Myanmar (Burma) — Demanding money with menaces? The “pink nuns” of Myanmar (Burma)

The nuns may not be all they seem

March 2015

Considering why the women in Myanmar become nuns, I feel a bit bad about the title of this post. But their actions in the Bogyoke Market (Scotts Market) made me wonder what was happening.

As far as I could tell, Myanmar’s “pink” Buddhist nuns were a rarity until a few years ago. Now there are a tremendous number of them around Yangon.

Girls become nuns as a means to escape poverty and get an education. So, overall, a good thing. And the nuns are called sila-rhan (pronounced thila-shin), which means the “keeper of morality.”

In the Bogyoke Market (Scotts Market), I saw several “pink nuns” wandering between the stalls. Each nun was immaculately turned out in their pink robes and orange sash. Their heads were shaved, and they each carried a small bowl, which I assumed contained their lunch. I was wrong.

I also couldn’t work out what they were doing in the market. They didn’t seem to be approaching the tourists. They were moving from stall to stall.

I thought they were collecting food. Again, I was wrong.

It turns out it is all about money.

The nuns approach a stall and chant (sing), then hold out the bowl, and the stall-holder gives them money. I can only assume that the chant is a religious blessing. But what happens if the stall-holder doesn’t pay or doesn’t want to receive the chant? No idea.

In the next photo, you can see the nuns counting the money they have collected from stall holders. The photo is possibly one of my favourites from the trip. I love the lighting and the look on the young nun’s face.

And again, in this photo, you can see the nuns counting their donations.

I wanted to think this was all innocent and that I was reading too much into things. But, as I watched the “pink nuns” move around the market, it seemed odd that they didn’t approach tourists for donations, only targeted the stalls and moved off to quiet areas to count the donations.