Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
looking as incongruous amid the surrounding Burmese architecture as a panda at a bishop's
convention. Past here, and dominating the northeast corner of the terrace, is the brilliantly
gilded Naungdawgyi (“Elder Brother”) Pagoda , like a miniature of the main stupa, said to
mark the spot where the eight hair relics were first stored.
A further sequence of revered images can be found close to the Mahabodhi Pagoda. These
include the ShinIzzagonaBuddha (signed “Shin Issa Gawna's Buddha Image” and flanked
by images of holy men) and - in a colourfully painted little wooden shrine in front of the
BoeBoeAungBuddha-thesmall,goldenandratherChinese-looking PyidawpyanBuddha
(signed “Pyidaw Pyan Returned Buddha Image”), given back to the Shwedagon after having
been removed to England in colonial times, and now protected by stout bars. Close by is
King Tharyarwady's Bell (aka the Maha Tithaddha Gandha), cast in 1841 and even more
massive than King Singu's bell, with a weight of 42 tonnes, a height of 2.6m and a diameter
(at its mouth) of 3.3m.
Near the top of the eastern stairs is the celebrated Dhammazedi Inscription , erected by
King Dhammazedi in 1485 and cataloguing the history of the pagoda in three languages
(Burmese, Mon and Pali) on a trio of huge stone slabs.
Between the eastern and southern staircases
An image of the third of the four present-era Buddhas, Kakusandha , occupies the shrine
opposite the top of the eastern stairs. Past here it's worth hunting out the tricky-to-find but
exceptionally finely costumed Padashin Buddha (signed “Magic Ruby Enshrined Buddha
Image”), just in front of the bridge to the southern lift.
Almost back at the southern staircase, set against the base of the stupa just past the Tuesday
Planetary Post, is the Child-clutching Brahma (signed “Child holding Brahma Image”),
showing the Indian god holding an infant and popular with devotees hoping to have children
of their own. Directly opposite, a glass case holds a solid-gold miniature Replica of the Sh-
wedagon .
Maha Wizaya Pagoda
Corner of Shwe Dagon Pagoda and U Htaung Bo roads • Daily 6am-9pm • Free
Builtin1980,the MahaWizayaPagoda wasofficiallyconstructedtocommemoratetheuni-
fication of all Theravada orders in Burma, although unofficially it stands as a monument to
its creator, military ruler Ne Win (not to mention the king and queen of Nepal, who also con-
tributed various Buddhist relics). Sitting virtually in the shadow of the Shwedagon, from the
outside the Maha Wizaya Pagoda looks like a modest miniature sister of its huge neighbour.
Inside the hollow stupa it's a completely different story, with a bizarre interior done up to
look like a miniature forest with a night sky above, decorated with myriad symbolic animals
and other objects.
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