Myanmar has a kind of a traditional heritage from
generation to generation which is the worshipping of the Nats or the
Spiritual Beings.
The legend says that before King Anawrahta came to power in Bagan in
the 11th century, it was common for the Myanmar to build small
shrines or spirit houses dedicated to land Nat who were displaced by
the construction of houses, monasteries or other buildings, or by
the planting of rice and other crops. The owners or tenants of the
buildings made daily offerings of food, incense and flowers at the
shrines to placate these "guardian" Nat.
The older generations also believed that if a person from a royal
family had died violently, then that person becomes a Nat. These
superhuman Nats, when correctly propitiated, could aid worshipers in
accomplishing important tasks, vanquishing enemies and so on.
When King Anawrahta wanted to make Theravada Buddhism the national
faith, he tried to ban the Nat worship in Bagan. As part of his
anti-Nat campaign, he ordered the destruction of all Nat shrines in
the kingdom. He also forbade the practice of animal sacrifice at
nearby Mt Popa, a volcanic outcropping considered the abode of the
36 most powerful human Nat. Instead of abandoning their belief in
Nat, however, the Myanmar merely took their practices underground,
rebuilding the guardian Nat shrines in their homes.
Finally, when the King realised that he was turning the people away
from Buddhism, rather than destroying their faith in the Nats, the
king rescinded his total ban and allowed Nat images and shrines on
paya grounds.
He himself led the way by placing images of the 36 Nat from Mt Popa
at the base of the sacred pagoda of Shwezigon. To these universally
recognised 36, Anawrahta added 37th, Thagyamin, a Hindu deity based
on Indra, who he crowned "King of the Nat".
All these nats live together in a big gallery. They have different
images - kings, queens, animals or some enigmatic creatures. Some of
them are very peaceful, including spirits of trees, rivers, snakes;
some of them keep the spirits of people who have met a violent or
tragic death, and can therefore wreak destructive vengeance on
people who annoy them. These nats have had a very strong influence
throughout the history of Myanmar. Mt. Popa was one of the most
important places of homage for Kings of the Bagan dynasty. . The
name is derived from Pali, word meaning "flower", so Mt. Popa means
"a mountain of flowers".
These 37 Nats are listed as follows
| No. |
Name |
Meaning |
| 1 |
Thagyamin |
Indra or Sakra, King of Nats |
| 2 |
MahaGiri |
Lord of the great mountain |
| 3 |
Hnamadawgyi |
Great royal sister of Magagiri |
| 4 |
Shwe Nabe |
Lady with Golden Sides |
| 5 |
Thon Ban Hla |
Lady of Three Times Beauty |
| 6 |
Taungoo Mingaung |
King Mingaung of Taungoo |
| 7 |
Mintara |
King Hsinbyushin |
| 8 |
Thandawgan |
The Royal Secretary to Taungoo Minkaung |
| 9 |
Shwe Nawrahta |
The young prince drowned by King Shwenankyawshin |
| 10 |
Aung Zawmagyi |
Lord of the White Horse |
| 11 |
Ngazishin |
Lord of the five white elephant |
| 12 |
Aungbinle Hsinbyushin |
Lord of the white elephant from Aungbinle |
| 13 |
Taungmagyi |
Lord of Due South |
| 14 |
Maung Minshin |
Lord of the North |
| 15 |
Shindaw |
Lord Novice |
| 16 |
Nyaung-gyin |
Old man of the Banyan tree |
| 17 |
Tabinshwehti |
King of Myanmar between 1531-50 |
| 18 |
Minye Aungdin |
Brother-in-law of King Thalun |
| 19 |
Shwe Sit thin |
Prince, son of Saw Hnit |
| 20 |
Medaw Shwedaw |
Lady Golden Words |
| 21 |
Maung Po Tu |
Shan Tea Merchant |
| 22 |
Yun Bayin |
King of Chiengmai |
| 23 |
Maung MinByu |
Prince MinByu |
| 24 |
Mandalay Bodaw |
Lord grandfather of Mandalay |
| 25 |
Shwebyin Naungdaw |
Elder Brother Inferior Gold |
| 26 |
Shwebyin Nyidaw |
Younger Brother Inferior Gold |
| 27 |
Mintha Maungshin |
Grandson of King Alaung Sithu |
| 28 |
Htibyusaung |
Lord of White Umbrella |
| 29 |
Htibyusaung Medaw |
Lady of White Umbrella |
| 30 |
Pareinma Shin Mingaung |
The Usurper Mingaung |
| 31 |
Min Sithu |
King Alaung Sithu |
| 32 |
Min Kyawzwa |
Prince Kyawzwa |
| 33 |
Myaukpet Shinma |
Lady of the North |
| 34 |
Anauk Mibaya |
Queen of the Western Palace |
| 35 |
Shingon |
Lady Hunback |
| 36 |
Shingwa |
Lady Bandy-legs |
| 37 |
Shin Nemi |
Little lady with the flute |
Other legends about the spirits of Myanmar
Shwe Phyin Nyinaung or Min Gyi Min Lay
Legend says, King Anawrahta of Bagan (11th century AD) had an
Indian fast-runner by the name of Byatta who had to fetch fresh
flowers from Popa at a distance of about 30 miles and to offer
to the King, everyday. Byatta fell in love with Mai Wunna, who
was a flower-eating ogress of Popa and for this event, he was
late for offering flowers to the King. He was killed for that
reason. They had two sons. When the king realized of his
mislead, he took the two young brothers and let them live in the
palace. These two brothers grew up into wild, irresponsible
young men. The royal family, ministers, princes and princesses
started to dislike the way the brother's act. One day when King
Anawarahta built the Shwezigon Pagoda, he ordered each and
everyone in the city to lay a brick in the construction.
Unfortunately, the brothers did not follow the orders and were
executed for neglect of duty in the construction of the pagoda.
It so happened that after their execution, their spirits begged
the king for mercy and he granted them certain rights and
territories to rule. King Anawarahta gave Taungpyone just a few
miles from Mandalay. The Taungbyon Festival is held every year
in their honour. And thousands and thousands of people
throughout the country worship the Shwe Phyin Brothers. The rise
of their stature raised the status of their mother who is also
worshipped as the Queen-Mother of Popa.
Panbe Maung Tint Dai
There was a domestic spirit who was senior to the Shwe Phyin
Brothers. They were Maung Tint Dai meaning Mr. Blacksmith. He
lived in the age of Tagaung (6th century BC), long before
Anawrahta's Bagan. He was physically so strong that even the
king feared for his own safety and played a ruse to get rid of
the strong man. The king announced that he had made one of Maung
Tint Dai's sisters a queen, and sent for him promising rich
rewards that a royal-brother-in-law deserved. When the
unsuspecting Blacksmith arrived at the royal city, he was
promptly captured, tied to a golden "champa" tree and burnt to
death. When his sister, the queen heard what had happened, she
also jumped into the fire and was consumed by the flames.
Their spirits resided in that tree and put a curse on the people
and animals that came under it. At last, the king had the tree
uprooted and floated down the Ayeyarwaddy River. The tree
drifted down the river slowly and reached Bagan in the reign of
Kind Thelegyang. When the king heard about it, he had the tree
salvaged and sculpted into the figures of the unfortunate
brother and sister and enshrined them at Popa. The king also
visited Popa once a year to pay his respects to the two spirits.
His worshippers never offer candle light to him out of
consideration for the way he met his death long ago, believing
that he wouldn't want to see fire again.
Wizard and Alchemist
Besides spiritual beings, it is believed to be a special abode
of other nats and the haunt of other supernatural beings, like
Weikzars and Zawgyis (wizards and alchemists). Each of them has
special powers, a special legend, a special story, and perhaps
what is one of the most romantic, enchanted and exotic regions
of Myanmar.
Top