A Brief History of Umbrellas in Burma
A Hti or umbrella (in Burmese script ‘ထီ’) is an auspicious symbol in Buddhism and Hinduism
Umbrellas have long played a symbolic role in Burmese society – pagodas, the sacred symbol of Burma contain an umbrella on top of the ceti
The use of umbrellas were an indicator of social status and used exclusively by those who were granted express permission to do so by the King of Burma - commoners were forbidden to use umbrellas
White umbrellas were originally limited to the Kings Of Burma and were one of the five parts of coronation regalia
In 1885, during the aftermath of the third Anglo-Burmese War, many artisans fled Mandalay and settled in Pathein, nearly 2000 miles away from Yangon by sea - at the time a more than four week boat journey along the coast or a six week journey through the rice fields and jungle of Central Burma
U Shwe Sar, a royal artist to King Thi Baw, the last King of Burma, reinvented his craft and started making umbrellas and parasols for his living
U Shwe Sar's techniques have been lovingly passed down generation to generation for the last 135 years