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  Burmese animal-per-day chart

 

Myanmar

This colourful Burmese sand painting shows a chart of the Burmese system of an animal-per-day. In this system, these animals are not listed in chronological order (fig.).

 

Seen here are the tiger for Monday, a lion for Tuesday, a tusked elephant for Wednesday morning and a tuskless elephant for Wednesday afternoon, a rat for Thursday, a Guinea pig for Friday, the naga for Saturday, and the Galohn (fig.) for Sunday. Since the Galohn, i.e. the Garuda, and the naga, i.e. a mythological snake, are natural enemies, they are situated opposite to each other. Note that in art sometimes other animals, not included in the system, may be added. Many Buddhist temples in Myanmar have statues of these animals, typically placed in a circle, often with a bodhi tree in its center, or around a pagoda.

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