YANGON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Just days before Myanmar's beloved Thingyan New Year holiday, streets that would normally pulse with music and festival stages now sit quiet with national grief.

The country's Thingyan water festival, typically marked by exuberant celebrations, has been scaled back this year following a devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on March 28.

More than 3,600 people were killed, over 5,000 injured, and thousands displaced across capital Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay, Sagaing, Bago, Magway, and Shan regions.

In response, Myanmar's State Administration Council announced that this year's Ata Thingyan Festival will be observed peacefully.

Across the country, the mood has shifted. The vibrant activities that define Thingyan -- music, dancing, and playful water battles meant to wash away misfortune -- have given way to mourning and quiet resilience.

In Yangon, 32-year-old Aung Kyaw Oo described the contrast starkly.

"This time last year, we were setting up water tanks and getting speakers ready for street parties," he said.

"Now, we're helping people who've lost everything. We can't celebrate when so many are grieving, but we'll still pour scented water for our grandparents and keep the tradition alive in a quieter way."

This year's Ata Thingyan Festival will run from April 13 to 16, with New Year's Day on April 17.

Unlike before, major cities like Yangon and Mandalay have canceled large-scale celebrations. Water-splashing pavilions sit unfinished or dismantled. The focus has shifted to emergency aid, rescue work, and recovery.

Artists who once performed on festival stages are now volunteering, delivering supplies, helping resettle the displaced, and supporting relief efforts.

For 33-year-old Ma Phyu in Yangon, the tragedy has reshaped her choices for the festival.

"Last Thingyan, I was traveling to places such as Bagan, Hpa-an, and beaches, chasing fun," she said. "Now I just want to be with my family. This reminded me how fast life can change. I want to live more gratefully."

In Maubin, 58-year-old teacher Daw Aye Aye Myint had planned to attend a meditation course in Nay Pyi Taw with her cousin. After the earthquake displaced her cousin and devastated parts of the capital, her trip was canceled.

"I'll mark the New Year through traditional merit-making," she said. "We'll invite monks to chant, release fish into rivers, and help elders with rituals like washing their hair and trimming their nails."

Like many, Daw Aye Aye Myint was especially looking forward to this year's celebration after Thingyan was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. But now, she prefers a quieter observance.

"Thingyan is about cleansing, morality, renewal, doing good, and caring for others," she said. "This year, I welcome the silence."

U Nyunt Win, director-general of the Fine Arts Department under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, also said that there will be no dance stages or music trucks this year.

"Before the earthquake, we had planned a large festival, even designated a UNESCO celebration zone in Nay Pyi Taw," he said.

But after the disaster, the priorities have changed to rescue, shelter-building, and recovery, the official said. Enditem

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