The water festival, known as Thingyan, lasts four days and ends by bringing in the Burmese New Year. The throwing of water symbolizes a show of blessings and good wishes and usually occurs on the last two days of the festival.
Burmese Water Festival

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Buddhist monks and devotees carry flowers to offer at Shwedagon pagoda in Rangoon, Burma, April 17, 2014.

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Buddhist devotees pray at Shwedagon pagoda at the end of their annual water festival. The Buddhist devotees participated in religious rituals, marking the Burmese New Year, Rangoon, Burma, April 17, 2014.

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Buddhist devotees walk with umbrellas through the temporary tents of souvenir shops on a road leading to an entrance to Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar, Thursday, April 17, 2014. Myanmar Buddhists concluded celebrating their annual water festival, kno

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The four day water festival started with gentle sprinkling of water to cool down but it has gradually evolved into water fights using hoses and water guns and dancing in the street. (MoeMoe Htun/VOA).