A foreigner who has never been to Myanmar there
are a lot of places where he/she should go . The interesting places
in Myanmar will varies from one person to another due to their keen interests and hobbies. Whatever it may be , a foreigner who have no ample time to go to other remote places other than Yangon it is a must to go to Shwedagon Pagoda. A visit to that ceti will impress the guest due to it splendor, magnificent, ymmetric architectural style. The visitor can also see Buddhists devotees from all walks of life who came there to pay homage to the pagoda, and to offer flowers, pouring meritorious water at respective cardinal posts , burning incense sticks and candles .
Shwedagon
Myanmar is called the "Golden Land", because the most sacred and revered Pagoda "Shwedagon" is gilded with more than eight tons of gold . Moreover, the Hti the upper- most part is indeed decorated with various superb diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, jade and
other precious stones.
For the historians the history of this sacred pagoda dates back to 2556 years ago. There are various documents and inscriptions that expounds about this pagoda that is losely intertwined and related with Buddhism. In other words this edifice is related with the beliefs and legends that dates back to other Buddhas.
Location Characteristics : Shwedagon Pagoda is situated on the crest of Singuttara Hill which is 190 feet above sea-level in Yangon. It is
regarded as the most sacred pagoda for Buddhists, because this is
the sole stupa where the relics of the four Buddhas were enshrined
altogether. Firstly, the Kakusandha Buddha's staff which was given
to Sule Nat, and secondly, Konagamana Buddha rewarded the Yawhani
Nat with His water strainer. Thirdly, Dakkhina Nat was bestowed by
the Kassapa Budha his bathing robe and fourthly the Gautama Buddha
had rewarded His eight hairs to Tapussa and Bhallika ( two merchant
brothers ) from Pokkharavati town in Asitanjana province of the
Ramayana country (Myanmar)were all enshrined in this sacred Pagoda.
But if looked from
another perspective, it is also the treasure house of Myanmar
traditional arts and crafts. The various and skillful adornment to
the Pagoda and the other structures in the whole complex bear
testimony to the high standards of the Myanmar traditional craft of
black smithy, gold smithy, wood-carving, stone sculpture, bronze and
copper- casting, lapidary and masonry.
Unique Myanmar
Creation- The original structure of Shwedagon shows the vestiges
of the basic characteristics of stupas in other Buddhist
countries. But the structure and the design of the Shwedagon at the
time of construction had no contemporary stupa in foreign land, to
match it or hold comparison to it in style or design, Thus, the
Shwedagon exhibits as style and architectural skill that is uniquely
Myanmar. It is a pure expression of the Myanmar aesthetics.
Legend
History- Over 2556 years ago, when the Gautama Buddha had
attained Enlightenment on the full-moon day of Kason in the year 103
Myanmar Era, there after He sojourned in seven different places for
seven days each. while He was meditating at His last sojourn
at the Linn-lunn tree, due to the information given to Tapussa and
Bhallika ( two merchants from Myanmar) by their kin Nat (celestial
being) in a previous existence they approached and prostrated before Lord
Buddha offered Him alms food of rice cake and honey. When the
brothers asked for permission to leave , whereupon the Lord Buddha
gave them eight hairs from his head to take back with them to their
country.
It is believed that
Sakka ( the King of the celestial beings) fore-seeing that the
momentous task of construction of Shwedagon Pagoda was to be
implemented only by his blood married Mailamu , the daughter of a
hermit thus, his progeny King Okkalapa was born. And with the help
of Okkalapa King , two merchants brothers successfully built the
Shwedagon Pagoda.
( Indeed, this brief
historical account is just like only the tip of an iceberg ,
those who wants to study more can read the book entitled "Shwedagon,
symbol of strength and serenity", published by YCDC ).
Height
Shape-When
the Shwedagon Ceti was first erected , the height of the stupa was
just 66 feet. But due to the renovations and heightening of the
original structure by successive donors over the years, the height
of the pagoda is now326 feet from the base to the diamond bud. The
circumference at the base is 1,420 feet. The entire edifice from the
base to the top is gilded.
In 1372, Binnya U ,
king of Hanthawaddy ( Bago) , visited Dagon (Yangon ) in state and
repaired the
Pagoda. This practice was followed by successive monarchs
in Myanmar ( both Bamar and Mon) who rebuilt or re-gilded it until
the Shwedagon reached its present size. The spire assumed something
of its present shape and appearance only in the time of Queen
ShinSaw Pu: During 1455-62, she built the terrace, the great
balustrade and several encircling walls and dedicated a vast area of
glebe lands. She gilded the pagoda from top to bottom with gold leaf
equal to her weight.Her brother and immediate predecessor Binnyayan
had raised the Pagoda to a height of 302 feet. Inscriptions relating
to the foundation of the pagoda were installed by King Dhammaceti,
Shin Saw Pu son-in-law and successor. He offered to the pagoda a
great bell which weighed about 289 tons of bronze. A Portugal
adventurer, de Britto , removed it in or about the year 1608, so
that he might cast the metal into cannon. But on the way to Syriam (
Now, Thanlyin), of which de Britto was the ruler, the boat bearing
the bell sank in the river.
Sule
If Shwedagon is the soul of Yangon, then the Sule is its heart. Sule pagoda
is situated in the heart of Yangon City. It is a magnificent octagonal golden
pagoda with a legend dating back 2,000 years. The pagoda is said to enshrine a
hair of Gautama Buddha.
Maha Bandoola Street intersects from east to west and Sule Pagoda Street was
named after this sacred shrine also intersects from south to north. On the
north-east corner of Sule Pagoda, Yangon City Hall which has a distinct Myanmar
flavour exist and on the south-east corner Bandoola Park with the Independence
Monument and High Court are present, on the opposite side is Myanmar Travel andTours Office.
Sule pagoda is about 9275 feet away from Shwedagon Pagoda and 5102 feet apart
from Botataung Pagoda. The octagonal shaped Sule Pagoda is 144 feet and 9 inches
high. The most outstanding feature about Sule Pagoda is closely connected with
the initial construction of the Shwedagon Pagoda that dates back to 2556
years ago. When the sacred eight hairs of the Gautama Buddha were to be
enshrined at the Singuttra Hill in Dagon ( now, Yangon ), it has to be
enshrined altogether with the three relics of the previous Buddhas in this
World who had attained Enlightenment before the Gautama Buddha. No body knows
the place where these relics of the three Buddhas were enshrined, thus the
Sakka ( King of the Celestial beings) enquired the older Nats about the
place where these relics were enshrined . In deed, the life span of Sakka is, if
measured by the human life span it will equals to thirty six million
years of human, by celestial -life span 100 years , anyhow he did not know where
these relics were enshrined. Therefore he enquires about this place to the older
Nats.Sule Nat, Yawhani Nat, Dakhina Nat, and Hmawbi Nat were enquired by the
Sakka, out of them as Sule Nat is the oldest and he had rewarded by the
Kakusandha Buddha His staff to pay homage. He knows where the relics were
enshrined. Thus, at Sule Pagoda there is a special shrine for Sule Nat where a lot
of peoples go and pray for their well being, prosperity and safety.
A Trip to Twante(Pottery Town)
It is an interesting day trip from Yangon
to Twante, a small town noted for its pottery and
cotton-weaving. Actually, Twante is an ancient town during the
reign of Mon Kings. A Mon paya complex named "Shwesandaw"
was famous since Mon monarchs up to the present . A boat cruise toTwante(24 km from Yangon) along the Twante Canal
takes about two hours.
To get there, you hop in one of the
innumerable ferries crossing the Yangon river to Dallah and travel
to Twante. The trip usually last about 45 minutes. If you go by
land, you will encounter a serene landscape of vast paddy
fields, the occasional rice mill and a pagoda or two rising
from the hillock amidst the fields. Thus it is quite a
contrast
with Yangon with its noisy streets, hustle and bustle scene and
dynamic activities . One can travel by public jeep from Dallah
(on the opposite bank
of theYangon River). The former mode of transport is slower but
provides a glimpse of life on and along the famous canal, which was
dug during the colonial era as a short cut across the
Ayeyawaddy Delta.
A major cottage industry in Twante is pottery,
which supplies much of the delta region with well-designed,
utilitarian containment of varying shapes and sizes. The pots
are made in Oh-bo village south of canal, in huge thatched -roof
sheds.
To see Twante's pottery works is thrilling,
plains, embellish, small or large-Twante makes them all, except for
the glazed variety. There are pots for cooking, to hold water, to
grow plants and flowers, to burn in cense or to use for
offerings. There are about a dozen major pottery works.
Ready-to-be-moulded clay is brought in from near by villages. It is then worked into a certain consistency. Men
work in pairs to fashion the clay by hand into various shapes and
sizes. One does the spinning the other the moulding. The completed
objects is left to dry before it is ready for firing. It you take
a stroll to the canal and you will see it lined with pots waiting to
be distributed.
If someone approaches the thatched-roof sheds
where the pots are made, potters wheel can be seen near the entrance
to the sheds. Indeed, Twante pots typically are half wheel-thrown,
half coil-shaped, then air dried on huge racks in the middle of the
shed.
Bagan(Arimaddanapura)
Sir James Scott ( pen - name Shwe Yoe) described about Bagan in 1882,
" Pagan( is ) in many respects the most remarkable religious city in the
world. Jerusalem, Rome, Kieff (Kiev ), Benares, none of these can boast the
multitude of the temples, and the lavishness of design and ornament that make
marvelous the deserted capital on the Irriwaddy...the whole space is thickly
studded with pagodas of all sizes and shapes, and the very ground is so thickly
covered with crumbling remnants of vanished shrines, that according to the
popular saying you can not move foot or hand without touching a sacred
thing."
So, in accord with the adage "Seeing is believing", while you are in
Myanmar if you could spare at least three or four days pay a visit to Bagan
which is easily accessible by car, by flight, by train from Yangon. From Mandaly,
you can go there by air, by boat or by car. Anyhow, it would be a great help for
you if you know the initial brief history of Bagan's splendour golden ages that
dates back to 11 century A.D.
Bagan, known as the city of "over four million
pagodas", within an area of 16 square miles, is the most important
historical sites in the country and is the richest archaeological site in Asia.
This enchanting ancient city is situated on the Ayeyawady River about 193
kilometres south of Mandalay.
The extraordinary religious fervour that resulted in this unique
collection of
religious buildings lasted two and a half centuries. Bagan's prime time began
with the Myanmar King Anawrahta's ascent to the throne in 1044. After
Anawrahta has met with Maha Thera Shin Arahan he became a devout
Theravada Buddhist and expressed and waged a religious campaign against Nat
worship and the Tantric debauchery of the Ari monks of Upper Myanmar.
After achieving the Tripitaka ( Three Baskets) of Buddhist Scriptures,
architects, and Buddhist monks from Thaton Anawrahta set about a great programme
of building , and some of the greatest Bagan edifices date from his reign.
Almost immediately upon returning to Bagan from Thaton, Anawrahta embarked on
his programme of embellishing the countryside with Buddhist monuments.
Shwesandaw Pagoda built immediately after the conquest of Thaton, the
magnificent Shwezigone Pagoda, considered a proto type of all later
Myanmar stupa and the Pitaka Taik are amongst the better-known monuments
constructed by King Anawrahta.
In connection with the monuments at Bagan there is a saying among Myanmar
people "The biggest structure is Dhamayangyi Pagoda, the tallest is the
Thatbinnyu and the best creative superb talents of artisans are found at
Ananda Temple".
Where to Start ?
Although a lot of monuments exist in Bagan, the eminent edifices are Ananda,
Thatbinnyu, Swhezigone, Gawdawpanlin, Mahabodi, Dhamayangyi, Sularmunni,
Htilominlo, Gyupyaukgyi, Pahtothamyar, Myazedi Temples and Thamiwhet U-min,
Kyansittha U-min, U-Pali Ordination Hall and Pitkat Taik.
ANANDA Temple
Many visitors begin their exploration of the ancient City at the Ananda
Temple just to the east of the old city wall. This temple was completed in
1091by Kyansittha, considered a master piece of Mon architecture. This perfectly
proportioned temple heralds the stylistic end of the Early Bagan period and the
beginning of the Middle Period. This temple was built with an ingenious
ventilation system that allows natural air and light into the interior. Legend
has it that the temple is based on the Nandamu Cave in the Himalayas.
Four large vestibules, each opening out symmetrically into entrance halls at
the temple's axes, surrounds the central super structure which itself is inlaid
with four huge niches. The central square measures 53 metres (174 feet) along each side while the
superstructure rises in terraces to a decorative hti 53 metres above the
ground. The entrance ways make the structure into a perfect Greek cross; each
entrance is crowned with a stupa finial.
In the niches facing the four cardinal points are four 9 1/2 metres (
31-foot) tall teak Buddha images which represent the four Buddhas of this
world-cycle. Each is dimly lit from the slits in the sanctuary roof.
Lord Gautama, the last Buddha who attained Enlightenment faces west,
Kakusandha faces north, Kanagamana east and Kassapa south.
Terra cotta jatakas
The base and the terraces are decorated with 554 glazed tiles showing the
last ten jataka tales ( life stories of the Gautama Buddha). Together with those
inside the temple and at its base, these tiles represent the largest collection
of terra cotta tiles at any Bagan temple.
Reliefs
In the centre corridor there are 80 relieves that illustrate the life of
Bodhisattva from his birth until his enlightenment.
At the feet of the standing Gautama Buddha , in the western sanctum,
there are two statutes of particular interest. One represent Kyansittha, the
Ananda Temple's founding king, and the other Shin Arahan ( Mon monk, whom
elucidated about Theravada Buddhism to King Anawrahta).
On full moon day of Pyatho ( December-January), the annual Ananda
Temple Festival is held. This is a joyous, colourful spectacle. A huge Paya
Festival attracts thousands to Ananda. The corridors and vestibules of the
temple, while normally lined with small stalls, are especially lively. During
three days of the Festival up to a thousand monks chant around the clock the
scriptures of Lord Buddha.
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