The Secret of the Most Famous Religious Sites in Myanmar
Myanma has been famous for thousands of Buddhist temples and pagodas rising across the country. Each of them has their own story which is not every one knot about it. Let discovery their secrets with Myanmar tour packages.
1. Shwedagon Pagoda and the 8 Buddha’s Strands of Hair
Known as the most famous and prestigious temples in Myanamar, Shwedagon pagoda is covered in gold with the top decorated by thousands of shinning diamonds and rubies in which the biggest one is 74 carats. Legend has it, Buddha gave his 8 strands of hair for 2 brothers in Balkh city (what is currently Afghanistan) after meeting them. They then came to Burma and built this special pagoda to preserve their precious gift with the help of the local ruler. Shwedagon pagoda lies in the Singuttara hill becoming the most popular tourist attractions in Yangon.
2. Ananda Temple and the Slaughter of The Constructors
Located in the ancient city – Bagan, Ananda temple was built following the ideas of 8 monks from the Nandamula monastery in the Himalaya mountain. It is believed that the King requested the monks to construct the temple in the Bagan plain but then ordered to kill all the constructors to keep the unique design of the temple from being replicated.
3. Dhammayangyi Temple and the Ruthless King
With the pyramid design, Dhammayangyi temple stands out in thousands of Buddhist constructions in Bagan. People said that the temple was built under the order of King Narathu who killed his father and brother to take the throne. For fearing of getting bad karma, the king had the temple built in order to atone his sins. However, during the construction, if there was any mistake, builders will be cut off the hands.
4. Pindaya Caves and the 9000 Buddha Statues
Situated in Shan state, Pindaya limestone cave system gains its popularity from a great number of Buddha statues in every shape and size. Each and every one of them has its own design which exists through thousands of years. There are 3 caves in the chain but only the one in the south can be accessed. This cave contained more than 8,000 images of Buddha bearing the distinctive designs of many eras. The statue collection in the cave was donated by both lay people and ruling authorities creating the unique and impressive display which cannot be seen in any Buddhist sites.
5. Mount Popa - The Olympia of the Burma
Lies 50km southeast Bagan, Popa mountain is one of the biggest pilgrimage sites in Myanmar where many ultimate Burmese’s gods are worshipped. It is actually an extinct volcano which is usually confused with its most famous attraction: the pedestal hill – Taung Kalat. There is a Buddhist monastery on the top of the hill where 37 powerful Nat spirits (the guardian of Burmese people) are revered. Tourists have to climb up 777 steps to reach the spot.
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