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NAT MORAL: FULFIL YOUR DUTIES!127Sometimes it’s hard being a nat. The namesake figure of the Mother Spirit of Popa & NatShrine is Mae Wunna. She was famous for her love of Byat-ta, one of King Anawrahta’sservants – a flower-gathering Indian with superhuman powers – who neglected his dutiesand was executed for it.Their two sons, Min Gyi and Min Lay, supposedly born atop Mt Popa, followed their father’stradition. They became servants of the king (often going to China), grew neglectfulof their duties, and then they were executed. King Anawrahta, however, ordered a shrinebuilt at the place of their execution (at Taungbyone, north of Mandalay), now the site of ahuge festival (see p 127 ). Many worshippers come to offer a blessing to these three. MaeWunna and her sons are the central figures facing the entry to the shrine.dren, and gets toy offerings during schoolexam time. She’s the cute little thing clutchinga green umbrella and a stuffed animal,midway down on the left of the shrine.There have been a few Kyawswas in Myanmarspirit history, but the most popular isthe Popa-born Lord Kyawswa (aka DrunkNat), who spent his few years cockfightingand drinking. He boasts: ‘If you don’t likeme, avoid me. I admit I’m a drunkard.’ He’sthe guardian of gamblers and drunks andsits on a horse decked in rum and whiskeybottles, to the right.Locals pray to Shwe Na Be (Lady withGolden Sides) when a snake comes intotheir house. She’s the woman holding anaga (serpent) near the corner to the left.Mt Popa TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLEFrom the nat shrine start up the steps undera covered walkway and past the usual rowsof trinket and souvenir shops and shrines toa revered local medicine man, Pomin Gawng.At a steady pace it shouldn’t take you morethan 20 minutes to reach the top of this impressiverocky crag crowned with a picturesquecomplex of monasteries, stupas andshrines. Along the way, you’ll pass platoonsof cheeky monkeys and a small army of localsselling drinks and endeavouring (notalways successfully) to keep the steps cleanof monkey poo – for this they’ll request a tip.Views from the top are fantastic. You maybe fortunate enough to spot one of the slowwalkinghermit monks called yeti, who weartall, peaked hats and visit occasionally.Popa Mountain ParkHIKINGA variety of hiking trails thread throughthe Popa Mountain Park, leading to the rimof the volcano crater and to viewpoints andwaterfalls. Along the way, you’ll be able toobserve the difference in the vegetation.The heights capture the moisture of passingclouds, causing rain to drop on the plateauand produce a profusion of trees, floweringplants and herbs, all nourished by the richvolcanic soil. In fact, the word popa is derivedfrom the Sanskrit word for flower.Trekking here is best done with localguides. Ask at the turn-off, a mile or so backfrom Popa village (towards Bagan), or enquireat the Popa Mountain Resort, half-wayup the peak. From the resort, the hike to thecrater takes around four hours.If you come by taxi, ask the driver topoint out bits of petrified forest, which arestrewn along either side of the road west ofPopa village.zFestivals & EventsMt Popa hosts two huge nat pwe (spiritfestivals) yearly, one beginning on the fullmoon of Nayon (May/June) and another onthe full moon of Nadaw (November/December).Before King Anawrahta’s time, thousandsof animals were sacrificed to the natduring these festivals, but this practice hasbeen prohibited since the Bagan era. Spiritpossession and overall drunken ecstasy arestill part of the celebration, however.There are several other minor festivals,including ones held on the full moons ofWagaung (July/August) and Tagu (March/April), which celebrate the departure and returnof the famous Taungbyone nat (Min Gyiand Min Lay). Once a year, the Taungbyonenat are believed to travel a spirit circuit thatincludes Mt Popa, Taungbyone (about 14miles north of Mandalay) and China.4SleepingMost visitors find a couple of hours with MtPopa’s monkeys enough. However, there are acouple of guesthouses in Popa village (roomsabout $15). There’s also the lovely, lonelyAROUND BAGAN & BAGAN CENTRAL FESTIVALS MYANMAR & EVENTS FESTIVALS MT POPA & EVENTS