The Golden Rock: Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda

There are many famous pagodas in Myanmar (also referred to as Burma). Among them Kyaikhtiyo is one among the famous pagoda and most scared pilgrimage sites in Myanmar. The pagoda is additionally referred to as “The Golden Rock” which is found at the summit of the Mt. Kyaikhtiyo and it’s at an altitude of 1100 m (3608.92 feet) above the ocean level. it’s situated within the village of the Mon State called Kyaik Hto which is 210 km (130.49 mile) faraway from Yangon. As of the Mon tradition, “Kyaik” means “Pagoda” in Mon language, “Ithi” means “Hermit” in Pali language and “Yo” means “To keep it up the hermit’s head”. That’s why “Kyaikhtiyo” means “the pagoda carried on the hermit’s head”.

When you continue the summit of the Mr. Kyaikhtiyo, you’ll see a huge round boulder at the acute fringe of the cliff with a pagoda on top of it. it’s actually an enormous granite boulder that’s covered with gold leaves applied by the Buddhist devotees and becoming the golden rock. There still have many other pagodas and even have waterfall which isn’t very faraway from the most pagoda. So if you’re interested to travel around and have overtime for this, you’ll enjoy those attractions. the doorway fees for the foreigner are 10,000 Kyats per person (the counter are going to be at the half way from the station to the most entrance).
The boulder is about 7.6 m (24.93 feet) tall and 15 m (49.21 feet) in girth. The pagoda above the boulder is about 7.3 m (23.95 feet) tall . The golden rock is laying balance on the acute fringe of the cliff of the separated natural rock platform from the mountain and there’s a little iron bridge that link between the rock platform and therefore the mountain. The contact area of the boulder and therefore the rock platform is extremely small and it appear to be it’ll fall at any moment. The boulder is enshrining with hair relics of Buddha and it stands against the gravitational pull of the world by rolling faraway from the sting of Capitol Hill .

According to the legend, about 2500 years ago the good Buddha met with the hermit called Taik Tha. The hermit offered the rice box and therefore the Buddha gave two strands of hairs reciprocally . The hermit safely placed the strands of hair he received from Buddha inside the tuft of his own hair. The hermit wished to create a pagoda before he die and he visited see the King to request him to enshrine the hair relic during a boulder which is that the same shape of the hermit’s head. The King possessed the supernatural powers which he inherited from his talented alchemist (known as “Zawgyi” in Myanmar language) and his dragon princess mother (known as “Naga” in Myanmar language). The boulder which is strictly an equivalent shape of the hermit’s head was found at rock bottom of the ocean and located the right spot to put the boulder with the assistance of the Thagyamin (who is that the King of the Nats (Spirits) of Tawadeintha Heaven in traditional Buddhist belief).
Every year from October to March is that the regular pilgrimage season for the pilgrims and therefore the visitors. The pagoda is usually illuminate with candles, incense sticks but it’s overcrowded during the festival season. Many pilgrims also chanting and do the meditations throughout the night and applying the gold leaves to the pagoda. The mountain top area round the pagoda is lighted up with nine thousands candles on the complete moon day of Tazaungmone to pay homage to the Lord Buddha and therefore the pilgrims are offering the foods, fruits, water then on at the very early morning of subsequent day. All women are prohibited to travel near the pagoda at any time but men can go pay respect nearby and apply the gold leaves to the pagoda. there’ll be the pagoda trustees who guard the gate.

You can get there by buses or by trains from Yangon. The bus usually takes approximately around 5 hours and therefore the regular bus departs from early morning till afternoon from Yangon to Kinpun which is that the base camp of the Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda. The bus rates are from 8000 Kyats for foreigners and 4000 for locals for a method . there’s also VIP bus and you’ll choose upon your budget. confirm to shop for the direct bus because there’ll be other bus which transcend to the opposite destination only arrive to Kyaik Hto and you would like to require local bus again to Kinpun. The bus departs from early morning till afternoon from Kinpun to Yangon too.
If you would like to urge there by train, there’ll be only 3 trains depart from Yangon at 07:15, 18:25 and 20:00 respectively and it takes about 4.5 to 5.5 hours to Kyaik Hto. The train offers only 2 sorts of seats: ordinary seat (costs around 1200 Kyats for one way) and upper crust seat (costs around 2500 Kyats for one way). because the train only arrives to Kyaik Hto, you’ve got to require local bus to Kinpun. There are many buses go and forth between Kyaik Hto and Kinpun and costs around 500 Kyats. The train departs from Kyaik Hto at 12:33, 23:55 and 01:30 respectively and it takes around 5 hours to Yangon.

After arrive to the Kinpun, there’ll be the truck station to the Kyaikhtiyo Hill. The truck costs 3000 Kyats for the comfortable front seat and 2500 Kyats for the rear seat per way and you’ll arrive to the Kyaikhtiyo Truck Station within 25 minutes. The front seat is restricted (only have 5 seats) and you’ve got to book at the counter. For the rear seat, you’ll sit anywhere and therefore the truck departs as soon because it is full. The truck ride are going to be a touch adventure but the breathtaking view is waiting up there. there’s an alternative choice to go: you’ll take the car to the highest but you’ve got to require the truck first from Kinpun Truck Station to the Yathae Taung Truck Station. the value of the truck to Yathae Taung Truck Station are going to be a touch cheaper than the direct ride to the Kyaikhtiyo Truck Station.
The car costs 3000 Kyats per way for the local people and 5 USD per way for the foreigners but it’s free for monks and nuns. The operating hours for the truck and therefore the car are from 5:00 to 18:00 a day . it’ll take around 10 to fifteen minutes to the most entrance of the pagoda from the Truck Station or the car station. Nowadays, the transportation systems are much easier and convenient.