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Nats, Mahagiri,
the Lord of
the
Mountain,
Popa Nat,
household
guardian,
Nat prayer
hall,
monastery,
Nats,
Buddhism,
Nats
worship,
animism,
ghosts
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Mt. Popa is the abode of the Nats near
a two hour
Myanmar trip out of Bagan.
A extinct volcano with a monastery on the
top at 1500 meters, dedicated to the Nats.
Since time
immemorial the Myanmar or Burmese pray to
the Nats. Nats are ghosts never seen but
strongly believed , according to the believe
of Myanmar or Burmese there are Nats
of the earth, water and sky, Nat The word
actually meant "ruler".
The Nats are
the protective spirits of everything
that exists in the world: There are Nats,
just for the protection of a single tree, a
hill, a lake, a river, a house. Others are
for an entire village, a whole City or an
entire area. The power of the Nats extends
over all people, animals and plants of that
territory who are there and have been there.
Everyone should do it right by give enough
attention to them and show their respect by
offering food, drinks or clothing or even
simply by a
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deferential gesture. In return
as the as the Burmese believe
the Nat give them protection.
Until today small shrines can be
found in Myanmar on the
outskirts of towns, in front of
a house, in a tree where fruits,
rice and flowers are placed.
This are "houses" of the the
local Nats. Often, they have no
name. All this is very similar
to Thailand, more on
Thailand
travel is here. |
Popa Mountain |
This reminds
to the oldest stage of animistic form.
In the old times the Nats were not
personified.
Only later the Nats morphed
into 36 basic personifications, but
there are still much more Nats out
there.
They received their particular
name, a biographic and its iconography
for representations.
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Mount Popa |
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By the
emergence of this "Supernats" the power
of the local Nats was not diminished
but a rather subordinate position.
Actually
this animistic believe is also still the
same in Thailand, where the same shrines
can be seen on many places.
In the 11th century the first ruler of
the Empire of Bagan, King Anuruddha,
after the unsuccessful fight against the
animist cults, formed a Pantheon of the
36 Nats and placed Thagyamin, the King
of Nats on top of them.
Mt. Popa is
the abode of the Nats and Thagyamin is
the "King" there. These
animistic beliefs live in Myanmar or
Burma with Buddhism peacefully together.
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Pantheon of the 36 Nats |
Pray to the Nats |
They share their influence and
functions. Nats are responsible for the
every day life and protect the people
from all kind of evil.
Nats are also
helpful when it comes to a good harvest,
for family life, health, and happiness.
Buddhism on
the other hand, serves the long run, the
future to nirvana, the ideal every
Buddhist aspires. In Myanmar or Burma
these two religions live together in
perfect harmony. So peaceful that some
researchers believe Buddhism has simply
absorbed the local animistic cults in itself. But
it is doesn't really look like
that not. In Myanmar or Burma,
the animistic cults have all
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characteristics of a independent
religion.
There is a pantheon of God, clear on the
upper level, blurred and not personified
on the lower level. There are special
rituals
to show devotion, sacrifice acts of cult
festivities, which until today are
always celebrated at full moon.
There are also people functioning as
servants of this cult, as medium with
dancing, singing and sacrifice
ceremonies on the organized celebrations
dedicated to the Nats
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Nat medium dancing |
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all at e-books
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Nats,
Popa
mountain, Mahagiri the Lord of
the
Mountain,
Popa Nat,
household
guardian, nat prayer
hall,
monastery,
nats,
Buddhism,
nats
worship,
animism,
ghosts
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