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Mount Popa
Known variously as an extinct volcano and hilly abode of spirits
Mount Popa
Known variously as an extinct volcano and hilly abode of spirits,
Mount Popa is situated in Kyaukpadaung township in the central part of the country.
It is an old volcano forming the northern offshoot of the Bago Yoma mountain range occupying the lower central region.
With a height of 4900 feet (1494m) above sea-level it dominates the surrounding plain and is visible from the
Ayeyarwady river 40 miles (65 km) away. Its profile resembles the Mount Fuji of Japan when viewed from the north.
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Along the sothwest spur of the mountain a turret of rocky prominence about one acre wide at the summit rises to a height of
3,000 feet (914 m) about the sea. It is known as Taungkalat or "stemmed-salver hill".
It is said that during the reign of King Anawratha who founded the first Myanmar Empire at
Bagan, the fleet-footed courier by the name of Maung Byatta fetched flowers from Mount Popa 10 times a day and even found time to dally with Mai Wunna on its misty slopes, siring two sons named Shwe Hpyin Gyi and Shwe Hpyin Nge (Masters Elder Golden Pot and Younger Golden Pot).
Whether this legend is true of not, the part of the legend about flowers seems to be founded on some truth at least as the name Popa is probably derived from the Sanskrit term for the flowers,
"pushpa".
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Although Mount Popa is located in the Dry Zone, due to it's height it is capable of collecting condensate and the mountain supports a profusion of trees and vegetation.
There used to be about 200 springs in the area though deforestation in later times resulted in a lessening of rainfall and in the outflow of springs.
The Government has included this area Greening Project and afforestation is being implemented according to set schedules.
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