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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 received royal patronage up till the last dynasty of Myanmar. The Pagoda has seen generous donations of gold and precious stones from the rulers for its ornamentation.

Currently the Shwedagon is listed as an Ancient Monument Zone and Protected and Preserved Zone in the Yangon City Heritage List. The Shwedagon has a very fascinating architecture, which even total newbies can appreciate. Standing at 99 metres tall, it is built in typical Burmese style. The pagoda stands on a hill and can be seen even from a distance in many parts of the city.

The base of the pagoda is covered with gold plates. Real gold was used to plate the pagoda! At the very top of the pagoda is a multi level umbrella-like structure called a hti. It is covered in diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones. Sometimes during the evening when the sun's rays hit the hti at an angle, the light get refracted in dazzling colours. The shrines and pavillions surrounding the pagoda are also decorated with precious stones and beautiful motifs.

Surrounding the pagoda are shrines with a Buddha in each of them for every day of the week. The Burmese believe there are 8 days of the week (Wednesday is divided into two days), and knowing the day you were born determines which shrine you will worship at. It is a fascinating experience watching people worship at their respective shrines by praying, pouring water, and making offerings of flowers and incense.

The best time to visit the Shwedagon is in the morning where there are few tourists and the air is cool or in the evening when prayers are going on, and the entire complex is lit up. Early mornings at Shwedagon feels mystical, while evenings are just so dazzling. Afternoons are also nice, but it gets quite hot. Nevertheless, the Shwedagon is awe-inspiring at whatever time it is visited.

Buddha shrines dedicated to the corresponding day of the week
Devotees worship at their respective shrines

Story Time:
 The first thing I did when I entered the Shwedagon complex was drop to my knees and worship at the Five Buddhas hall. It is right in front of the eastern entrance. It was an amazing experience to chant Pali Buddhist prayers with strangers whose language I didn't know. The only thing binding us together at that moment was our belief in the Buddha's teachings to guide us into enlightenment. I simply closed my eyes and savoured the intonations of the familiar chanting. The clean, fresh smell of incense and lotus flowers, the rise and fall of Burmese accented Pali chanting, doing prostrations to the Triple Gem: these are the experiences of the Shwedagon that stick out in my mind. The dazzling golden pagoda and the opulent architecture were spectacular in their own right, but it was the feeling of spiritual kinship with total strangers that made the experience very special for me.

A nun leading chanting at the worship hall 

Hall of Five Buddhas


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Comments

Anonymous said…
Very good information, thanks!
March 30, 2020 at 8:59 PM
Varsha Sathish Kumar said…
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the post and found it useful.
March 30, 2020 at 9:05 PM
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