A view from one of the arcades, the Schewzigon Pagoda. Bagan, Burma [Myanmar].

The Schewzigon Pagoda, Bagan. An old woman smokies a cheroot near a young devotee and the building housing the 27 official spirits (or nats). A Burmese king, who wished to elevate Buddhism above the local animist cults, had images of all the local spirits brought to this pagoda. Emphasizing that they worshipped the Buddha, he tried to make clear their subservient position.

Related material

An 1887 drawing of a woman smoking a cheerot (from Illustrated London News)
Three cheroots

Photograph November 2000 by George P. Landow You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.

Last modified 11 January 2016