The Pagoda Alley Market

Religious life in Myanmar revolves around the zeidi or pagoda, the large, solid bell-shaped Buddhist monuments that pierce city skylines and dot the countryside throughout the nation. Many contain a small treasure trove of Buddhist relics: These may be materials thought to have been taken from the remains of the Buddha himself-typically bone, teeth or hair-or holy objects such as small Buddha images of varying materials, pieces of cloth blessed by venerated sayadaws (Buddhist masters) and gemstones.

A more visible cache of treasures can be found in the long, straight walkways radiating outward from the zeidi toward the four compass points. In the largest and most venerated pagodas and temples such as Shwedagon in Yangon, Mahamuni in Mandalay or Ananda in Bagan, these walkways have evolved over the centuries into sizeable enclosed passageways with vaulted ceilings. Vendor stalls lining the sides of such passageways carry on an ancient trade in Buddha images, prayer beads, temple souvenirs, folk art, monastic accoutrements, articles for home worship, and costumes for pwe (traditional Burmese theatre), shin-pyu (novitiation ceremony for boys), and na-tha (ear-boring ceremony for girls). Everyday items such as combs, mirrors, slippers, traditional medicines, cosmetics and books are also often available.

One of the alleys leading to the pagoda is often partially occupied by a section of astrologers and palmists who offer visitors the chance to have their past histories probed and their futures divined.

Religious worship, ceremonial preparations, grooming traditions, fortune-telling techniques-these are the practices of everyday Burmese life that set it apart from its neighbouring countries. In fact when we examine the aggregate of all that is offered in the great pagoda alley, it is clear that this is where the country's very bamahsan-chin or "Burmese-ness" is most visibly concentrated. A passage through a zeidi complex thus becomes in many ways a journey into the heart of Myanmar.

A collection of folk paintings on glass representing the nats (spirits). On sale in a pagoda alley market at Bagan, they are destined for the family shrine.

Herbal medicines and traditional cosmetics such as the ubiquitous thanaka powder are on sale at many pagoda alley markets.

A family strolls through a pagoda alley on the way to a novitiation ceremony.

Fashioning hti-umbrella-like ornamentation to be mounted atop the zeidi.

A label from one of Myanmar's most popular tonics.

Slippers to be worn by novitiates during the shin-pyu.

Buddhism as practiced in Myanmar mandates no particular "Sabbath" or day of the week when the Burmese must visit their pagodas. Instead it is the practice of the Burmese-alone, with friends, or with family members-to enter a pagoda complex whenever they feel the need to create kutho or "merit" (from the Pali kusala or "wholesome"). Particularly auspicious days to make merit include the full and new moon phases of the 28-day lunar month, on one's birthday, or whenever a little spiritual help from the Buddhist cosmos is desired.

Many of the objects found for sale in the great pagoda alley markets have been designed as offerings to be presented at small altars surrounding the zeidi. Most commonly these include candles, flowers, incense and small hti made from paper disks attached to bamboo strips, parasol-style. Through paying respect to the zeidis, Buddhas and other holy images in a pagoda complex, the Burmese believe they can obtain a better future, whether in this life or the next.

Although foremost in importance, religion is only one of the components of bamahsan-chin inculcated via pagoda visits. Woven sarongs or longyi for both men and women, simple velvet thong slippers, cosmetics and traditional Burmese medicine-all found in abundance in large pagoda complexes-add significant dimensions to the Burmese cultural identity. Very seldom does one see imported goods for sale at pagoda stalls, as such products are relegated to more secular markets. Thus any visit to a mahazeidi or great pagoda ultimately functions as a reaffirmation of the Burmese identity.

A typical pagoda alley, lined with vendors. Monks, the devout and people simply going shopping are frequent visitors.

A shop selling Buddha images. In the background is a replica of the most revered image in Myanmar-the Mahamuni Buddha image.
The stall-owner fashions some gilting in the foreground.

Intricately decorated hats to be worn by performers during the pwe dance-drama.

Shops for Religious Objects

Virtually every Burmese household features one or more altars where the tenants pay respect to Buddhism and to the spirit world. Lacquered and gilded wooden platforms of varying sizes, placed on high tables or fastened to the wall well above waist level, support religious figures of the family's choice. The highest altar-top is reserved for Buddha images, while nat figures are confined to lower altars in a separate area of the room-or even in a separate room altogether.

These altars, along with the images of the Buddha and various favoured nat figures, are most likely bought from one of the many shops lining the alleys leading to the pagoda. In addition to the traditional altar tables and altar cases, gilded cane baskets may also be purchased. These are hung from a pillar, rafter or roof beam somewhere in the house and usually contain a large, unhusked coconut-an offering to the house guardian nat, Eind-win Min Mahagiri.

Although it may appear to outsiders to be a conflict between Buddhism and nat worship, the Burmese merely divide their devotions and offerings according to the two respective spheres of influence: Buddha for future lives, and the nats for problems in this life.

A shop containing many of the requisites for home worship of Buddha, Buddhist bodhisattvas and nats.

Two pairs of eyes for the reconstruction of broken images and for repairs to the singha lion.

These ornate white umbrellas are used to shade holy images whenever they are moved in a procession. During the shin-pyu they may also be held over the head of white-robed novitiates.

Religious Offerings' Stalls

In the average pagoda alley, a preponderance of the merchandise offered for sale consists of an affordable assortment of goods which worshippers can purchase for use as temple offerings. Such materials may be reverently placed before any of the numerous Buddhist altars found within a temple or pagoda compound, from the smaller astrologically oriented "planet" shrines to the pagoda's principal Buddha image.

Many temple-goers believe that the quantity of kutho or spiritual merit that naturally accumulates in one's life may be enhanced by making regular offerings of this kind. In the minds of many there is a direct numerical relationship between the amount of money spent to purchase offerings and the amount of kutho acquired.

Such donations may also be made in conjunction with specific needs or requests, or to overcome perceived obstacles in one's daily life. In this respect it is believed that the Buddha may grant a wish or solve a problem in return for having received an offering. Whether performed for the acquisition of merit or for the petitioning effect of prayer, the essential propitiatory nature of such acts is one of the pagoda's main reasons for existence.

Small hti made of bamboo strips and topped with coloured paper cut into umbrella-like shapes are the most inexpensive and popular of pagoda offerings. Often a pagoda astrologer will recommend the size, number, and colour of hti to be purchased by his clients and offered to the shrines. The umbrella motif symbolizes the supportive-protective relationship between the worshipper and the Buddhist religion; the donor supports the pagoda and the religion in return protects the donor.

An artisan/vendor fashions "flowers" consisting of folded kyat notes for monastery offerings. The money is used for the maintenance of the shrines and other religious structures, or for the construction of new ones.

Other formats for making monetary donations include bills folded into the shape of Mount Meru, the mythical centre of the Buddhist cosmos, and others fitted together in the shape of a banyan tree (Ficus religiosa) leaf. This leaf symbolizes the culminating episode in the Buddha's religious journey, in which he sat at the foot of a banyan and vowed not to leave until he had attained enlightenment.

Spirit Shrines and Nat Images' Shops

During the 12th century the widespread adoption of Buddhism suppressed, but never replaced, the pre-Buddhist practice of nat (spirit) worship. Nat worship dates back to proto-and possibly prehistoric times; originally, it revolved around land, sky and water spirits, and was obviously linked to agricultural endeavours. But by the Bagan era, historical personages started gaining spirit status, probably in response to increased centralization of governing power (giving people martyrs to pay tribute to), and possibly influenced by similar cults in India.

Many nats are thought to be descended from people who had died violent, unjust deaths. These supra-human nats, when correctly propitiated, can aid worshippers in accomplishing important tasks. The most potent of the nats make up a well known pantheon of 37, all of whom make Mt Popa their main spiritual abode. Today, this rock outcropping jutting from the plain near Bagan remains a major point of pilgrimage for many Burmese.

A visit to a temple reveals any number of nats housed in shrines dotted around the temple compound, in apparent contrast with the Buddhist nature of the place. And on sale in the pagoda alley markets are all the figures in the 37-nat pantheon-and more. These are purchased by the devout, and when placed in nat kaun (spirit home) shrines in the home, become the recipients of food, liquor, flowers and other consumables. Thus are the powerful spirits placated.

A nat kaun. Typically a nat kaun consists of a small wooden enclosure with a peaked roof, containing an image of the nat in worship. It can vary in size from a small altar-like wall attachment in the home, to a mini-house on stilts outdoors. Offerings are placed in front of the nat image.

Among the most famous of the 37-nat pantheon are the Taungbyon brothers, said to have been warriors in King Anawratha's 11th-century army. They were executed for failing to lay bricks at a pagoda as ordered. The appropriate offerings for the older brother, Shwe Hpyin Gyi, are soft drinks, while Shwe Hpyin Nge prefers liquor and fried chicken.

The Taungbyon brothers flank their mother, Mei Wunna. She is one of the most important Mt Papa nats because of her power to aid devotees in all religious endeavours, including the construction of pagodas. In the background stands a realistic rendering of Mt Papa.

The nat family of U Tint Te, his wife Shwe Nabe and their daughter Ma Hne Lay, guardians of the home and family, in a shrine at Mt Papa.

Myin Hpyu Shin, astride a white horse (upper left) watches over villages, quarters, wards and neighbourhoods. The smaller figure in front of Myin Hpyu Shin is U Min Kyaw, commonly known as Ko Gyi Kyaw. He bestows prosperity upon his followers in return for offerings of liquor. Ko Gyi Kyaw is a favourite subject of nat pwes, in which spirit mediums enter into trance in the hope of being temporarily possessed by his raucous spirit.

Colour posters on sale in a Mandalay market. They may be used at a home shrine in lieu of figures, and depict: (on left) Shan brother and sister, Komyo Shin and Pule Yin, protectors of travellers who offer them pickled tea and sticky rice to the sound of a Shan gong; (middle) half human, half buffalo, Nankaraing Mei Daw, who protects devotees by destroying enemies when offered fried fish; (right) Sawgadaw, Yawgadaw, Nawgadaw and Seigadaw who represent the four compass points. Skilled in the weaving of magical spells and hexes, they must be offered uncooked chicken giblets in late evening by candlelight.

Monks' Outfitters

Buddhist males in Myanmar are expected to shave their heads and temporarily don the robes of the Sangha or monkhood at least once in their lives. Many enter the Sangha twice, first as a samanera or novice monk in their pre-teen years and again as a pongyi or fully ordained monk some time after the age of 20. A novice keeps ten monastic vows and typically spends an auspicious nine days in robes (those from impoverished families may stay longer), while a pongyi follows 227 vows and is expected to stay in robes for up to three months. The optimum interval for the latter is Waso, the "Buddhist Rains Retreat" season extending from July to October.

Typically, every monk is given the eight requisites permitted by the millennium-old Theravada Buddhist Vinaya or monastic code: Robe set (consisting of a lower cloth, an upper cloth, and an outer cloth), waistband, alms-bowl, razor, water strainer (for filtering insects from drinking water) and sewing thread for robe repairs. These will be obtained from a specialist shop in the pagoda alley, and donated to a monk by those seeking merit.

In addition to accruing spiritual merit for themselves and for their families, these short-term monastic sojourns form a very important part of a Burmese man's cultural and literary education.

Specialist shops such as this one in Mandalay stock the various articles of clothing and personal implements required in Buddhist monastic life. Myanmars Buddhist laity may purchase these items and present them to the pongyi kyaung or monastery during religious festivals, or at any time they wish to prove their devotion to Buddhism.

In addition to the eight basic requisites prescribed for the pongyi, a certain number of additional articles may be kept and used. These include the leaf-shaped fan (for modestly hiding the face during public chant king sessions as well as for self-cooling), rosary beads, umbrella, sandals and small aluminium tiffin cariers for collecting "messy" foods such as soups or curries during the morning alms round.

Although basically nothing more than large rectangular pieces of cloth, monks' robes come in a variety of fabrics, colours and stitching styles. Novices tend to wear brighter colours than older monks, for example, and heavier robes may be used during cooler months.

Robes, waistband, alms-bowl, strainer, razor, and sewing thread, the eight requisites for the Sangha. These items may be purchased from a shop in the pagoda alley as a merit-making exercise. Each dawn, monks walk in single file from household to household near their monasteries with the black lacquer bowls, collecting morsels of food for their daily sustenance.

A rosary and a fan, inscribed with tenets of Abhidhamma or Buddhist philosophical doctrine. The more expensive rosaries are made of ahmwe daing or sandalwood.

A wrapper for a set of monastic robes.

Vendors of Alabaster Buddha Images

Burmese artisans craft Buddha images from a variety of materials, including wood, stone, bronze, iron and jade, but it is the alabaster figure that most captures the fancy of the average person in Myanmar. Today, row after row of these pure-white, serene-faced statues may be seen in many of the shops lining the pagoda alley.

Virtually all of the alabaster used for Buddhist sculpture in Myanmar comes from quarries at Sagyin, about two hours north of Mandalay by road on the way to Mogok. Quarry operators or alabaster whole-salers transport huge chunks by truck to Mandalay, where they are purchased by workshops clustered near the highly revered Mahamuni Pagoda.

Particularly in the region around Mandalay, Buddhists equate the white translucence of the milky marble with religious. purity. The smooth white surface also makes an excellent canvas on which to apply gilt or painted detail.

Figures such as this heavily adorned Buddha image would originally have been bought from an alabaster Buddha vendor. The decoration would have been added afterwards, but before the image was placed in a temple. thus, the donor would accrue merit.

A gallery of Buddhas, all in the classic bhumisparsa (earth-touching) pose, await purchasers.

Artisans carve three classes of Buddha images, ranked by quality and detail of workmanship. First-class figures are usually sculpted by special order only and may take weeks to complete.

A sculptor applies the finishing touches to a small Buddha figure. Hanging overhead are iron umbrellas or hti, used to top zeidi spires.

Astrologers and Palmists

Wen found in a pagoda alley, an astrologer's parlour will usually occupy a special sect on alongside other such parlours; fortune-tellers, palmists and astrologers all vie for business side by side. They are frequently consulted by the Burmese who consider that the position of the stars and planets have a great influence on one's life.

Most Burmese parents try to hire an astrologer to create a natal chart or zatar shortly after the birth of a child. Traditionally, these were inscribed onto palm leaves or bamboo slats, but nowadays more every day materials such as cardboard may suffice. Each zatar contains a record of one's birth date and time along with the relative positions of the planets of the Indian zodiac at birth. The Burmese keep the zatar in a safe place in the home so that it can be re-examined by an astrologer whenever it is necessary to divine the auspicious time and date for weddings, funerals and even commercial negotiations.

Most Burmese palmists follow the Cheiro method, named after the famous 19th-century Egyptian palmist who said "A face may lie, but a hand will never".

One of the many astrologer's parlours along the entrance to the Mahamuni pagoda, Mandalay.

Palmistry ranks with astrology as one of the most important services in the pagoda alley.

A treatise on astrology. Courtesy of Lopburi Arts and Antiques (Singapore).

A palmist examines the natal chart and palms-right hand for the future, left hand for the past-of a visitor.

The zatar, folded and bound with string to protect it.

Vendors of Bells and Gongs

It is not only in temple compounds and monasteries that one finds bells and gongs in Myanmar. Many Burmese will also display these items-usually bought from a specialist vendor in the pagoda alley-in their homes. They are considered items of devotion.

The classic designs for Burmese bells and gongs date back many centuries to an era when clocks had yet to be introduced. In today's Buddhist monasteries, time is still measured by the sound of padded hammers striking bronze surfaces: calling the monks to chanting sessions or meditation; announcing alms rounds or meal times; starting classes in Dhamma (Buddhist philosophy).

Certain gongs and bells are struck freely by visitors to shrines and pagodas as a form of prayer, homage or supplication. The round, flat gong of Shan origins produces sharp tones that are a favourite of nat worshippers; the large, ornate and more mellow-sounding temple bell is sounded three times by Buddhists paying tribute to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha (monastic community).

The flat, double-flanged kyeyzi, the holiest of Burmese bells, is used in conjunction with meditation, chanting, funerals and the collection of temple donations.

Shan gongs feature heavily in nat pwe, dances performed to invite spirit possession.

These temple bell frames are consigned to planet shrines within a temple compound: the dragon design for Saturday-born and the rat design for Thursday-born worshippers.

Stacks of cymbals have been placed before a family shrine to Thurathati (Saraswati in Sanskrit), the Hindu goddess of education and music.

A sonorous collection of bells, gongs and kyeyzi on sale in a shop in a pagoda alley.

Ceremonial Costumiers (Shin-pyu, Na-tha and Pwe Dresses)

Almost all boys between the ages of five and 15 participate in the shin-pyu or novitiation ceremony, during which sons take up the robe and bowl of Buddhist monasticism for a few days to earn religious merit for their parents and confirm their status as Buddhists. Girls of a comparable age may undergo a similar rite of passage known as the na-tha, during which their ears are pierced and they receive religious instruction from a Buddhist abbot.

In a procession from the family home to a temporary ceremonial hall near a monastery where the novitiation takes place, boys usually ride on ponies while girls sit in bullock carts. For both the shin-pyu and the na-tha, boys and girls are dressed in mock royal accoutrements, including heavily sequinned crowns, elaborate gold-threaded tunics and special slippers. All these are available from specialist shops in the pagoda alley. When enough money is available, a pwe-a live variety performance involving music, dance and comedy-may be hosted the night before a novitiation to celebrate the event and receive the nats' blessings.

Characters in a pwe are distinguished by their headgear. In court dramas, this hat is worn by the king's seconds-chamberlains, ministers or regents.

A salwe or chestpiece worn by male novitiates.

The dragon headdress signifies the naga meidaw (she-dragon nat).

A belu-ma (ogress) wears a ferocious green mask.

The ponna (Brahmin astrologer) who wears this hat feeds malicious gossip to the heroic king in a zat pwe (dance-drama based on Jataka stories) stirring up trouble and quickly becoming the set villain.

Buffalo masks symbolize Nankaraing, a half-woman, half-bovine nat of Mon origins.

These shin-pyu invitations depict the young Prince Siddhattha leaving the palace and renouncing his royal status to begin the long journey toward Buddhahood-a metamorphosis symbolically encapsulated in the novitiation ceremonies.

The mock royal accoutrements, necessary for both the shin-pyu and the na-tha ceremonies, on sale at a specialist outfitters.

Toy Shops

Miniature animal figures, autos and drums seem to have a universal appeal for children everywhere, and the children of Myanmar are no exception. From a child's point of view, part of the fun of a visit to a religious site may be the possibility of buying a toy. Numerous vendors along the pagoda alleys stock a large array of brightly coloured toys.

While religious art such as Buddhist sculpture and the crafting of articles for nat worship require an adherence to relatively strict iconographic formulae, everyday folk art allows ample room for whimsy and innovation. In addition to toys, figures from Burmese mythic theatre, such as the thu-nge-daw or page boy/court messenger, are available. Some of the objects occasionally offer cultural symbolism too.

Sagaing has been a major centre for the crafting of toys for four generations. Inexpensive techniques involving the application of papier mache to bamboo frames reduce the retail cost of such art to a level almost anyone can afford. In a process that takes about three days, the toys are fashioned from strips of paper soaked in rice paste and moulded around clay or wooden forms. Once the papier mache dries, the figures are painted or gilded.

A pagoda vendor's display of folk art and toys. The large black-eyed figures represent the auspicious zee-kwet or owl, to be displayed in pairs near the front of a shop to summon business success.

Bullock cart.

Animal figures, which double up as toys for children. Spring-mounted heads add an extra touch of realism and movement to animal figures.

A thu-nge-daw or page boy. This individual carries communiques to and from the royal characters in classical dance drama as well as marionette theatre. Always portrayed as a positive and energetic personage, he thus presents a cultural role model for children growing up in Myanmar.

Marionette Vendors

Marionette theatre or yok-thei pwe enjoyed a pre-eminent place in Myanmar's performing arts tradition in the 18th and 19th centuries. The movements created by master puppeteers using the colourfully garbed and carefully assembled jointed wooden puppets in fact influenced the development of zat pwe, dance-drama later performed by live actors. Even today Burmese classical dance shows a pronounced similarity to marionette movements.

As in zat pwe, the primary subject matter for Burmese marionette theatre comes from the Jatakas. Favourite tales include those stories which emphasize royal court intrigue and provide moral instruction via the performance's subtext.

Standing up to a metre high, the marionettes may be manipulated by a dozen or more strings. Some of the older, more elaborate figures, particularly those representing nat or spirit roles, display as many as 60 strings attached to every moveable part of the puppet, from elbows to eyebrows. A yok-thei performance displays not only the talents of the puppeteers, but of the singers, musicians, woodcarvers, embroiderers and set designers as well.

Due to the breakdown of royally sponsored classical arts during the British colonial era and the advent of motion pictures, yok-thei pwe declined by the 1930s. It is now mostly relegated to performances held for foreign tourists. The puppets themselves, however, are still extremely popular. They are often purchased by Burmese and tourists as souvenirs or gifts and feature prominently in almost every shop in the great pagoda alley market.

Puppeteers at work.

Design motifs used in the Kaluga and marionette costumes reflected 19th-century court dress. Nowadays, the embroidery techniques used for the Kaluga have joined the repertoire of costuming options for souvenir marionettes.

Marionettes are carved and fitted together such that most of the basic human movements involved in walking, dancing, and gesturing may be imitated. Older, pre-1970 puppets are more versatile than those created for the tourist market.

A traditional yok-thei troupe will consist of 28 puppet roles. These comprise: Thagyamin ("king of the gods"); a king, queen, prince and princess; a regent; two court pages; an old man and an old woman; a villain; a hermit sage; four royal ministers; two clowns; one good and one evil nat; a Brahmin astrologer; an ogre; a zawgyi (alchemist); a horse; a monkey; a makara or mythical sea serpent; and an elephant. Pictured here are (5.) two ogres, (6.) a horse, (7.) a queen, (8.) a prince, (9.) a comedian or clown, (10.) an old man, (11.) a king and (12.) a zawgyi or alchemist. Overleaf. The costumes of the prince (standing) and comedian (seated) in traditional folk theatre or anyeint pwe are identical to those used in marionette theatre. Both types of performance bring together the collective skill and inspiration of singers, musicians, comic improvisers, costume-makers, and set designers.