Md. Ekram Hossein; [Author]

Khwaja Nuzhat Zerin Fatmi; [Facilitator]

Furniture

Woodwork (WDW)

Communal item

Fanir sawtori is a stand or hutch to hold water pots or pitchers, placed outside for thirsty passersby to drink from. Since it is placed under trees for shade, a fanir sawtori typically has a cover of wood or leaves to shield the water from dirt. Pitchers or pots of drinking water are placed inside. The stand itself can be made from either wood or bamboo. It is more common to find a fanir sawtori on the streets of Arakan during hot seasons.

The act of putting out water for strangers or neighbours to refresh themselves derives from a ‘tradition of meretricious acts’ rooted in Myanmar’s majority-Buddhist culture, according to the New York Times. It is practiced by people throughout the Myanmar nation, regardless of religion, as part of a larger culture of hospitality. However, the tradition is slowly fading out. This fanir sawtori is a model crafted out of wood and can hold three pitchers or pots.