YANGON, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- The colorful celebration of the famous hot-air balloon festival in Myanmar's Shan state entered its fourth day on Thursday, according to the Southern Shan State Traditional Hot-Air Balloon Professionals Association.
The festival opened on Monday at the Awaiyar Hot-Air Balloon Square in Taunggyi, the capital of Shan state, and was attended by Shan State Chief Minister U Aung Aung.
Originally scheduled for Nov. 9-15, the seven-day festival was rescheduled to Nov. 11-17 due to weather conditions, the association said.
Throughout the festival, a total of 209 hot-air balloons are to be launched during the daytime between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., while 47 nighttime balloons will lift off in the evenings starting from 6 p.m.
The hot-air balloon festival is part of Myanmar's traditional celebration of Tazaungdaing Festival, held on the full moon day of the eighth month in the Myanmar calendar.
This year, the full moon falls on Nov. 15. Among Tazaungdaing events across Myanmar, Taunggyi's hot-air balloon festival is the most popular one, with origins dating back to 1894.
The Tazaungdaing hot-air balloon festival is celebrated across Myanmar as part of a tradition to ward off evil spirits.
In the capital Nay Pyi Taw, an event to release hot-air balloons also kicked off on Wednesday at the Maravijaya Buddha Image compound, official media reported. ■