Twelve Auspicious Rites

[5] In pre-colonial Burma, Brahmins typically consecrated or led these rites.

[5] Today, masters of ceremony who specialize in abhisheka rituals, called beiktheik saya (ဘိသိက်ဆရာ), consecrate these rites.

[6] The Twelve Auspicious Rites are believed to have originated in India, and were later spread throughout Southeast Asia by Buddhist missionaries.

The rites are based on the teachings of the Buddha and are intended to promote moral and spiritual development, as well as to help individuals attain enlightenment.

[7] The scholar Aung Chein also identifies a number of auspicious rites outside of the twelve listed above:

Girls dressed in ceremonial attire, ready to partake in the ear-boring rite, c. 1912.
A young boy dressed in ceremonial costume, partaking in a shinbyu rite.