Zayat

A zayat (Burmese: ဇရပ်; MLCTS: ja. rap; IPA: [zəjaʔ]; from Mon ဇြပ်) is a Burmese building found in almost every village. It serves primarily as a shelter for travelers, at the same time, is also an assembly place for religious occasions as well as meeting for the villagers to discuss the needs and plans of the village. Theravada buddhist monks use zayats as their dwelling place while they are exercising precepts on sabath days. Buddhist monasteries may have one or more zayats nearby. Donors mostly build Zayats along main roads aiming to provide the exhausted travelers with water and shelter. Beginning with Adoniram Judson's construction of one in 1818 Christian missionaries have also adopted their use.