Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-04-25
A BURMESE CEREMONY.
Volunteer Contributions to Ornament
Magnificent Pagoda.

Perhaps one of the most wonderful
structures that the Orient can boast is
the Pagoda at Rangoon. "Shway Is
Burmese for gold or gilded, and II the
reader can imagine an elongated Dubious
dome drawn out to height greater than
st. Paul's, and covered completely with
FURNISHED gold from base to summit, he
may get an idea of the Shway Dugon
Pagoda. But stay, he must not forget
the Eastern sun blazing ON it in clear
atmosphere, causing the eye to turn
away from it, dazzled by its supreme
brilliance, forrelief among the deep green
foliage at its feet. At the very crown OF
the spire is fixed a canopy studded with
rubies, diamonds, emeralds and sap
phires, and this again is crowned by a
gilded flag, in which all the choicest
gems are set in pure gold This flag
was recently dislodged by an earthquake
and was taken down, and for three con-
secutive Sundays all the pious Burmese
focked to contribute a share towards the
expense of remodelling and enriching
this ornament. There are two or three
layers Of leaden alloy inside, while out
piNiC blltSt stiG CONCItd Will Va
pure gold about quarter of an inch
thick, and densely encrusted with gems.
The remelting is solemn ceremony
conducted by the ''poongyees' or Bur
mese elders, a select committee of whom
gather and control the public funds.
Clad in flowing white garments, the
''poongyees" gather behind bamboo
barrier, inside kind of square tent,
and receive the offerings of the people,
which vary from a diamond worth 6, 900
rupees to few pice, according to the
wealth of the donor. The high caste
Burmese lady comes forward, and, I'M
clasping a costly bangle set with gems,
hands it over to the presiding function
AIRY; the maghate strips his rings from
his hands, and they, too, go into the
melting-pot, while the poorer people
contribute small gold rings, bangles,
necklaces, pins, etc, down to rupees,
annas and pices. In the meantime, in the
fore part of the enclosure, which is richly
hung with all the native emblems, such
as umbrellas, feathers, vases, quantity
colored carpets, long muslin leeves
covered with spangles and gold, and
such like, two charcoal fires are being
kept alive with blow-pipes, in which are
to be seen crucibles full of molten gold.
AT 6 o'clock the gold is east into ingots,
and the final melting takes place on the
last Sunday OF the three.
The crowd of spectators pressing round
the bamboo barriers is of very varied
nature. Gaily decked Burmese girls,
with faces plastered over with white
paint, if of high rank, the hair turned up
over the head, and clad in orange and
brilliant colors: naked children; China
men, in huge hats and loose coats, with
yellow, oily compilations; Shans, in
black clothes; Pathans, of fine stature
and appearance; Parsees, from Bombay,
of Semitic cast of countenance; Hin
dus, Sikhs, Puniabees, half-castes, and
of all nations are to be found
in this motley mass. The surroundings,
too, are well worthy of remark. Sur
the base of the pagoda are nu-
merous shrines and smaller pagodas,
fitted with the most wondrous carving;
outside these sit musicians playing on
tom-toms, gongs, strange violins, and
string instruments; you see two on three
bands assembled within few feet of
each other, each playing its own tune
III tune it.can be called irrespective OF
is neighbors; there too are the chiro-
or fortune-tellers, astrologists,
md provision mongers. If you are in
,lined TO be told your character and fu-
.ure, you pay few annas and find that /
you are going TO be blessed with ten
sons and daughters, that You are hospit- I
lble and kind-hearted, and, above all 4
Kings, extravagantly generous lat /
er quality is never missing in the cata- /
ogue, for the willy Burman hopes in /
his way to screw out another anna or
wo, but perhaps as rule unsuccess-
'ully.
When a Burman goes to pray he can
10 it most comfortably, as he breakfasts
n church and puts in prayer between
,ach mouthful, and if anything tickles
Tim he stops to have hearty laugh.
The Burman has been called the Irish
nan of the East, and not altogether
without reason, perhaps. Pail NAL
ldsette.