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yangon (City of Natural Beauty)
Shwedagon Pagoda
 Shwedagon Pagoda is well-known and famous not only in the world’s Buddhist
community but also in the tourist community. This is an extraordinary pagoda
listed in the wonders of the world. At the bottom of the bell shaped pagoda has
enshrined (8) sacred hairs of the present Buddha and other (3) sacred items of
three past Buddha. These (8) sacred hairs have given by the Buddha himself to
the two Merchant brothers who had been to India and met the Buddha unexpectedly.
At the time they met, Buddha had just attained the Buddha hood. At the meeting
they offered food to the Buddha, and then Buddha returned eight hairs. These two
merchant brothers were the first Buddhist among the human beings at that time.
Then they took back the relic hairs of Buddha to be enshrined in Myanmar. With
the help of a number of celestial beings, the brothers and the King of this
region of Myanmar discovered the hill where relics of the previous Buddha had
been enshrined. Once the relics were safely enshrined, a golden slab was laid on their
 chamber and a golden stupa built on it. Over this, a silver stupa was
built, after then tin stupa, a copper stupa, a lead stupa, a marble stupa and
finally an iron-brick stupa. Finally the brick stupa was built to encase the
whole series of the pagoda and at last it reached twenty seven feet in height.
At that time the city was known as Dagon and just a small town. But considered
as a religious center because of the Shwedagon Pagoda, several Kings through out
the region visited Dagon to repair or renovation. Then the height of the pagoda
came up to sixty six feet.
Now a day the Glorious Shwedagon Pagoda is the most astonishing sight one has
ever seen. The magnificent Golden Pagoda plated with more than 30 tons of gold
is a shimmering spire rising 362 feet (99.3 m). The hill on which the Golden
Pagoda stands is 58 meters high. Thus the Glorious Shwedagon Pagoda has towering
over the city and the visitors can see either from air or from sea. Visitors
enjoy watching how the Buddhist devotees worship and offers Buddha. The premises
of pagoda are over 5 hectors. All the walkways are covered with white marble
slabs.
On the hill top platform around the mighty stupa has many structures. There are
4 stairways to reach the hill top platform at 4 directions; East, West, North
and South. At the top of every stairway has the adoration hall enshrined the
image of previous Buddhas.
The premises of the pagoda consist of main stupa, the plinth, small stupas,
planetary post, idol icons, adoration halls and pavilions.
 There have (8) planetary post around the stupa. These planetary posts are unique
on the pagoda because all the devotees come to the pagoda worship and offer at
their planetary posts. Each planetary post has a Buddha image, two big flower
vases for offering flowers and a huge water bowl to bathe Buddha image. The
people used to offer flowers, scented stick, candles and bathing water to the
Buddha. And after the worship everybody pray for good health, prosperous future
etc. Another outstanding place is the wish-full filling ground where devotees
knee down and pray that their wishes come true.
For the foreign tourist all are the exotic scene on the platform of Shwedagon
pagoda which is good to explore Myanmar traditional activities as well as arts
and crafts.
 Botataung Pagoda
Botataung Pagoda
is a 40m golden spire and houses another sacred Buddha's hair relic. The interior is covered with mosaic glass, and dozens of glass showcases display donated marble, gold, teak, silver and limestone artifacts and relics. It has located in east of Yangon waterfront.
Kaba Aye (World Peace) Pagoda
Kaba Aye (World Peace) Pagoda built for the Sixth Buddhist Synod in 1954-1956. Nearby is a large artificial cave, Maha Pasana Guha or Great Cave, for religious ceremonies and get-togethers.
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