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Shwedagon pagoda is a massive temple complex in the heart of Yangon, capital of Myanmar and the biggest in the world. Angkor and Borobudur may be bigger but they are no longer used daily as a Buddhist temple whereas Shwedagon is used constantly not only as Yangon's biggest attraction but as a personal shrine.
Locals come here at 4 am when it opens and stay till 10 pm when it closes. Locals come and go as they like as it is free for them as it should be but tourists and foreigners pay US$8 or 8,000 kyat. Incredibly they insist on kyat instead of good old greenbacks which is preferred by everyone else! I could scarcely believe my ears when they said no US dollars are accepted despite the fact US$ 1 is worth 1,103 kyat so US$ 8 is 8,816 kyat and not the required 8,000 kyat!
The main entrance allocated for tourists has no money changer as the local souvenir shop refused to change so we had to walk to one of 4 magnificent staircases which has a money changer next to the ticket desk! So we saved 816 kyat! How bizarre.
Shwedagon is 2,600 years old according to Burmese archives or it could be anytime between the 6th and 4th century BC as Gautama Siddartha Sakyamuni was born around this era.
Shwedagon is unique as it was built when Gautama Buddha aka the historical Buddha was born. No other temple exists today that can claim this amazing lineage all the way back when Buddha was alive and preaching the doctrine of Buddhism or the Middle Path!
Of course back then Shwedagon pagoda was not as grand as today as the main stupa attained its present height of 99 metres or 110 metres if you include the final spire containing 4,531 diamonds including the 76 carat solitaire right at the apex. In addition there are thousands of rings, necklaces, pendants and brooches studded with rubies sapphires and emeralds donated by Buddhists who believe their donations will always bring them luck.
The original stupa was only 8.2 metres!
In the 14th century King Binya built it to 18 metres or 59 feet and Queen Binya Thau had it increased to 40 metres (131 ft) a century later. It reached its present height of 99 metres (325 ft) after King Hsinbyushin rebuilt it after an earthquake brought down the spire in 1768. Some say the solid gold stupa was made from gold taken from Ayutthaya when the Burmese destroyed Thailand's capital in 1767. Unlike other stupas that are gold plated, Shwedagon is made of solid gold---tons and tons of it!
The value of the gold alone makes Myanmar one of the richest countries in Asia but of course the gold remains inviolate and will never be sold as every Burmese would prefer to starve to death than desecrate the gold from Shwedagon stupa! Not for nothing is Burma known as the Golden Land!
A visit is a must in your life time. If you are not impressed, I will refund your airticket and hotel and food!
There are thousands of Buddha statues in Shwedagon and each Burmese tend to have a favorite so its is normal for a local to pray in front of his or favorite Buddha.
However there is a statue known as Ruby-Eye Buddha which grants all wishes so I went to pray there on my first visit and my wish was granted within 48 hours. The next trip I went to pray again and my wish was granted within 55 hours.
So when Princess Dr Becky Leogardo wanted a son, I took her and Michael Mantz (since a man had to be involved to contribute the sperm) to pray before the Ruby-Eye Buddha and Daniel was born! Then Princess Dr Becky Leogardo decided she wanted a daughter after 3 years and we returned to Shwedagon to pray and ask. This time Ruby Eye Buddha gave her a bonus---twins Gloria and Raphael!
She vowed to bring the children to Shwedagon once the twins turned 5 and they did on 1 June 2015 so off we went to say Thank You to Ruby Eye Buddha on 15 June 2015!
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