The Shwemawdaw Pagoda is a stupa located in Bago, Myanmar. It is often
referred to as the Golden God Temple.
At 114 metres (374 ft) in height, the Shwemadaw holds the record for the
tallest pagoda in the country although the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is
usually credited as the tallest pagoda in Myanmar (at 98 metres (322 ft)).
Shwemadaw, along with the Shwedagon and Kyaiktiyo, are famous Mon pagodas.
The pagoda's annual festival is a 10-day affair that takes place during the
Burmese month of Tagu.
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Approaching Shwemawdaw Pagoda.
The original version of the pagoda was approximately 21 metres (69 ft)
tall, built by the Mon supposedly to hold two hairs of the Buddha.
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Allegedly, the hairs were given personally to two Mon merchants named
Mahasala and Kullasala by the Buddha on a trip to India.
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Pagoda north gate.
The pagoda has four gates, one at each cardinal point.
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Stand selling grilled chicken.
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Stand selling Burmese fritters.
Burmese fritters are traditional fritters consisting of vegetables or
seafood that have been battered and deep-fried. Assorted fritters are
called a-kyaw-sone.
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Burmese fritters are generally savory, and often use beans and pulses,
similar to South Asian vada.
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See more at
Burmese fritters - Wikipedia.
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Stall selling live birds.
Live birds are intended for release. People release them, for luck.
- It is a Buddhist practice. They get merit, for saving a life.
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Long covered corridor leading to the pagoda.
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Paintings depicting the pagoda along the corridor.
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Western Pavilion.
Around the stupa there is a pavilion at each cardinal point.
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Thursday corner.
On the left side of the Western Pavilion is the Thursday corner.
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Praying before the Thursday corner.
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Entrance door into the stupa.
The original version of the pagoda was built by the Mon supposedly to
hold two hairs of the Buddha. Allegedly, the hairs were given personally
to two Mon merchants named Mahasala and Kullasala by the Buddha on a
trip to India.
- Tooth relics were also added to the pagoda in 982 and 1385.
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Further additions to the temple include a bell from King Dhammazedi, a
crown from King Bayinnaung, and a spire umbrella from King Bodawpaya.
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Devotional flower offerings.
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Old Royal Umbrella which collapsed due to an earthquake in 1917.
The Shwemawdaw Paya was destroyed several times due to earthquakes,
including one in 1917 and another in 1930.
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Portions of the fallen pre-1917 version of the Paya remain at the
site.
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Sign advertising the pagoda security service number 3.
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Three buddhas under the Bodhi tree.
Each of the four pavilions has three Buddha statues inside.
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Shwemawdaw Pagoda.
At 114 metres (374 ft) in height, the Shwemadaw holds the record for the
tallest pagoda in the country.
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Holy tree with small shrines around it.
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Buddha protected by Mucalinda.
Mucalinda is the name of a naga, a snake-like being, who
protected the Gautama Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment.
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It is said that six weeks after Gautama Buddha began meditating under
the Bodhi Tree, the heavens darkened for seven days, and a prodigious
rain descended.
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However, the mighty King of Serpents, Mucalinda, came from beneath the
earth and protected with his hood the One who is the source of all
protection.
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When the great storm had cleared, the serpent king assumed his human
form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned in joy to his palace.
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See more at
Mucalinda - Wikipedia.
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Saturday corner.
The Burmese zodiac employs eight signs in a seven-day week, with each
sign representing its own day, cardinal direction, planet (celestial
body) and animal; it is known as the "Mahabote zodiac".
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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).
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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.
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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.
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See more at
Tagundaing - Wikipedia.
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Leaving Shwemawdaw Pagoda.
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See also
Source
Location
