pagodas. The festival, marking the end of Buddhist Lent, attracted thousands who gathered to pray and make offerings from October 25 to 27. For the first time, an official Sky Lantern Festival was organized by military authorities, releasing around 1,000 lanterns each evening to draw visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage site. Thadingyut commemorates the Buddha's return from the celestial realm and is a time for family reunions and honoring elders.