Swedagon Pagoda

Swedagon Pagoda is the most important landmark in Myanmar. It is the home to 4 buddha relics- Buddha's hair, alms bowl, walking stick and robe. Interestingly, nobody has seen these 4 buddha relics. There have been buried underneath the pagoda for over 2000 years. Only people who went into deep meditation claimed to have seen the relics. Hence, for a Buddhist country, the Swedagon pagoda is most representative of their culture and religion.

Among all the pagodas I have seen, Swedagon is the most gorgeous. Unlike other pagodas which are gold leaf plated or gold painted, she is gold plated. Imagine a pagoda over 300 feet in height and every inch of it covered by real solid gold. Under the orange spotlights, Swedagon illuminates in glowing yellow. It was a spectacular sight. When driving along the highway, the beautiful Swedagon shines like a golden beacon and brightens up the night sky. At the top of Swedagon is home to a 76 carat diamond which is the most befitting jewel for this alluring one.

The glorious Swedagon Pagoda is a complete contrast to the streets of Myanmar. The land, this magnificent architecture is housed in, is one of the poorest countries in the world. The people live in severe poverty. Most of the people earn less than 50 US dollars a month. They could barely feed for themselves, let alone buy comfort items. The place is littered with packets of beggars. Amidst the poor, an organisation which feeds upon the compassion of people thrives. Babies are being rented for 1000 to 2000 khats and they are used as tools for begging. To the people, the Swedagon Pagoda is a pillar of strength, a beacon of hope for a better tomorrow.

Swedagon Pagoda