Mount Popa, Myanmar

Mount Popa, as seen from Popa Taungkalat (26 November, 2003)


Mount Popa is a sacred mountain in Myanmar located 50km away from Bagan. It is the remnant of an extinct volcano. The name "popa" means flowers in Sanskrit, because of a local belief that the forest around Mount Popa was once home of Mai Wunna, a flower-eating ogress.

The volcano had a circular crater, but much of the northwestern rim had been blown away, suggesting that the last eruption was not vertical, but inclined towards the northwestern slope. Although from a distance Mount Popa looks like one single peak, it in fact consists of three peaks which are 4981, 4801 and 4501 feet high. Mount Popa is on a plateau that is 1000 feet above the surrounding plains, and 1800 feet above sea level. Therefore, the actual volcano is 3000 feet from the base. The area around Mount Popa is today designated a national park, and the authorities are keen to develop it for ecotourism.

The abundance of petrified fossil trees in the Bagan region suggests that the land had witnessed violent eruptions in the past, including earth movements and massive lava flows. In fact it erupted for the last time three hundred and twenty years ago.

On the southwestern slope of Mount Popa is Taung Kalat, an isolated peak that juts out of the landscape. Taung Kalat, also called Popa Taungkalat, is often confused with Mount Popa. It is 737 m (2417 ft) tall peak that some believe to be part of the main volcano was was blown apart and landed here. Another theory suggested that Popa Taungkalat is the infilled neck or plug of another smaller volcano.

Mount Popa's attraction today lies not so much in its geological past, but more in its religious and mystical attraction. Mt. Popa is regarded as the home of Myanmar's most powerful nats and as such is the most important nat worship center. Nats are local spirits which are commonly worshipped throughout Myanmar, and Mt. Popa was the Mountain of Spirits. There are many nat shrines on this mountain.

Pilgrims from all over Myanmar visit Mt. Popa every year, especially during the festival season, which are on the full moon of Nayon (May/June) and the full moon of Nadaw (November/December). This festival is known as Taunghyon (near Mandalay). Before King Anawrahta's time, thousands of animals were sacrificed to the nats during festivals. According to Burmese superstition, one should not wear red or black to Mount Popa, or to bring meat, especially pork, as it could offend the resident nats.

Shrine on Popa Taungkalat with Mount Popa in the background. (26 November, 2003)

Mount Popa Travelogue, 26-27 November, 2006

I visited Popa Taungkalat, not Mount Popa. I was curious that Henry, my tour guide, kept on saying to me that the peak in front of me was not Mount Popa, but it's Popa Club - or something. Only recently did I finally understand that he was referring to Popa Taungkalat, which sounded like Popa Club to me.

View of Mount Popa from the steps going up Popa Taungkalat. (26 November, 2003)

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