Yadaya

Yadaya (Burmese: ယတြာ, IPA: [jɛ̀dəjà]; from Sanskrit yātra; variously spelt yadayar and yedaya) refers to superstitious magical rituals done to delay, neutralize or prevent misfortune, widely practiced in Myanmar (Burma).

[1] Modern Burmese leaders, including U Nu, Ne Win, Than Shwe, Min Aung Hlaing, and many government policy decisions are widely understood to have been influenced by yadaya rituals.

Some scholars contend that yadaya originates to the Pagan period, first practiced by monks of the Ari sect, a form of Buddhism that predates the introduction of Theravada Buddhism in Burma.

[7][8] In 2009, the military regime began printing 5000 Myanmar kyat banknotes that feature an image of a white elephant, interpreted as an act of yadaya.

[9] More recently, the unusual clothing choices, namely the wearing of traditional female acheik-patterned longyi (sarongs) by Than Shwe and other military generals at recent public appearances, including Union Day celebrations in February 2011 and at the reception of the Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh in June 2011 have also been attributed to yadaya, as a way to divert power to neutralize Aung San Suu Kyi's power.