Two ancient Nat (spirit) statues, which had gone lost from Yadana Gu Nat Chamber located in Mandalay Region’s Amarapura Township, were returned stealthily by thieves more than ten days later, in-charge of the Nat house, Ko Min told The Global New Light of Myanmar (GNLM).
Two ancient masterpieces of Nat statues were the Popa Medaw statue and the Thakin Matha statue. They were stolen from the central section of Yadana Gu Nat Chamber on 24 May. Thieves left them stealthily in a cardboard box in front of Ko Min’s house at 3 am on 7 June.
“I found statues in a cardboard box left on the bench under the tree in front of my house at three o’clock this morning. They are gilded wooden statues. They are antique statues from Popa Medaw Nat Chamber. We worship these statues from generation to generation,” said Ko Min.
At present, Nat statues will be worshipped at his house and will be brought back to the Nat Chamber on 18 June with a ceremony after being gold plated. The Medaw welcome celebration, which is held every year, will continue to take place.
Yadana Gu festival is one of the well-known festivals in Myanmar, and the stolen Nat statues are prestigious. — Thit Taw/ZS
