Mount Popa
Mount Popa, near Bagan, is home to the nat, local demi-gods or saints of a sort. Nats were once human, but became mischievous spirits, generally after a difficult death. The nats are rather like patron saints in Europe, protecting villages, professions, or individuals. They are perhaps a remnant of the animist beliefs prevalent in Burma prior to Theravada Buddhism. The nat images have been housed in a shrine halfway up Mount Popa since the 4th century, and have been a recognized part of the spiritual life of the country since.
Statues of each of the 27 principal nats are housed in a small shrine at the base of the hill. However, several larger shrines to key nats are found along the steps to the top of the mountain, and the main complex crowns the hilltop. The climb is made easier by the concrete steps and occasional ladders, and the roofed walkway. It is made rather more difficult by the troops of monkeys that call the hill home and the young children who “help” you up the stairs. “Slowly! Mind your head!”
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