Mountain Poup
Pope is an ancient extinct volcano in Myanmar 1518 meters high. The mountains are sacred to Buddhists, because according to their assurances, spirits live here - nat, who are customary to worship in Myanmar.
The basis of the Pope mountain is basalt, andesite and pyroclastic lava flows. During one of the eruptions, the northwestern slope of the volcano crater was destroyed, and along with lava covered the area with 27 km2. Near the mountain there is a volcanic cork ( Town Kalat ) 737 meters high on the top of which a Buddhist monastery was built. At one time, Buddhist hermit U Handy laid a ladder of 777 steps to the top of the Taung Kalata. The upper part of the Town Kalata offers stunning panoramic views. You can see the ancient city of Bagan. Behind him north, the massive single conical peak Taung Ma-gy rises like Mount Fuji in Japan.
It is believed that the mountain is a dwelling for the nat, for them a temple was built on Mount Pope, where 37 nat. Nevertheless, 4 nata actually lives here, so on a mountain trip you need to exclude the red, black or green color of the clothes and not take the meat with you, as this can offend the spirits. Many pilgrims visit Mount Pope every year, especially during the holiday season for the full moon of Nayon ( May / June ) and the Nadava full moon ( November / December ). Local residents go on a mass campaign in December, as well as in April, when the New Year is celebrated in Myanmar under the name Tingjan Festival. Until the reign of King Anavracht, thousands of animals were sacrificed during the holidays.
Around the Poup Mountain, more than 200 springs are concentrated, because of which this territory resembles an oasis among the desert central part of Myanmar. The surrounding landscape is characterized by barbed bushes and low-sized trees, rather than lush forests and rivers known by Burma. Many trees, flowering plants and herbs grow thanks to fertile soil from volcanic ash. Nearby is a reservoir that provides enough water for orchards, where they grow jackfruit, banana, mangoes and papaya, as well as flowering trees. Among the representatives of the fauna, macaques often come across, which have become a bright attraction of the Town Kalata.
