Buddhist devotees visit Shwedagon pagoda to mark the full moon of the Thadingyut festival in Yangon on October 9, 2022. AFP
YANGON 鈥� A group who used sex dolls to carry out 鈥渞itual incantations鈥� in the car park of Myanmar鈥檚 holiest site will be prosecuted by the religious affairs ministry, state media said Monday.
Around eight people attempted to bring two 鈥渓ady dolls鈥� into the towering, gold-plated Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon on Saturday, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.
Security prevented the dolls from entering the complex, which dominates the commercial capital鈥檚 skyline and, according to local chronicles, contains strands of the Buddha鈥檚 hair.
The group instead left them outside and made a circumambulation of the compound before repairing to the car park to begin 鈥渞itual incantations,鈥� according to the report, which did not specify what those were.
鈥淲hile performing their ritual incantations, pagoda security personnel called them for interrogation and rid the pagoda precinct of the dolls,鈥� it said.
State media showed pictures of the dolls wearing tiaras and traditional dresses, their palms pressed together in a traditional greeting and with offerings of fruit and flowers laid out before them.
Local reports said the two figures had been dressed as spirit guardians typically worshipped to bring protection and good luck.
The group will be prosecuted 鈥渇or defamation of the Buddhist religion,鈥� the statement said.
Some online users condemned the groups鈥� actions.
鈥淭his is very rude acting like this at Shwedagon as it is a holy place,鈥� one wrote.
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