By Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt (Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja, Sithu)
THOUGH Myanmar Traditional Monthly Festivals do not include Taung Byone Nat Festival of Wagaung [ဝါေခါင ်]. This Nat festival is more well-known at home and abroad. So we may make an academic study of it as follows. There are 37 nats in Myanmar Pantheon. Of them the first Thagyar Nat was Hindu deity or deva Thunder god. The remaing 36 were Myanmar nats. Myanmar 36 nats were not born deva nats. They were human heros and heroines, kings, queens, soldiers, sportsmen who became nat spirits due to violent deaths by assassination, execution, child birth, fatal accidents or killed by snake or tiger. Their spirits wandered until they got resting places.
In the order of 36 nats Taung Byone Min Nyi Naung [Elder and Younger] brother well known as Shwe Pyin Nge Naung originated in the lime of King Anawrahta [A.D 1044- 1066]. The founder of First Myanmar Empire. The Shwe Pyin Nyi Naung were two sons of Byatta, king's equestrian forester and flower seller Mei Wunna of Mt Popa 30 miles away from Bagan Capital.
Nga Htwe Yu, the toddy palm climber, Nga Lone Let Phe, the ploughs man and Nyaung U Pe, the great Swimmer were selected by king Anawrahta to be his knights event. So these four and Byatta formed commanders of royal Land Forces. When Byatta was executed for his secret marriage with flower seller Mei Wunna and their two sons Shwe Pyin Nyi Naung sons were taken adopted as his grandsons. Mei Wunna died of broke heart. She becameal Popa Mei daw Nat.
The two Shwe Hpin brothers accompanied King Anawrahta who visited Sacred Tooth Relic Chamber in China. The two brothers served the king bravely and faithfully. On return home Anawrahta stayed for some time at Taung byone, north of Mandalay. There he built Su Taung Pyi Zedi in which he enshrined religious relics presented by his Chinese emperor U Di Bwa. By royal order every member of royal entourage was required to contribute one brick, one tin of sand and one coconut shell of water in the building of Pagoda.
But two adopted grandsons Shwe pyin gyi and Shwe pyin nge forgot to carry out the royal order as they were courting Ma Shwe Oo, the beauty village girl of that place. When the king found his two adopted grands on disobeyed his order, he punished them. But the executioner flaked then needs to death. So they became nat spirits King Anawrahta built nat shrine near the Pagoda. Some rice fields were donated to Pagoda and some to two nat brothers for holding their nat festival at the time of Pagoda Festival. Who are the believers of Taung Byone Nat and goers of that Festivals.
First, the very first nat mediums and their descendants. They have been holding Taung Byone Festival till today.
Secondly, believers and propitiates. You propitiate the two nat broth us and if your propitiations or prayers are answered. You have to but fill your promise of presents to the nat brothers clothing, food, money, other presents.
Visual artists and performing artists are belivers including Bingers dances, musicians, film stars etc. People whose professions are risky such as soldiers, air pilots, seamen. mariners etc. They visit Taung Byone nat festivals and make profitable bring back whatever nat brothers give them to keep as amulet. Next are the majority they are effeminates who dress like women, sing and dance. They say they are possessed by nat brothers and they danced and sing.
The last but nat the least are the gays from all over the world. Regard less of their race, religion, social status, they come to this festival status, they come to this festival without fail and enjoy all their gay activities. Open gay, hidden gay, active gay passive gays. Freedom permitted by Taung Byone nat festival is boundless permitted but within the limit of law. Among believers are included educated classes, foreigners from all countries. Doctors, engineers, professor dentists at etc ... Politian's teachers, UN officials. The writer of this article had the chance of accompanying the wife of one UN officer in Myanmar. They were from Denmark. The wife was a believer in Hindu Gods. She believed in Ramayana, Maha ba rata. They applied for transfer to Myanmar because the wife wanted to study Taung byone nats. The writer was assigned to accompany them to Taung byone festival. We put up at Mandalay Hotel and by car we visited Taung Byone 2 days ahead.
The Dane Lady made a through study of geography, history, legend, inscription and made a interview nat medium. On the Day of Nat Bolting festival the idols of 2 brothers were taken to the river and bathed and brought back to shrine. Big nat dances began. The Dane Lady old the with she was possessed by two brothers and so saying she joined the nat dance. For nearly half an hour she dances in trance. When the music stopped she woke up to herself.
Oh! Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt I had a wonderful time doing with two brothers. The two nat brothers gave one costly long silk longyi to the husband and one long silk hlunei and scarf to the lady. She participated in all festivals of days.
On return to Yangon this Dane Lady has become a confined Nat Ka Daw, Nat median. She much images of two brothers held consecration nat to be brought with. The writer come to know that she became Taung Byone nat telling earning many in her country. One officer from U.S counsellor office in Mandalay went to visited with his friends from Mandalay University. Joking by or testing he propitiated two nat brothers.
''I have been posted every when except Geneva. If your help me to get transfer Geneva. I shall always send you every year without fail''. A month after he got transfer order to Geneva. So keeps his promise of sending whisky a some cakes to Taung Byone nat brothers and visited them when he had where to come to Myanmar. The writer of this articles mother was a believer. The nat brothers told her that the son would go to England and get high and get married. The writers mother told him never to forget Taung Byone Nat brothers.
Mother of students sitting final exams. Interview at the Public Service commission to get jobs. Political Parties to win majority votes at General Elections. Politicians and M P to green winning vote and those who expect Winning state lottery traders, enterprises expecting good gain propitiate two Taung Byone Nat brothers. It their prayers are answers they propitiate the two nat brothers handsomely.
PHOTO: MIN HTET AUNG
