Inside the Shwedagon Pagoda - a collection of photos

Mid--day sun over the Shwedagon

I have created three blog posts for the Shwedagon Pagoda itself. I found it utterly mesmerizing, and simply could not stop staring at it. I am probably not the only one who thinks this way. Many visitors who have been there report being dazzled by the Shwedagon. I took many photos of the place, and this post will have more photos than text!

Little shrines to the Buddha everywhere you turn

This tree was grown from a cutting from the original Bodhi tree that the Buddha gained enlightenment under

The Singu Min Bell

There is an interesting story associated with the Singu Min Bell. This bell is more than 300 years old and weighs about 25 tons. It is said that in 1825, the British took it from the Pagoda as spoils of war during the first Anglo-Burmese War. But the bell was so heavy, that the British ship which was carrying the bell sank! Any attempts to salvage the bell by the British ended up being unsuccessful. A Burmese group eventually managed to rescue the bell from the river and restored it to the Pagoda.

One of the many ornate prayer pavillions in the Shwedagon

So gold, much wow

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Shwedagon Pagoda

Location: The Shwedagon Pagoda is located in the south of Yangon on the Singuttara Hill in Dagon Township. It is a huge complex and has four entrances. The most popular entrances are the southern and eastern entrances. All entrances except the eastern entrance have an elevator and an escalator. The Shwedagon Pagoda - As viewed from one of the many prayer pavillions The Shwedagon Pagoda is a popular tourist destination in Myanmar and also an important place of worship for Myanmar Buddhists. It forms an important part of Burmese culture, folklore, and identity. It is said to be over 2500 years old and is believed to house relics of the four Buddhas of the present aeon. It has witnessed the evolution of Myanmar over the centuries. From a historical perspective the Shwedagon Pagoda was most likely built by the Mon people around the 6th-10th centuries AD. Over the centuries, subsequent dynasties left their mark on the pagoda by rebuilding and expanding it. It receiv...

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The Shwedagon Pagoda: First glimpse

A trip to Yangon is not complete without a visit to the glittering golden Shwedagon Pagoda. It is the pride of Myanmar. Even if you don't see anything else in your trip to Myanmar and spend all day lazing at your hotel, at least do not miss the Shwedagon. The Shwedagon Pagoda is a Buddhist temple built on a hill. The Burmese say it is more than 2000 years old, and contains some of the Buddha's relics. It is an important place of worship for Burmese Buddhists and a popular tourist destination as well. It is a complex with many ornate shrines, Buddha statues, and a giant stupa (Buddhist shrine) in the centre covered with gold and precious stones. The pagoda rests on a hill in Dagon township, and is easily reached by public transport and taxis. We took YBS bus #12 from Sule Pagoda to Shwedagon pagoda. It cost us 200 Kyat (0.20 SGD) per person and it was a short 15 minute ride. We asked the locals which stop to get down at. The walk from the bus stop to Shwedagon took ...

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