Yangon, the melting pot of old &
contemporary cultures & traditions
 Yangon,
as it is now called, was formally known
as Rangoon till 1989 when the new military
government came to reuse what King Alaungpaya
named in 1755, Yangon or “the end of strife”,
while Okkala was the very first and original
name of a small village of Mon people, then
later changed into Dagon following the construction
of Great Shwedagon Pagoda sometimes around
in the 5th century BC. After second Anglo-Burmese
war in 1852, Yangon came into international
popularity as the “The Garden City of the
East” for its charming colonial buildings,
chessboard style city layout, and importance
of the regional trade centre. For a long
time, Yangon was caught in a time warp.
Despite Yangon is rush to modernize, the
atmosphere of antiqueness and the colonial
ambience still lingers on. There were only
20% of Burmese were living among Europeans,
Chinese, and the imported Indians at the
time of British’s Rangoon. Most frequently
mentioned Rudyard Kipling’s phrase from
his “Letters from the East” (1889), he wrote:
“Then, a golden mystery upheaved itself
on the horizon – a beautiful, winking wonder
that blazed in the sun, of a shape that
was neither Muslim dome nor Hindu temple
spire. It stood upon a green knoll… ‘There’s
the old Shway Dagon,’ said my companion…
The golden dome said, ‘This is Burma, and
it will be quite unlike any land that one
know about’.” Although Kipling’s visit to
Yangon may over 100 years in the past, yet
little has altered the people and lifestyles
through the ages. Indeed, Yangon may gain
its fame from Shwedagon pagoda while there
are many attractions that make one wonders,
from ageing colonial buildings now using
as living quarters and government offices
among the high-rises & glittering ancient
pagodas, busy bustling side streets with
vendor selling various goods, crowded buses
of second world war remnants, old churches,
mosques, Hindu temples, and even a synagogue,
the happening places or the teashops where
you can sip a cup of tea or chat with the
locals, colorful markets, gems & jewelries
to the beautiful grounds of Kandawgyi parks
and the Karaweik barge. Furthermore, Yangon
is an ideal place to make a base to commence
your classic journeys to all destinations
of Myanmar and do some excursions to the
delta towns of Twentay, 17th century Portuguese’s
colonial island of Thanlying, Bago that
had been the 9th century capital of the
Mons and 16th century capital of the Burmese,
the Golden Rock Pagoda, or the Myaing Hay
Won elephant training camp and other ecotourism
destinations.
Nowadays, Yangon’s 5+ millions inhabitants
make the most multiethnic & cosmopolitan
city in Myanmar, as the new satellite townships
establishing towards all cardinal points
except to the south. Being the capital of
Myanmar, Yangon is the only most accessible
gateway to Myanmar, although the seat of
military government moved to the north,
near an old town called Pyinmana, and established
a new city from the bare land called “Naypyitaw”
or literally means “The Kingdom of the Sun”.
All in all, Yangon is the gateway to begin
your dream journey into the Golden Land,
Myanmar.
Sule Pagoda
 Originally
built by the Mon people, this 48-Meter high
distinct octagonal-shaped stupa actually
dates over 2000-years. Some suggest that
the name was corrupted from Sura, a minister
of Mon kingdom who has been stationed here.
Once stood on the bank of Yangon River in
the muddy swamp land, now Sule is pay homage
by the bustling Yangon’s motor traffic of
from whichever direction, as British town
planners laid out the grid system by setting
up the stupa in the centre and made the
heart of Yangon. In these days, Sule is
an important place for the Buddhists who
want to meditate briefly from their routine
work or do some religious activities as
suggested by the fortuneteller or simply
take a short break from the hectic daily
life.
Botataung Pagoda
Literally means “Thousand Military Leaders
Pagoda”. This pagoda has a combination of
two Buddhist architectural traditions, the
style of stupa from the outside and the
usage of a temple inside. In fact, this
pagoda is renowned for its age dating back
to over 2500-years, and the relics it contains
inside, the hairs of Buddha, which are kept
inside the decorated glass case. You can
also find antiques offered to this pagoda
in the cages along the passage including
invaluable votive tablets with Pyu inscriptions.
One can attain merits by feeding foods to
the catfish and tortoise from a lake next
to the pagoda. A highly venerated bronze
Buddha image from Mandalay period that was
shipped to London Albert museum by the British
in 1885 and returned to Myanmar in 1952
is on the north side of the stupa and has
an interesting story. The proximity of this
pagoda to the Yangon’s paddle ferry port
is an advantage to see a little bit of life
and also to breathe some fresh air.
Chaukhtatgyi Buddha
 This
colossal reclining Buddha image is a must
to see if you don’t have time to see more
graceful one in Bago, 80km north of Yangon.
According to the Buddhist iconography, there
are many different positions from standing,
walking, sitting with various hand postures…
but reclining style is most difficult to
express in terms of architectural beauty
if it is especially a gigantic size. Although
Chaukhtatgyi Buddha image is a 20th century
monument and less proportionate comparing
with the other ones throughout Myanmar,
it has the length of 70 meters and makes
the third biggest in Myanmar. There are
also interesting sole marks of Buddha numbering
108 in total.
Shwedagon Pagoda, the fairest
place on earth
 A
golden dome, which rises above Yangon’s
skyline… call it a golden mystery or a beautiful
winking wonder… or a magical vista… Shwedagon
is the essence of Myanmar and the most important
& sacred religious site of all Myanmar.
The pagoda is 98m above its base set on
the highest point of Yangon at the altitude
of 58m above sea level. Although the current
style dates back to 1770s, the original
stupa was built 2500-years ago when two
brothers from Yangon area (at that time
called Okkalapa) met with Gautama Buddha
and received eight hairs, then built a stupa
of 18.5meter to house the hairs together
with three other relics of three former
Buddhas. The stupa was rebuilt several times,
enlarged the size & raised the height by
the successive Mon & Burmese kings after
a serious of earthquakes throughout centuries.
However, the earliest solid record was made
only in the 1485AD by King Damaceti of the
Mons. To the date, Shwedagon is covered
with over 53 tons of gold plates & gold
leaves; over 2200 carets of diamonds excluding
various precious stones and jewelries, not
to mention a single 76-carets diamond at
its very top. There are several interesting
buildings where you can find both ancient
and refined Myanmar arts and architectures
in many forms, and many interesting stories
to be heard from your guide. The most convenient
time to visit this place is before sunset
to see the soft orange dome while the last
rays of the setting sun hit the great Shwedagon
with its dazzling mix of pavilions, stupas,
images, & bells or to observe a group of
volunteers sweeping the platform in rows
and experience the magical scene as the
pagoda wonderfully light up as the twilight
enters… Shwedagon is the fairest place on
earth and never fails to enchant.
Kabaraye, the world peace
pagoda and Maha Pasana, the great cave
A contemporary pagoda, built in 1952
by the first prime minister of independent
Myanmar, U Nu who’s also a renowned politician,
to commemorate the sixth Buddhist synod
where the world leaders of Buddhist religion
came to gather and recheck the entire holy
Buddhist canon from 1954 to 1956. The stupa-temple
style monument has 34m height and 34m circumference.
The striking Buddha image made out of 500kg
silver is kept inside the inner sanctum
together with relics of two disciples of
Buddha.
The Maha Pasana or the Great Cave is an
artificial one, where the sixth Buddhist
synod was held to coincide with 2500th anniversary
of the Buddha’s enlightenment. It was constructed
by the voluntary labors and finished just
before the conference started. Inside around
10,000 people can be seated and it is now
used for the state level religious occasions
and ceremonies like rewarding of highly
achieved Buddhist monks. The cavern measures
139 x 113 meters.
 Bogyoke
Aung San Market, the oriental bazaar
Built in 1920s, the sprawling market
has almost every item that produces in Myanmar.
Virtually, it is cheaper and make sense
to buy things from the place where they
are produced, Bogyoke Market (aka Scott
Market) has wide range of Burmese handicrafts,
woodcarvings, lacquerware, musical instruments,
shoulder bags, precious stones & jewelries,
longyis, and various imported goods. It
is also a good place to try some typical
Burmese snacks and seasonal fruits.
National Museum
The new national museum is relocated
to the present site in 1996 and has a range
of interesting cultural & historical exhibits,
including 8m-hight Lion Throne (Sihasana)
used by King Thibaw of Mandalay; royal regalia,
furniture, paintings, inscribed stones of
Pyu & Bagan periods; prehistoric findings;
woodcarvings; folk cultural items; archaeological
findings; and mannequins dressed ethnic
groups in the country.
Bogyoke Aung San Museum
This museum itself dates from the 1920s
and was in fact the home of General Aung
San and his wife Daw Khin Kyi and family
lived. The museum exhibits the old photos
of the Burmese most distinguished national
hero and independence leader General Aung
San and his family including the widely
publicized state’s enemy Aung San Su Kyi.
The books in the library, furniture and
items used by the General are kept in the
different rooms as it has been arranged
in the old times.
Zoological Gardens
Kandawgyi Gardens
|
