Po Sop
Encyclopedia
Mae Po Sop or Po Sop is the Siamese
rice
goddess
.
The iconographic representation of Mae Po Sop is of a beautiful woman wearing full jewelry and a red dress. She is in the sitting or standing position holding a harvested rice sheaf on her right shoulder. The iconography of this goddess is based in the Hindu goddess Sri Lakshmi
, but its origins are local and more ancient.
In modern Thailand
, paying homage to Pō-sop by rice farmers had been declining in recent times, but Queen Sirikit
gave royal patronage to this ancient custom in August 2008.
; a Javanese, Sundanese
, and Balinese
rice, agriculture and fertility goddess in Indonesia
, and Khmer
Po Ino Nogar; the rice goddess of Cambodia
.
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
.
Background
Ritual offerings (Cha-laew) are made to propitiate the Rice Goddess during the different steps of rice production. Villagers believe that Goddess Mae Po-sop ensures everyone has enough to eat.The iconographic representation of Mae Po Sop is of a beautiful woman wearing full jewelry and a red dress. She is in the sitting or standing position holding a harvested rice sheaf on her right shoulder. The iconography of this goddess is based in the Hindu goddess Sri Lakshmi
Lakshmi
Lakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
, but its origins are local and more ancient.
In modern Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, paying homage to Pō-sop by rice farmers had been declining in recent times, but Queen Sirikit
Sirikit
Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat , is the queen consort of Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand. She is the second Queen Regent of Thailand...
gave royal patronage to this ancient custom in August 2008.
Other rice goddesses
Similar rice goddesses also can be found in other Asian countries such as Dewi SriDewi Sri
Dewi Sri, or Dewi Shri , Nyai Pohaci Sanghyang Asri is the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese pre-Hindu and pre-Islam era goddess of rice and fertility, still widely worshipped on the islands of Bali and Java...
; a Javanese, Sundanese
Sundanese people
The Sundanese are an ethnic group native to the western part of the Indonesian island of Java. They number approximately 31 million, and are the second most populous of all the nation's ethncities. The Sundanese are predominantly Muslim...
, and Balinese
Balinese people
The Balinese population of 3.0 million live mostly on the island of Bali, making up 89% of the island's population. There are also significant populations on the island of Lombok, and in the eastern-most regions of Java The Balinese population of 3.0 million (1.5% of Indonesia's population) live...
rice, agriculture and fertility goddess in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and Khmer
Khmer people
Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, accounting for approximately 90% of the 14.8 million people in the country. They speak the Khmer language, which is part of the larger Mon–Khmer language family found throughout Southeast Asia...
Po Ino Nogar; the rice goddess of Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.