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Information for Taung Pyone Nat Festival Majority of Myanmar people are Buddhists. However, some of them have any other traits of believe such as worshipping some deities for devotion or for consolation. And most of the people generally consider that it is not a peculiar thing to revere a Nat (Spirit).
About 20 km north of Mandalay lies a small village called Taung Pyone, resting quietly among the green fields. This place becomes the focus of the Taung Pyone Spirit Festival held every year in the Myanmar month of Wagaung (August) to honour the Nats at that place. This area had been awarded to the Nats as a special province of their own by Myanmar Kings since Bagan dynasty in 11 century. According to tradition, Nats are spirits that must be appeased or they will wreak havoc in peoples' lives.
Background history of the two Nat Brothers originated during the rule of King Anawrahta of the Bagan Period. After the empire King Anawrahta's Army went to attack the Mongols at the Myanmar- Chinese border, on the way back, he camped at the Taung Pyone Village. In the King's Army, the two young generals Shwe Pyin Nyi Naung, adopted sons of the King who got the supernatural power were very popular. As youngsters, they enjoy drinking and gambling all the time. The King planned to build a pagoda at that village. When it was the duty of every person in the Kingdom to contribute a brick and a handful of sand for the construction of the Pagoda, the two brothers failed to contribute their share. The jealous ministers purposely did the plan by not placing the two bricks that were of the two generals. So, the two bricks were missing after completion of the pagoda (We can find it today). When the King found out that and ordered for them to be mildly punished. Unfortunately, the two brothers were accidentally killed. The King was remorseful and built a big Nat (Spirit) shrine by the side of the Pagoda honoring the two brothers. Since then, they became Nats (Spirits) and the King deified them as the guardian spirits of the area, and they are the most popular among the 37 Nats deified by the people.
The homage-paying festival is now held annually to appease the spirits as it is believed that the Nat Brothers can fulfill one's wishes, protect one from ill-fate and danger, and bring good luck, prosperity and progress. It is one of much glories and distinguish spirit festival occurs annually on August.
Nowadays, Taung Pyone is the most famous one among the Nat festivals country - wide. All the Nat medians and those who believe and worship Nat gather at that village. Thousands of people are attending at the hundreds of Nat Pavilions to discuss the median for their future plans and prosperities. Series of 37 Nat statues on the stands are offered food and flowers, cash and alcohol and the medians amuse Nat with dance and the traditional Nat music day and night. As Nat song and music is very fantastic, whoever heard this song want to participate in their dance. Thousands of people are coming in and out everyday till the end of the festival.
The Taung Pyone Nat Festival is a place of must for those who want to observe the spirit-worship in Myanmar and it is also a sort of merry making trip.
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