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| As in other mythologies, Myanmar has a number of its own mythical creatures that either resembles a real-life animal, or an imaginary one having a single combined form of several animals. Many mythical creatures originated in the life stories of the Buddha. |
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Chinthe The Chinthe is a form of a mythical lion. In Myanmar legends, lions are noted for their bravery thus considered as the best guardians for religious shrines and edifices. It is common to see statues of lions in front of, or around, the pagodas in Myanmar. |
Hintha It supposedly lives in large flocks, and is a symbol of the Mon people who believe their former capital Bago was founded on a site where a pair of Hintha had dwelt. |
Pyinsa Rupa The Pyinsa Rupa is a combination of five animals: elephant, bullock, horse, carp, and toenayar (dragon.) An alternative belief is that it consists of lion, elephant, buffalo, carp, and hintha.
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| Garuda Bird (Galone) Mythical king of birds. It has a beak, 2 wings, 2 hands, and 2 legs. |
Sarmaree Sarmaree is a large, long-haired wild ox that greatly values its hair. |
Toenayar - Nayar The Toenayar or Nayar is a mythical dragon or serpent with four legs. |
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Manote Thiha Manote Thiha is a fabulous mythical creature with a man's torso and a lion's hindquarters, which is always depicted in a squatting posture on forked haunches. |
Nagar The Burmese equivalent of a mythical dragon without legs or a serpent, which breathes out flames of fire and can turn objects or creatures to ash just by looking at them |
Keinayee-Keinayar They are a pair of very gentle mythical birds with a human head and torso. Keinayee is male and Keinayar female, representing a symbol of true love. |
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Magan Magan is a mythical sea monster resembling a crocodile with a prehensile (able to grasp) snout.
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Belu
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Karaweik This is a mythical bird that supposedly possesses a pleasant melodious cry. Traditionally, a barge in the shape of a Karaweik was used in formal ceremonies as a royal commuter boat. |
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| Chinthe | Belu | Sarmaree | Nagar | Magan | Hintha | Manote Thiha | Galone | Keinayee |
Manussiha (or) Man Lion
This creatures name has a blend of
two Pali words. The first one is "Manussa" meaning a human being
and the second word is "Siha" meaning a lion. The lion
represents the strength of it and the human part represents the
wisdom, converting it into a better creature. It can be found at
each of the four corners of some pagodas in Myanmar. The Manussiha is said to have originated more than two thousand years ago. According to traditional belief, it is associated with the coming of Buddhist monks Sona and Uttara who brought Buddhism to Suvannabhumi, not too far from modern Thaton. It was said that the royal city was plagued by ogres who rose from the sea whenever a child was born in the palace, invaded it and carried away the infant to eat. Just as the monks arrived, it was said, the chief queen gave birth and a contingent of ogresses was soon converging on the palace. However, the monks prevented the ogresses from snatching the royal infant by using their powers to create a monster with a human head and torso on top of the forked haunches of a lion that was twice the size of the ogresses which frightened them and prevented them from carrying out their plans. On that day, likenesses of this monster were drawn on various species of palm leaf to be worn as amulets to ward off danger and a stone inscription from the 15th century mentions that a stone sculpture of that monster existed at the north eastern part of the said city on top of the Kelasa mountain right up to the time of its inscription. |
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