About April

           April is commonly associated with the season of spring in the Northern hemisphere and autumn in the Southern hemisphere, where it is the seasonal equivalent to October in the Northern hemisphere and vice versa.

          April starts on the same day of the week as July in all years, and January in leap years. April ends on the same day of the week as December every year. It became the fourth month of the calendar year.

          The Burmese new year usually falls in April (Approximately April 17). The part of the month of Tagu before the new year is call Hnaung Tagu and the later part of the month of Tagu after the new year is called Oo Tagu. For example, just saying "1373, Tagu" is not complete. Because "1373 Oo Tagu" on Burmese calendar corresponds to 2011 on Gregorian calendar and "1373 Hnaung Tagu" on Burmese calendar corresponds to 2012 on Gregorian calendar. Similarly, if the Burmese new year is in the month of Kason, the part of the month of Kason before the new year is called "Hnaung Kason".

            The Burmese New Year will be celebrated in April and everybody joins in the fun of dousing each other with water. Youths go out for the enjoyment, while elder people take retreat in monasteries and pagodas to perform meritorious deeds. One cannot avoid of getting very wet because everyone throws water at everybody. People drive through the city in open cars and there are stages along the street where people throw water. During this time, everything is closed: restaurants, shops, markets, Museum, etc.