Friday 27 February 2015

Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda Festival


Buddha Images at Shwe Sar Yan Paya



This pagoda with or without a festival should not be missed. It has or must have had very wealthy patrons. It was built about 1000 years ago and is an hour’s drive from Mandalay. Massive pillars to the roof glitter with glass mosaics of gold and silver. On some pillars devas, who are heavenly spirits, are depicted in red, blue and aquamarine mirrored mosaics. The most striking of the Buddha images here, though curiously it is not the main image, is similar to the Maha Muni in Mandalay. But this paya is in the country not in a teeming city and has not had thousands of people applying gold leaf. It is all in gold but is smooth and svelte.
There is a romantic story attached to the paya. Around the 11th century, there were nine sabwa or leaders of the nine parts of Northern Shan State. The chief sabwa offered a beautiful daughter to King Anawratha of Pagan. The king accepted her as a bride.

Years later, on her way back to Shan State to visit her family she lost an earring as she crossed a stream. Of course everyone thought it had fallen into the water, but not a trace could be found. Then someone noticed a group of small birds flying and it was the beat of their wings that kept the earring aloft. Then, miraculously, the earring fell out of the sky into her hand. This version of the story is amazing enough, but another version had the earring returning to her (correct) ear. Either way, she built the pagoda on the site and donated the earring to the Buddha.

The svelte Buddha Image

Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda
A mirrored mosaic deva




Thursday 26 February 2015

Maha Muni : Return to Serenity


We return to Maha Muni on a quiet day without a festival so we can admire the Great Image. The original 12-foot tall bronze statue was cast 2500 years ago in what was then Dinnyawadi and is now Rakhine State. In the 18th century it was dragged on sleighs by thousands of men over the Rakhine Yoma Range and then floated on barges to King Bodawpaya’s palace in Amurapura. Since that time, the gold covering the gilded Image has increased massively and is estimated to weigh more than 12 tonnes. The size of the Mahamuni’s chest, arms and legs are probably ten times the size of the image when it was cast. Yet inexplicably, the face doesn’t seem out of proportion. Across the massive chest, master goldsmiths have worked intricate crossed straps with medallions from neck to waist. A dozen or two pilgrims kneel quietly praying and making offerings of flowers and fruit. 
Around the periphery of the paya there are many places for quiet prayer and contemplation, as well as huge bells you can ring to spread the spirit of Buddhism around. It is usual for the population to attend the paya not only on public festivals, but also on personal festivals such as birthdays. In a quiet corner, the Buddha sits placidly beneath his bawdi tree. Below and on two sides of him are ranged little Buddha images beneath signs showing the eight days of the Buddhist week. Wednesdays here are not one day but two – the second being called Yar Hu. On your birthday, for however many years you have reached, you pour a cup of water over the small Buddha’s head. (I’d have had to stay there all night).
Win Kyaing takes many photos that were impossible during the festival.

The most exciting involve elephants and high stepping horses leading the Buddha to King Sanda Thuriya’s palace and men straining on ropes moving the massive Image over mountainous terrain. The final picture is of King Bodawpaya at last welcoming the Buddha to his land.







Men placing gold leaf on the Image










Birthday blessings


Elephants and prancing horses



King Sanda Thuriya paying homage










Pulling along the Image














Arriving at last at Amurapura.

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Ko Gyi Kyaw Nat Festival : worshipping and praying

Bank notes, and many of them, are features of the pwe. Everyone inside and outside the enclosure hands up money as well as bananas and coconuts to the helpers on stage who present the offerings to the nats.
Once the nat has blessed the offerings, showers of notes – some as large as 5,000 kyat float down to the people below. The crowd outside the barred enclosure leaps around as the notes float down and I can see the bars are a good idea. By contrast, quietly and slowly, some senior, well-dressed matrons are circling a pillar. Their heads are down and their hands are together worshipping and praying.
A Shan man – judging by his Shan pants - has two bottles of Glan Master Whisky hung around his neck. I am sure Ko Gyi Kyaw will be pleased with  those. Oh, this is different: a nagadaw is given a sword - and then another. She crosses them, lays money on them and then wafts the notes towards the orchestra.
The most spectacular nagadaw is one reputedly from Shan State. Her costume is all red and decorated with gold jewellery. She gives much condescension to those of us not in the enclosure and becomes ever more regal the more she accepts sips of Grand Master Whisky.

All too soon, it is time for us to leave the pwe and catch the boat back across the Ayeyarwaddy. Fortunately the boat is only normally full, as most of the crowd is camping. They accept the discomfort happily just to have the opportunity to pay Ko Gyi Kyaw the respect due to him for one more year.


Senior matrons circling the pillar 


















Photos by Win Kyaing




Ko Gyi Kyaw Nat Festival: Offerings to the nat


We enter a large hall. At one end is an area enclosed by bars and locked gates. Only special people are allowed in. On a raised stage four nats are stationed. The nat on the right is Ma Bo Mae, the middle two are Princess Manisithu with Prince Wailuwaddy. The most important and the nat we have come so far to see is Ko Gyi Kyaw seated on his imposing black and golden horse.
On every table we pass, Ko Gyi Kyaw’s offerings are on display. Some nats like pork or beef, but he favours chicken and there they sit roasted and ready to eat. They are complete with neck and head – only the feathers have gone.
A woman beside me starts shaking violently and is falling into a trance. Her friend relieves her of the bottle of Grand Royal Whisky she is carrying (for the nat) in case she drops it. The shaking and trance are not due to the whisky, because I notice the bottle is still unopened.
Loud music heralds a nagadaw. All the nagadaws I have seen before were men dressed up and made up as women. However, at this pwe all the nagadaw appear to be women and some are even as old as me. One starts to dance and people inside the enclosure pin money on her bodice and headdress. She wafts around a golden pheasant and golden bowl in deep bows and imperious hand movements. Someone gives her a cigarette. So far alcohol has not featured. The drums beat ever more enthusiastically and the faithful inside and outside the enclosure rush forward with bouquets of Eugenia. The nagadaw waves the leaves over the orchestra and then pulls off her scarf giving way to another dancer. 

I wonder why some women are helping others don a long sequined skirt and scarf. I learn that because this pwe is so important, nagadaws from many parts of the country have come to dance for Ko Gyi Kyaw and it seems they must wear particular gear to do so.

Chicken is a favourite with Ko Gyi Kyaw


Photos by Win Kyaing