Kyaiktiyo Pagoda

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (also known as Golden Rock) is a well-known Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mon State, Burma. It is a small pagoda (7.3 metres (24 ft)) built on the top of a granite boulder covered with gold leaves pasted on by its male devotees.

According to legend, the Golden Rock itself is precariously perched on a strand of the Buddha's hair. The balancing rock seems to defy gravity, as it perpetually appears to be on the verge of rolling down the hill. The rock and the pagoda are at the top of Mt. Kyaiktiyo. Another legend states that a Buddhist priest impressed the celestial king with his asceticism and the celestial king used his supernatural powers to carry the rock to its current place, specifically choosing the rock for its resemblance to the monk's head. It is the third most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in Burma after the Shwedagon Pagoda and the Mahamuni Pagoda.

Currently, women are not allowed into the inner sanctuary of the rocks vicinity, maintained by an employed security guard who watches over the gated entrance. Women are permitted in the outer balcony and the lower courtyard of the rock.

Entrance gate to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda.
Chinthe is the Burmese word for 'lion'. The leograph of Chinthe is a highly stylized lion commonly depicted in Burmese iconography and architecture, especially as a pair of guardians flanking the entrances of Buddhist pagodas and kyaung (or Buddhist monasteries).

The leograph of Chinthe appears as an element of Burmese iconography on many revered objects, including the palin (Burmese royal throne) and Burmese bells.
See more at Chinthe - Wikipedia.

Kyaukthanban Pagoda or stupa.
The legend associated with the pagoda is that the Buddha, on one of his many visits, gave a strand of his hair to Taik Tha, a hermit.

The hermit, who had tucked it in the tuft of his hair safely, in turn gave the strand to the king, with the wish that the hair be enshrined in a boulder shaped like the hermit's head.
The king had inherited supernatural powers from his father Zawgyi, a proficient alchemist), and his mother, a naga serpent dragon princess.
They found the rock at the bottom of the sea. With the help of the Thagyamin, the king of Tawadeintha Heaven in Buddhist cosmology, found the perfect place at Kyaiktiyo for locating the golden rock and built a pagoda, where the strand was enshrined. It is this strand of hair that, according to the legend, prevents the rock from tumbling down the hill.
The boat, which was used to transport the rock, turned into a stone. This is also worshiped by pilgrims at a location about 300 metres (980 ft) from the golden rock. It is known as the Kyaukthanban Pagoda or stupa (literal meaning: stone boat stupa).

KBZ ATM.
Even at the top of the mountain we have an ATM to pay for our purchases.

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda seen in the distance from the south.

Statue of a hunter with a hunted boar on his back.

Second gate on the way to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda.
On the left side of this gate is an animist shrine. On the right side is a Buddhist shrine.

Inside the Animist shrine.
The nats are god-like spirits venerated in Myanmar and neighbouring countries in conjunction with Buddhism.

They are divided between the 37 Great Nats who were designated that status by King Anawrahta when he formalized the official list of nats.
Most of the 37 Great Nats were human beings who met violent deaths.
There are two types of nats in Burmese Belief: nat sein which are humans that were deified after their deaths and all the other nats which are spirits of nature (spirits of water, trees etc.)
See more at Nat (deity) - Wikipedia.

Inside the Buddhist shrine.
Buddha's disciples listen to Buddha's sermon.

Buddha's footprint inside the Buddhist shrine.
Buddha's footprints (Sanskrit: Buddhapada) are Buddhist icons shaped like an imprint of Gautama Buddha's foot or both feet.

The veneration of the feet of gurus or deities was commonplace in ancient India, placing one's head at or under their feet being a ritual gesture signifying a hierarchy.
See more at Buddha footprint - Wikipedia.

The sunset seen from the top of the mountain.

The Immage House.

Viewpoint with bells.

Victory column.
Tagundaing refers to an ornamented victory column or flagstaff, typically 18 to 24 m (60 to 80 feet), found within the grounds of Burmese Buddhist pagodas and monasteries (kyaungs).

These ornamented columns were raised within religious compounds to celebrate the submission of local animistic spirits (nats) to the Dhamma, the Buddhist doctrine and inspired by the Pillars of Ashoka.
A mythical hintha (or more rarely a kinnara) is generally found perching atop the column, while the base of the column may be decorated with Thagyamin.
Vasudhara, the earth goddess, may also be found at the base.
See more at Tagundaing - Wikipedia.

Large central courtyard.

Entrance to a small shrine.
The entrance to this small shrine is protected by two nat spirits and two snakes. The snake on the left is green and the snake on the right is red.

Golden Rock Pagoda covered by scaffolding.
Periodically, the Golden Rock Pagoda is covered with scaffolding to remove the gold leaves that believers deposit on its surface.

The weight of the gold could put the balance of the rock at risk.

Entrance to the Golden Rock Pagoda.

Only men can enter the Golden Rock Pagoda.
Male Buddhists are allowed to paste gold leaf onto the rock, as a sign of devotion.

Small shrine with a golden snake.

Shrine consecrated to a local nat spirit.
The priest says his prayers to the local nat spirit.

Shrine on the mountain peak.
At the peak of the mountain there is a shrine dedicated to several nat spirits and several buddhas.

A Buddhist monk takes advantage of the tranquility of the place to meditate.

Small shrine with two more nat spirits receiving offerings.
The golden stones at the entrance to the shrine are used for divination.

The believer puts the question to the nat spirit and then picks up the stone. If the stone appears to be very heavy, the nat spirit's response is 'no'. If the stone appears to be light, the nat spirit's answer is 'yes'.