A taxi ride from town to Shwedagon Pagoda cost 2,500 kyats.(locals don't accept USD)
Arrived at this North entrance where one has to get into the elevator onto the 2nd floor and walk through a passageway via an entrance arch.
The staffs manning near the elevator did not request for any entrance fees except that you are required to take off your shoes and socks and place it at the locker for a fee:-1,000 kyats.(locals pay only 500 kyats)
Locals were exempted from entrance fees while foreign visitors have to buy an entrance ticket from one of the ticketing booth a short distance on the left from the entrance.
Visitors will normally walk straight with the local crowds as the ticketing booth is hardly to be seen.You'll be surprised to have ticket inspectors scrambling after you.
Pay USD5.00 and get the valid one day sticker.
There were many in house security staffs with watchful eyes.
Some will be watching out for looters stealing the donation money in the boxes.
Arrived at the Shwedagon Pagoda complex at about 4:00pm in a sunny afternoon.
Visitors will normally walk straight with the local crowds as the ticketing booth is hardly to be seen.You'll be surprised to have ticket inspectors scrambling after you.
Pay USD5.00 and get the valid one day sticker.
There were many in house security staffs with watchful eyes.
Some will be watching out for looters stealing the donation money in the boxes.
Arrived at the Shwedagon Pagoda complex at about 4:00pm in a sunny afternoon.
A Buddhist shrine with unique rooftop architecture having a blend of Hindu culture.
The north entrance is the nearest to the main pagoda platform area which is also known as the Victory Square.
Burmese women devotees taking a rest beside the Hall of Prosperity.
Devotees after praying will be fanning the Buddha by pulling a long string attached to a peacock feather fan above the Buddha's statue .
Burmese university student girl,majoring in economics resting beside the Hall of Prosperity.
The north entrance is the nearest to the main pagoda platform area which is also known as the Victory Square.
Burmese women devotees taking a rest beside the Hall of Prosperity.
Devotees after praying will be fanning the Buddha by pulling a long string attached to a peacock feather fan above the Buddha's statue .
Burmese university student girl,majoring in economics resting beside the Hall of Prosperity.
The Shwedagon Pagoda Historical museum building is beside the main platform area.
Although it's a small museum,there were many exhibits of some ancient relics.
A late evening overcast above the Shwedagon Stupa surrounded by smaller pagodas.
Although it's a small museum,there were many exhibits of some ancient relics.
A late evening overcast above the Shwedagon Stupa surrounded by smaller pagodas.
Standing elegantly on top of a hill,the Shwedagon Pagoda is the most unique pagoda in Yangon.(formerly Rangoon) .
Genuine gold plates covering the brick structure attached by traditional rivets maintained through the generosity of the Myanmar people donating their gold jewellery.
The most sacred platform area of the Shwedagon Pagoda with many smaller monuments beneath were dedicated to different subjects such as the planetary post for Jupiter that stands just beside the Kassapa Temple.
The planetary post for Rahu lies in the north-west corner.
Slightly to the north is a small octagonal, golden-spired pagoda, the Pagoda of the Eight Weekdays.
The base or plinth of the stupa is made of bricks covered with gold plates.
Above the base are terraces that only monks and men can access.
Next is the bell-shaped part of the stupa.
Above that is the turban, then the inverted alms bowl (thabeik), inverted and upright lotus petals, the banana bud and then the crown.
The crown or umbrella (hti) is tipped with 5,448 diamonds and 2,317 rubies. Immediately before the diamond bud is a flag-shaped vane (nga myat na). The very top, the diamond bud (sein bu) is tipped with a 76 carat (15 g) diamond.
According to archeologists, the stupa was constructed some 2600 years ago to preserve the hairs strands of Buddha which was personally given by him to the two merchant brothers on their journey to India.
A miniature reclining buddha.
Buddha Kassapa temple,the main west shrine with many pilgrims and worshippers.
The girls in uniform were security personnel guarding golden statue and donation boxes.
The amazing clusters of smaller pagodas beneath the main stupa.
"Shwe" means gold and "Dagon" is a former name of Yangon.
Pagoda festivals in Myanmar:
January- Ananda Pagoda Festival in Bagan,
March:
(3) Shwe Gu Nat Festival in Sagaing Division
(4) Ah May Ye Yin Nat Festival in Sagaing Division
April-Thingyan Water Festival
May- pouring the water to Bo tree
June:
(1) Thihoshin Pagoda and Mya Sein Nyo Nat Festival in Sagaing Division
(2)Shwe Kyun Pin Pagoda Festival in Sagaing Division.
July-Waso Chinloe ( cane ball ) festival held in Mandalay.
August:
(1) Taungpyone Nat Festival in Mandalay
2) Yatanagu Nat Festival in Mandalay
September:
(3) Kyauktawgyi Pagoda Festival
October:
(1) Thadingyut Festival
(2) Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda Festival In Shan State
November:
(1) Shwezigone Pagoda Festival in Bagan
(2) Thanbudde Pagoda Festival in Monywa
(3) Phowintaung Pagoda Festival in Monywa
(4) Kaungmudaw Pagoda Festival in Sagaing
(4) Kaungmudaw Pagoda Festival in Sagaing
(5)Taunggyi Tazaungdine Festival in Shan State
(6) Kakku Pagoda Festival in Shan State
December- Shwemyetmhan Pagoda Festival in Pegu Division located in Shwe Taung.
View of Shwedagon Pagoda during the night.
According to some historians and archaeologists, however, the pagoda was built by the Mon people between the 6th and 10th centuries.
The Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand.
The Mon ethnic group mostly live in the Mon State of Bago Division,the Irrawaddy Delta and along the southern Thai-Burmese border.
