Vedic Burmese God finds Shelter in India

[Guest guest]

Myanmarese god of protection finds shelter in TN

Tuesday, 29 March , 2005, 17:09

Chennai: The six-inch high bronze diety which washed ashore near Kalpakkam in

Tamil Nadu following the December 26 tsunami has been identified as that of

Jalagupta (a Myanmarese god) and the Myanmar government has given its approval

for retaining it in India.

 

According to Indo-Myanmar Chamber of Commerce vice-president K Gurumurthy, the

diety, initially considered to be that of Lord Buddha, is actually that of

Jalagupta, worshipped as ‘god of protection’ in Myanmar. Responding to a

representation made by him, the Myanmar government, through its embassy in New

Delhi, had informed him that the deity could remain in Chennai, he said. The

chamber proposed to construct a pagoda for keeping the diety and worship it in

a befitting manner, he said. The idol landed at Kalpakkam on January 27 and the

Archaeological Survey of India said it could be over 250 years old and could

belong to either Myanmar or Thailand. Gurumurthy said, "We will approach the

Tamil Nadu government for a piece of land on the East Coast Road for building

the pagoda to house the diety."

http://sify.com/news/othernews/fullstory.php?id=13704634&headline=Myanmarese~god~finds~shelter~in~TN