Traditional shop for offerings and good luck totems
- Bargayar Road, Kyeemindaing
- Open daily 7am-5pm
Toys and pagodas
You’ll see lots of toys, and toy like offerings, at pagodas. This is because of the indigenous faith that believes in spirits known as Nats. These toys act as an offering to Ma Nhal Lay, the famous child Nat, who apparently came to a ghastly and untimely end, being killed by a cat! Because of her youth, she is considered the most innocent of Nats and the best to seek help from.
Umbrellas for fortune
At the very top of a Stupa is the decorative piece known as the hintee, which is similar to the word umbrella in the Myanmar language. This is considered the most sacred part of the pagoda. The best way to improve your fortune is to donate a hintee to a pagoda, but for the pragmatic Burmese Buddhists, a paper umbrella will also do. The intricate umbrellas come in different versions, for single, double or triple-tiered offerings.
Saturday child
In Myanmar culture, Saturday is considered an unlucky day - for fires, hair washing, starting a journey, or simply being born, especially if you are a first child. For those unfortunate Saturday children, best is to come to the temple early in the day to donate umbrellas.