The dazzling beauty of the Shwedagon Paya

Written by David Barry ++ explore-myanmar ++


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Torepparttar North-east is one ofrepparttar 150193 largest bells inrepparttar 150194 world, King Tharwaddy’s Min bell. Cast in 1841,repparttar 150195 Maha Titthaganda (three-toned bell) weighs 42 tonnes and is housed in an elegant pavilion with a lacquer ceiling.

The eastern shrine hall is considered by many to berepparttar 150196 most beautiful inrepparttar 150197 complex and is dedicated to Kakusandha,repparttar 150198 first Buddha. It was renovated in 1869 but almost totally destroyed byrepparttar 150199 great fire of 1931 and had to be completely rebuilt. Nearby isrepparttar 150200 U Nyo pavilion, which houses a series of carved wooden panels depictingrepparttar 150201 life of Gautama Buddha.

Inrepparttar 150202 south-eastern corner is a banyan tree, reputed to have grown from a branch ofrepparttar 150203 original tree under which Gautama Buddha gained enlightenment.

There is a small museum of curios besiderepparttar 150204 southern entrance. The south-western corner has a prayer pavilion with 28 images representingrepparttar 150205 28 previous incarnations ofrepparttar 150206 Buddha.

Byrepparttar 150207 western entrance isrepparttar 150208 prayer hall guarded byrepparttar 150209 figures of Mai Lamu andrepparttar 150210 King ofrepparttar 150211 Nats. Legend has it this pair wererepparttar 150212 parents of King Ukkalapa who broughtrepparttar 150213 hairs ofrepparttar 150214 Buddha to Shwedagon.

In all, there are over 50 glittering zedis (stupas) and pavilions inrepparttar 150215 Shwedagon complex. The main stupa isrepparttar 150216 world’s largest building covered with gold. In 1900,repparttar 150217 Shwedagon trustees decided to renovaterepparttar 150218 main spire, and used 9,272 gold plates measuring one foot square (30.5 cm by 30.5 cm) for a total of 5,004 ounces of gold. King George V (then Prince of Wales) and Queen Mary donated four plates upon their state visit in 1906. A total of 4,350 diamonds were also used inrepparttar 150219 construction.

There are four sealed entrances torepparttar 150220 main stupa, but no one knows what is inside. Legend has it flying swords protectrepparttar 150221 interior from unwelcome intruders. Others say there are tunnels leading allrepparttar 150222 way to Pagan and even Thailand.

Sunrise and sunset arerepparttar 150223 best times to visit Shwedagon, but any time you go, a visit is sure to leave memories which last a lifetime. As English visitor Ralph Fitch wrote in 1586:

“It is called Dogonne, and is of a wonderful bignesse, and all gilded fromrepparttar 150224 foot torepparttar 150225 toppe….it isrepparttar 150226 fairest place, as I suppose, that is inrepparttar 150227 world.”

Note: Burmese not changed to Myanmar national to keeprepparttar 150228 original context

BY: David McGarry For more interesting articles on Myanmar. Please see our web site www.explore-myanmar.com

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Visit California

Written by David G. Hallstrom, Sr.


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California is such a large and diverse state that even most Californians have only seen or done a very small percentage of what is available to see and do there. If you vacationed in California every vacation forrepparttar next 50 years you still would not run out of things to see or do.

For more information about cities, counties and areas inrepparttar 150176 state of California see http://www.usacitydirectories.com/california.html, a directory of links to California state, county, city and area guides and directories listing hotels, restaurants, churches, physicians, attorneys, information, resources, services, things to do, places to go, art galleries, service organizations, auto dealers, nursing homes, convalescent hospitals, antique dealers and more.

David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is a retired private investigator and is currently the publisher of several internet directories, including http://www.usacitydirectories.com a directory of national, state, county and city guides and directories listing local guides, directories, web sites and web pages providing resources, services and information


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