Sand pagodas (Burmese: သဲပုံစေတီ; Thai: พระเจดีย์ทราย, also known as sand stupas), are temporary pagodasorstupas erected from mud or sand as a means of cultivating Buddhist merit.[1] The practice is common to Theravada Buddhists throughout mainland Southeast Asia, primarily in Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and Thailand.
The earliest extant reference to the sand pagoda building tradition is in Burmese literary works, namely a pyo verse poem composed by Shin Maha Silavamsa during the Kingdom of Ava era (c. 1500s).[2] However, Burmese oral tradition attributes the custom of building sand pagodas to the arrival of Ayutthayan royals, advisors and their retinue in the Konbaung Kingdom, which occurred two centuries later, following the fall of Ayutthaya in the Burmese–Siamese War (1765–1767).[3] The custom was practiced throughout the Burmese kingdom, including by the royal court.[2]
During Māgha Pūjā, known as the Full Moon Day of Tabaung, Burmese devotees in Upper Myanmar construct sand pagodas in honor of the Buddha.[4] The festivities are collectively called sand pagoda festivals (သဲပုံစေတီပွဲ). The Rakhine people also build sand pagodas during this season, in a festival called Shaikthaunghmyauk festival (သျှစ်သောင်းမြှောက်ပွဲ), held on the seabanks of cities like Sittwe.[5][6] Mandalay holds two major sand pagoda festivals, at the Mont Tisu and Maha Walaku Pagodas.[3]
Burmese sand pagodas are typically of graduated five tiers, tapering to the top, with each tier flanked by bamboo masts.[2] The five tiers represent five layers of Mount Meru, the legendary peak of Buddhist cosmology.[2] Devotees offer fruits, flowers and other offerings, and circumambulate the sand pagoda thrice before paying homage.[2] On the full moon day of Tabaung, the sand pagoda's umbrella crown or hti is removed.
In 1961, Burmese president U Nu performed a yadaya ritual to avert disaster in the country, by ordering the construction of 70,000 sand pagodas.[7][8]
In Northern Thailand, sand pagodas are constructed during Songkran. The largest such festival in Chiang Mai is held at Wat Chetlin; the resulting pagoda has five tiers, stands about 8 metres (26 ft) tall, and uses 700 cubic metres (25,000 cu ft) of sand.[9]
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