TODAY

Animals with striking features, beauties and pleasant voice are revered and venerated because they are believed to possess auspiciousness, magical spell and supernatural power, capable of bringing glory, greatness, longevity, prosperity and good fortune to the owner and to the country where they appear. White tiger, white horse, white buffalo, white oxen, white crow, white dove, white peacock and white elephant are regarded sacred and lucky mascots in human civilization till today.

White elephant played a major role in Jatakas of the Buddha, the story of Sadan white elephant, Vessandara Jataka and the conception of Bodhisattha in the womb of mother Maha Maya when she dreamt the entering of a male white elephant into her womb being three evidences. White horse and white elephant are two of seven ratanas (treasures) of cakaravan (universal monarch). Myanmar kings performed royal ploughing ceremony riding bejewelled plough pulled by a pair of richly caparisoned oxen of milky white colour.

King Anawrahta, the builder of the first Myanmar Union used white elephants to bring 32 sets of Tipitaka to Bagan, a white elephant named ”Palei Pyone” (smiling pearl) to convey sacred Tooth Relic and another white elephant named ”Than Myan Swar” (Strong and Swift) for choosing five auspicions sites for building five sacred Tooth Relic Pagodas. He owned 38 white elephants and King Alaungsithu had 35.

Among Mon, Rakhine and Myanmar kings of successive historic periods there were kings who assumed the title ”Lord of  White Elephant or Elephants” because they owned them. Thus we have Tazi-shin Thihathu, Ngasi-shin Kyaw Swa of Pinya period. Tayaphya Thihathu and Shwe Nan Kyaw Shin were Lords of White Elephant of Inwa period. Wareru, Binnya U, Rajadarit were Mon kings who assumed the title Lord of White Elephant. Rakhine king Minyazagyi was Lord of White Elephant. He even struck silver coins with letters ”Hsinbyu Shin”.

King Bayint Naung of Hamsavadi, the builder of the second Myanmar Union, was designated ”Emperor of the Ten Directions” by his tributary lords. He was entitled Hsin byu mya shin” (lord of many white elephants). King Taninganwe of Nyaung Yan period was the lord of a special White Elephant named ”Sadan Pyaung Mon.”

Alaungpaya, the builder of the third Myanmar Union addressed himself in credential letters ”Lord of white, pink and spotted elephants.” His second son and successor Myeydu Min who raised Shwedagon Pagoda to present height was Hsinbyu Shin because he received the tribute of a handsome white elephant named Sadan Pyaung Kyaw.” King Bodawpaya, the third son of Alaungpaya, had eleven white elephants. Besides, another white elephant of Sadan type was found in Niban village near Pegu Yoma hill range. He assumed ”Sadan Hsinmin Thakin” lord of white elephant of Sadan type.” It was given pali name ”Nibana Pyitsaya Naga Yaza”.

Kings Bagyidaw, Thayawaddy, Bagan, Mindon and the last Myanmar king Thibaw also owned white elephants and so they were ”Hsinbyu Shins”. When the British occupied Mandalay Palace in 1885, they sent to Yangon zoo, Thibaw’s white mount ”Zeya Watana Pyitsaya Naga Yaza, which passed away not long after. Myanmar people thought the death of Myanmar last king’s white elephant was a prediction that the  British rule in Myanmar would not last long. Myanmar regained independence just 63 years after the British occupation of Mandalay palace in 1885.

In 1958, a female white elephant of about 19 years old was found in Indawgyi township in Myit Kyina District. She was named Ma Hpyu (miss white). With her mother she was sent to Yangon Zoo. But in 1977 she passed away.

Nearly over four decades, there was no emergence of white elephant until 2001 when a male white elephant of about 16 years of age appeared in Yathey Taung Tounship, Rakine State. On 15 November of the same year, he was brought to Yangon and ceremonially named ”Rajagaha Thiri Pyitsaya Yaza Raja”. He was given residence in a specially built pavilion in a garden near Mindhamma hillock, Insein. A year later in 2002 a second white elephant , a female of in about 32 years old was found in the forest of Maungtaw Tounship, Rakhine State. She was brought to Yangon and accommodated in White Elephant Pavilion on 5 April 2002. She was named ”Theingi Marlar”. In the same year the third female white elephant of about 12 years old was found in Maungtaw Tounship, Kinchaung stream , Rakhine State. On 6 December 2002, she was brought to Yangon and given residence in White Elephant pavilion . Her name is Rati Marlar. The fourth female white elephant of about 38 years old was found on 26 June 2010, in the forests of Maungtaw Tounship, Rakhine State. On 9 August 2010 she was ceremonially cenveyed to Naypyitaw and was given residence in a specially constructed Pavilion in the precinct of Uppatasanti Zeditaw. She received five Mingalar rites namely (1) Anantayika Mingala (warding off harm) (2).Gehapavesana Mingala (House warming) (3). Battabhunjana Mingala (feeding) (4) Ravindudasana Mingala (showing it to the sun and the moon) and (5) Namakarana Mingala (Naming). She was named Bhaddavati.

These four white elephants that emerged within the present decade (2001-2010) bear all characteristics and features of a white elephant as prescribed in the texts of ancient Treatises on white elephant, Buddhist Jatakas and Tipitaka. Auspicious symbols of peace, progress, prosperity, glory, longevity of life, good harvest and good fortune, the four white elephants are admired marvelled at and venerated by Myanmar people. They augur well for Myanmar’s future.