Identifier: cu31924023498557 (find matches)
Title: Burma
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Ferrars, Max Ferrars, Bertha
Subjects: Ethnology
Publisher: London : S. Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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), the body is embalmed, so as to allow of several months being devoted to the preparations for the funeral. The corpse is swathed like a mummy and laid in a solid dug-out coffin of hard wood. Mercury is poured in at the mouth and honey is applied externally. A support for the coffin is made in the form of a nagd, raising its head and fiery tongue to guard its trust. Upon the coffin rests an effigy of the deceased. Beneath the naga is a throne (balm), decorated with gilding and colours. Sometimes the whole struc-ture is of glass mosaic (thdyo), and subse^ quently forms part of the catafalque. Such elaborate dald are not burned, but brought back to the kymmg, where they are kept, but not used again. Over all is a royal canopy of corresponding magnificence, with the tibyu or royal ensign at the four corners. Thus the coffin lies in state in the kyaung, or in a special building, it may be during the whole rains, while the kyaungtagd is occupied with the 442. the last stage. ill igS BURMA
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443. BIER OF PONDYI. preparations for the grand funeral cere-mony, which is called pondyi-byan—the trans-lation of the yahdn. The expenses arefrequently shared and public contributionsflow in. The catafalque is of the same de-sign as the ordinary dald, but of several timesgreater dimensions—fifty to sixty feet highto the ti of the pyatthat. It is solidly con-structed and braced and strengthened in everydirection. At the present day the catafalqueis mostly erected on a stout platform onwheels. A long cable proceeds from eachend of the carriage to draw it by and enableit to be controlled where the road descends.It is difficult to manoeuvre at the turns of thestreets and under the telegraph-wires, althoughthe latter are carried on special posts wherethey cross the approaches to cemeteries. Thepyatthat often fails to reach its destination in its original perfection ; nevertheless it stands out brilliantly in the grand display, in which it is frequently preceded and followed by subsidi

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