Ponmagyi ( or ; also spelt Pone Ma Gyi), also known as Ponmagyi Shinma () is a Burmese rice and

fertility Fertility in colloquial terms refers the ability to have offspring. In demographic contexts, fertility refers to the actual production of offspring, rather than the physical capability to reproduce, which is termed fecundity. The fertility rate ...

nat (spirit) The nats (; MLC Transcription System, MLCTS: ''nat''; ) are god-like spirits venerated in Myanmar and neighbouring countries in conjunction with Buddhism. They are divided between the 37 ''Great Nats'' who were given that status by Anawrahta, Kin ...

traditionally worshipped by farmers in

Upper Myanmar Upper Myanmar ( or , also called Upper Burma) is one of two geographic regions in Myanmar, the other being Lower Myanmar. Located in the country's centre and north stretches, Upper Myanmar encompasses six inland states and regions, including M ...

Origins

Ponmagyi originates from fertility cult practices throughout Southeast Asia. Similar rice goddesses and tutelary spirits, including

Phosop Phosop () or Phaisop () is the rice goddess of the Thai people. She is a deity more related to ancient Thai folklore than a goddess of a structured, mainstream religion. She is also known as ''Mae Khwan Khao'' (; "Mother of Rice Prosperity"). ...

in modern-day Thailand, and

Dewi Sri Dewi Sri or Shridevi ( Javanese: ꦢꦺꦮꦶꦱꦿꦶ, Balinese: , Dewi Sri, Sundanese: , Nyai Pohaci Sanghyang Asri) is the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese Hindu Goddess of rice and fertility, still widely worshiped on the islands of Ja ...

in modern-day Indonesia, exist throughout the region.

Devotional rituals

Worship of Ponmagyi is commonplace throughout rural

, especially in the dry zone regions around

Bagan Bagan ( ; ; formerly Pagan) is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that w ...

and Magwe. Ponmagyi is worshipped during the first to eighth days of the traditional Burmese month of Tabaung, as farmers begin their land preparation for the year. Her devotees include farmers, agriculturalists, and others that work in the rice industry, to ensure stable and predictable weather and bountiful harvests of crops such as paddy, beans and pulses, and sesame seeds, during the annual planting season. Devotees traditionally offer cooked rice, laphet (tea leaves) and rice flour snacks called '' mont hsi gyaw'' (မုန့်ဆီကြော်).

Origins

Devotional rituals

References

See also