Indra, King of the Nats

Nat Shrine, Shwezigon, Pagan

This statue is the earliest known image of Indra in Burma. His role here, as King of the Nats, is theologically pivotal in bringing the pre-Buddhist worship of Burma into the Buddhist system. Originally the king of the Hindu gods, Indra had been incorporated into Buddhism as a protector of Buddha and guardian of the Buddhist law until Maitreya comes. By appointing him also as king of the Nats, Kyanzittha's theologians created a three-way linkage between Buddhism, Hinduism, and native Burmese animism.

The life-size statue is made of stone. Its rough surface appearance is due to a multitude of thin flakes of gold foil which have been attached over the years by worshippers.