BUDDHA statues carved with stone powder from Bagan are being bought and ordered from Taunggyi and Mandalay, including Yangon, according to market sources.

Although they are not as strong as stone statues, there is interest in them, and people are buying stone-powder images.

“Some people are interested in worshipping the pagoda statue moulded with stone powder and plaster. They are not as strong as stone statues. I have been in this business for about 15 years. There are also other sellers. We get orders from Mandalay, Taunggyi, Yangon and others. We carve and mould stone powders in different sizes,” said the Thanaka Pan religious goods store.

In February of this year, according to religious goods stores, stone-powder statues sold well in the market. Among the spiritual goods, sales of Buddha images, statues, images of venerable Sayadaws, and water-offerings of cups and lamps are continuously selling well. — Thit Taw/ZN