Tagu is the first month of the Myanmar calendar. It falls in March and April on the Gregorian calendar. Thingyan festival is the Myanmar new year festival. It is held in the month of Tagu every year. That has been the tradition since Tagaung Period and it becomes prominent in Bagan Period.
Water is a Symbol of coolness, clearness and cleansing of dirt and grime. The festival of Thingyan that is made most merry and enjoyable with pouring or throwing water on one another is taken as one that cleanses one and all of all dirt and grime of the old year and cools and clears the minds of the people for the new year.
Merry-making at Thingyan festival is intermingled with noble and pure activities of doing meritorious religious deeds in accord with the teaching of Buddha Dhamma.