Rangoon, Burma
Sep 25th, 2009 by Abdul Ghani
As I entered the Rangoon Mingaladon International Airport, I could feel my new environment immediately. The air, the smell, the people, the languages – this is a Far Eastern society of a different religion and culture. Besides Burma’s people, the Shans, Karens, Kachins, Chins, Mons, and other smaller ethnic groups make up a significant minority. With all these different ethnic groups, the majority of the Burmese are Buddhist.
I read about some of their traditional practices and ceremonies in the Burma Tours magazine on the plane. For example, when a boy comes of age, he enters the monastery for about a week while the girls have an ear piercing ceremony at the same time.
In the airport, I was an awkward foreigner, but even more so once I left the international realm of the airport and entered the city of Rangoon. My height, skin, clothes, and knapsack all shouted that I was a visitor from the West. Even though the environment was radically different, many things that reminded me of Algeria – the bustling streets, the street vendors, taxis, corner stores and playing children.
As I arrived at the hostel, I noticed it was right next door to the neighborhood’s Buddhist temple. I saw worshipers entering and exiting. Some were in traditional robes while others where wearing modern western clothing. From the street I could see two large incense burners on each side of the main entrance to the temple. There was smoke puffing out in large wafts, despite the moderate winds. I wondered if they were electric burners or they were using hot coals to keep the wood burning. I am determined to discover if this is Oud incense or what is used to invoke a spiritual environment in these traditional Buddhist temples.