Bago(Pegu) is just 80 km(50 miles) north of Yangon. Apparently Mons was the first to settle at

this site. Two Mon brothers Thamala and Wimala from Thaton first founded the city about 825

A.D. In 13th century A.D. Bago was made the capital of the Mon Kingdom and it came to be

known as Hansavati (Hanthawaddy). Bago today is the capital of Bago Division, one of the 14

States and Divisions that constitute the Union of Myanmar.

Economy and Industry

Bago is famous for its cheroot industry. Different brands of cheroot are available there. Other

products are rice, salt, dried fish and various handicrafts.

How to get there

Bago can be reached by car or by train from Yangon. The journey takes just an hour and a half.

A newly widened six-land highway is now complete, with factories, cafes, hotels, golf courses and

other facilities along the way. Air-conditioned buses now ply this route. On the road are good

restaurants and cafes like "Dollar" motel where visitors can take rides on horse-drawn carriages

and bullock carts around a lovely lake.

Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda

Famous pagodas worth visiting, among others, are the Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda, the Shwe Tha

Lyaung Pagoda and the Mahasedi Pagoda. The height of the Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda is actually a

little higher than the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Legendary history says that both

Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda and Shwedagon Pagoda are from the time of the Buddha, i.e. about

2,540 years old. Similar to the Shwedagon Pagoda this greatly venerated pagoda was first built

by two merchants, in this legend named Mahasala and Cullasala, who brought back from India,

two sacred hairs bestowed by the Buddha to enshrine therein.

The Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda is of architectural interest as it has an octagonal base with elaborate

multiplane projections in the lower portion, which is quite old. Bago is in an earthquake-prone

zone and the top part of the pagoda collapsed each time during three major earthquakes in

1912, 1917 and 1930. Reconstruction with an earthquake-proof structure from the bell-shaped

dome to the finial "umbrella",

was completed only in April

1954. Visitors can see in the

Pagoda Museum a number of

ancient Buddha images of

stone and bronze found in the

damaged top part of the

pagoda after the earthquakes.

Visitors and devotees throng

to the Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda

Festival, which is usually held

in the month of April.

Shwe Tha Lyaung Pagoda,

the Golden Reclining Image

The next religious edifice you should certainly see while you are in Bago is the large reclining

image of the Buddha, 180 feet in length and 52.5 feet in height. This is one of the largest

reclining Buddha images in the world.

Traditionally believed to have been built by King Migadipa in AD 944. It was restored by

Ramadhipatiraja (1472-1492) but later'lost' and recovered from the jungle in the 1880s by an

Indian contractor called Nalahi, who proceeded to dig up the bricks. He was promptly stopped by

Buddhists, who restored the image. Unfortunately, it has lost its original Mon features. (see photo

below). The image was restored in 1881. Its official name is Shin Bin Tha Lyaung but it is

popularly known as Shwe Tha Lyaung "the golden reclining image".

It has been renovated and covered with a large prayer shed (Aryan Khan Tazaung) with lovely

glass mosaic work on parts of the image. On both sides of the main approach leading to the

stairway of the pagoda are the souvenir shops, mainly run by the local Mon and Myanmar

people, where beautiful lacquerware, wood, straw and shell artifacts can be bought at cheap

prices.

Footprints of Shwe Tha Lyaung Pagoda, the Golden Reclining Image

Mahazedi

There are many other famous pagodas in Bago, like the Mahazedi (the Great Stupa) built by King

Bayinnaung in 1560 A.D., and Hinthakone Pagoda, which you should see. Tradition has it that

Hinthakone is the hill where the two sacred mythical ducks called nintha (Hamsa) alighted, when

only the very top of the hill was above the ocean. The name Hantha-wadi or Hamsavati by which

Bago and her kingdom were known, originated from this name.

Hanthawadi Palace

Kanbawza Thadi, the famous palace of King Bayinnaung (1551-1581 A.D.) is being extensively

excavated and some buildings are being rebuilt. King Bayinnaung was the founder of the Second

Myanmar Empire, which stretched from the borders of India to parts of Thailand and Laos. In

1566 A.D. he built a new capital city called Hanthawadi on what is now Bago. To the south of the

Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda he built a grand palace, which he named Kanbawza Thadi.

Excavations at the palace site were started on 25th April 1990. The Archaeological Department

has up to now excavated six mounds, which revealed the brick foundations and plinths of the old

palace. Many teak pillars, some with inscriptions were also found. The Settaw Saung, one of the

main rooms of the palace has been reconstructed and the work is 90 percent finished. Also the

main Audience Hall(the Lion Throne Room) is being rebuilt. The palace site transferred to the

Archaeology Department comprises of 9,662 acres. The reconstructed 16th century palace of

Hanthawadi and the whole palace site will become a main tourist attraction in the near future.

There is also an interesting archaeological museum on the excavation site. There is also a

famous teaching monastery, a Pariyatti University called Kya Khat Waing, on 7 acres of land with

about 636 monks and monk students, which is well worth visiting.

For people who wish to have a glimpse of the traditional way of Myanmar life, Bago is an ideal

place to visit. People are seen going about their business in a simple and peaceful way unspoiled

by the urbanity of metropolitan life.

The Shwemawdaw Pagoda (also written Shwemawdaw Paya) in Bago is the tallest pagoda in Myanmar. The Shwemawdaw is 14 m higher than the Shwedagon of Yangon. The name Shwemawdaw means Great Golden God. The Shwemawdaw can be seen from as far as 10 km outside the city, a fact which I could verify when I saw the Shwemawdaw from the window of the train for a long, long while, as we travelled passed Bago from Yangon to Mandalay.

Shwemawdaw Pagoda, Bago. According to legend, the Shwemawdaw was built by two merchant brothers, Mahasala and Kullasala, after they returned from India with two hairs personally given to them by Gautama Buddha. They built a small stupa to enshrine the hairs. Since then, the shrine had been enlarged many times, including once by Bago's founders, Thamala and Wimala. Sacred teeth relics were added to the collection in 982 and 1385. King Dhammazedi installed a bell on the pagoda's main platform. Dhammazedi's inscriptions can still be seen today, though what was written by the king is indecipherable. In the 16th century, King Bayinnaung gave his own crown to be used to make the hti (sphire umbrella) for the pagoda. Then, in 1796, King Bodawpaya donated a new hti and raised the pagoda to 90 m (295 ft). The Shwemawdaw has been rocked by earthquake many times in its long existence. In the 20th century alone, three big earthquakes hit the Shwemawdaw. The 1917 quake broke off its spire which now lay on the ground on the northeastern side of the pagoda. The Shwemawdaw was almost completely destroyed in the last major quake which happened in 1930. After World War II, unpaid volunteers began restoration work to rebuilt the pagoda. The restored pagoda stands 114 m (374 ft), taller than it ever was. By 1954, the Shwemawdaw was given a new diamond-studded hti. Just like the Shwedagon, the Shwemawdaw is entered through four main stairways. There is a small museum that contains ancient wooden and bronze Buddha statues salvaged from the ruins of the 1930 earthquake. Like the Shwedagon, the terrace of the Shwemawdaw also features planetary prayer posts - eight all told - as well as statues honouring nat spirits. The stairways leading to the pagoda are guarded by huge white chinthe, mythical beasts which are half lion and half dog.

Shwemawdaw Paya

The Shwemawdaw Paya (Burmese: , pronounced [w md pj]; Mon: , [taimt]) is a stupa located in Bago, Myanmar. It is often referred to

as the Golden God Temple. At 375 feet in height, the Shwemadaw holds the record for the

tallest pagoda in the country although the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is usually credited as

the tallest pagoda in Myanmar (at 98 meters - approximately 321.5 ft). Shwemadaw, along with

the Shwedagon and Kyaiktiyo, are famous Mon pagodas.

[edit]History

Shwemawdaw in 1795

The Shwemawdaw Paya was originally built around the tenth century, C.E. It was destroyed

several times due to earthquakes, including one in 1917 and another in 1930. Portions of the

fallen pre-1917 version of the Paya remain at the site. The original version of the pagoda was

approximately 70 feet tall, built by the Mon supposedly to hold two hairs of the Buddha.

Allegedly, the hairs were given personally to two Mon merchants named Mahasala and Kullasala

by the Buddha on a trip to India. Tooth relics were also added to the pagoda in 982 and 1385.

Further additions to the temple include a bell from King Dhammazedi, a crown from

King Bayinnaung, and a spire umbrella from King Bodawpaya. The current stupa, as of its most

recent rebuilding, stands at 375 feet, making it the tallest in Myanmar.

Shwedagon Pagoda

In the capital city of Yangon, you will find the beautifully majestic Shwedagon Pagoda. The Shwedagon Pagoda sits upon holy Singuttara Hill. To understand the reason why this hill is considered so holy, and to grasp the significance of the Shwedagon to Buddhists and to the people of Myanmar, it is important to know both the history and the legends of how it all came to be. Over 2,500 years ago, there lived a king by the name of Okkalapa. He was ruler of Suvannabhumi and ruled over the Talaings. At this time, Siddharta Guatama was living in northern India. He was still a young man and was not yet recognized as the Buddha.

It was and is believed that a new Buddha, or Enlightened One, will come into being once every 5,000 years. At the time of Okkalapa, it had been approximately 5,000 years since the last Buddha, and it was considered time once again. Singuttara Hill is important because it was the holy resting spot of the relics of three Buddhas. Their relics were enshrined within Singuttara Hill, thus making it a holy place. To keep it holy, it was believed that gifts given by the new Buddha, which would become relics, had to be enshrined every 5,000 years in the hill. But Okkalapa was concerned, as a new Buddha had not come to be known yet, and if it took too long he feared the hill could lose its holiness. He went to the hill to pray and to meditate, unaware of Siddharta Guatamas coming into enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in northern India at the same time. According to area legend, he appeared to Okkalapa and told him to be patient, that his wish for the hill would soon be granted. As Guatama was reaching the end of his 49 days of meditation, he was visited by two brothers. Their names were Tapussa and Bhallika, and they happened to be from Myanmar and were subjects of Okkalapa. These two merchant brothers present Guatama Buddha with a gift of some honey cake, as they recognized him as The Enlightened One. To express his thanks to them, he pulled out 8 of his hairs off of his head, and gave the hairs to Tapussa and Bhallika. They took the hairs and headed back home. However, during their journey they were twice robbed, and 4 of the sacred hairs were taken from them. By the time they reached Myanmar, they had only 4 of The Buddhas hairs left. However, their return was still a celebrated one by King Okkalapa and his people, and a large party was thrown in honor of the brothers. It was decided that a shrine place should be built on Singuttara Hill to house these newest relics. At the party in their honor, the brothers presented a casket containing the Buddhas hairs to their king, and he opened it. there were great tremors upon the earth, a great rocking earthquake. It is also said that all of the trees then burst into blossom and lovely jewels fell from the sky. A shrine was created on Singuttara Hill to house these 8 miraculous hairs, and the area was deemed sacred. An enormous pagoda was then created atop the hill to house the shrine, and it is considered one of the most sacred places in all of Myanmar. The pagoda itself is a wondrous architectural achievement. The top soars well over 300 ft into the air (approximately 100 meters or more) above the hilltop and can be seen from quite far away. The Shwedagon, which means, loosely translated, golden hills is magnificently made out of gold and jewels all over.

The details as to exactly when and how the construction of the pagoda began are somewhat sketchy, but writings document that it was well-known and visible by the 11th century. Over the years, various kings and queens took part in renovating it, and enlarging the structure, making it even taller and grander than before.

Some interesting stories of the Shwedagon Pagoda deal with its enormous bells. In 1608, a Portuguese invader by the name of Philip de Brito y Nicote stole a bell that weighed in at around 6,0000 lbs, or 30 tons. However, as he was attempting to return home with the bell, it fell into the Bago River and was lost.

The bell was replaced in 1779. That was after a massive earthquake in 1768 toppled the highest part of the pagoda. Once that part, the stupa, was rebuilt, King Hsinbyushins son Singu had a 23 ton bronze bell cast. It was called the Maha Gandha bell. In the 1820s, however, British soldiers plundered the pagoda, and stole this bell.

En route to Calcutta, the bell fell overboard and sank into the sea. It was later recovered and now sits atop the pagoda platform, on the northwest side.

Finally, in 1841 another bell was created, this one weighing approximately 8,000 pounds (40 tons) and covered with 45 lbs (20kg) of gold plating. This bell, called the Maha Tissada bell, still resides in the pagoda, on the northeast side of the enclosure.

The years of 1852 through 1929 mark a time of British military occupation in Myanmar, with colonial rulers controlling the areas. However, the people of Myanmar were still able to have full access to the Shwedagon. In 1871 a new diamond-studded piece for the pagodas structure was donated by King Mindon of Mandalay. The people of Myanmar were thrilled at this tribute and well over 100, 00 of them gathered at Shwedagon to celebrate. And although this made the British military somewhat uncomfortable, they had to allow it as the people were honoring their faith.

It is evident that, over the centuries, the Shwedagon Pagoda has survived difficult times. It has withstood earthquakes, invasions, pillaging, foreign occupation and an internal stairwell fire in 1931 that destroyed many ancient monuments. Another earthquake in 1970, which was the 9th that the area had sustained since the 1500s, led the government to begin a renovation project on the crown of the main pagoda.

Each disaster brought damage to the pagoda, but it has always withstood the onslaughts and endured the renovations. The fact that Shwedagon has survived these times of hardship and damage and still stood firm adds to its sense of majesty. It also adds to the sense of pride within the people of Myanmar, that nothing can truly leave lasting damage upon this beloved site. And people have always pitched in to make sure that any needed renovations took place to strengthen and secure it. Thus, to this day it sits, strong and steady, mystical and sacred, high upon a sacred hill.

Shwedagon Pagoda also known as the Golden Pagoda, is a solid brick stupa (Buddhist reliquary)

that is completely covered with gold.

It rises 326 feet (99 m) on a hill 168 feet (51 m) above the city.

According to the legend it is 2500 years old, but Archaeologists say that in reality it is more likely

to date somewhere between the 6th and 10th century.

There are 4 entrances leading into the base of this great Shwedagon Pagoda.

There are stairs and elevators helping the people go up.

I chose the stairs since it was more interesting seeing also people going up with me.

Also the interior of the stairs was beautifully crafted..

The view from the stairs while walking up was also very interesting to see.

All the Pagodas surroundings where green and so beautiful built.

Arriving there the gold is overwhelming, not just the main stupa is gold, but the surrounding

shrines, temples, and small pavilions.

Myanmar people all over the country, as well as monarchs in its history, have donated gold to the

pagoda to maintain it.

The stupa is mapped having 10 parts.

1. The Diamond Bud

2. The Vane

3. The Crown

4. The Plantain Bud-Shaped Bulbous Spire

5. The Ornamental Lotus Flower

6. The Embossed Bands

7. The Inverted Bowl

8. The Bell

9. The 3 Terraces

10. The Base

No one is sure what is inside.

According to some legendary tales, there are flying and turning swords that never stop, which

protect the pagoda from intruders; some says there are even underground tunnels that leads to

Bagan and Thailand!

The walk around the stupa is clockwise.

Planetary Posts Around the main stupa are of high interest..

The base of the stupa is octagonal and also surrounded by small shrines, eight in number for

each day of the week.

Planetary Posts

The day of the week a person is born will determine their planetary post, eight in all as

Wednesday is split in two, a.m. and p.m.

They are marked by animals that represent the day.

Galon (garuda) for Sunday

Tiger for Monday

Lion for Tuesday ,

Tusked elephant for Wednesday a.m.

Tuskless elephant for Wednesday p.m.

Mouse for Thursday

Guinea pig for Friday

Naga (mythical dragon/serpent) for Saturday

Each planetary post has a Buddha image and devotees offer flowers and prayer flags and pour

water on the image with a prayer and a wish.

At the base of the post behind the image is a guardian angel, and underneath the image can be

seen the animal representing the day.

Walking around the stupa grounds you can also see many other buildings or smaller temples for

pray and offerings.

All around, on the marble floor, behind many of the small corners of this vast complex, you can

see Buddhists, praying, admiring, meditating.

The Maha Tissada Gandha Bell, weighing 40 tons and covered with 45 kilograms of gold plating,

resides on the northeast side of Shwedagon Pagoda.

Shrine under Bodhi Tree

Looking up at the stupa, and barely visible for the eye, is the umbrella crown tip.

There are the thousands of diamonds that decorate the pinnacle of the impressive building.

Not viewable to eye but many photos of it in a small museum like building..

A day at Golden Pagoda is something someone remembers for ever.

Not often we see structures likes this.

The feeling being in such a worshiping place is not something words can describe.

The Bodhi Tree (Tree of wisdom)