The colorful nine-day Shwe Saryan Pagoda Festival in central Myanmar is alive with vendors and visitors for weeks before it opens on March 14.
The annual harvest celebration honors the Shwe Saryan Pagoda, built by Queen Saw Mon Hla during the Bagan era, which was between the 9th and 13th centuries.
Large crowds have been gathering in Shwe Saryan village, Patheingyi township, in the Mandalay region, making this one of the most vibrant celebrations in recent years.
Local vendors and nearby residents typically start arriving at Shwe Saryan about a month in advance to prepare for the event.
