Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda
Kyaikhtiyo pagoda is located in the small town
called Kyaikhto, in the Mon State. This destination
is 160km away from Yangon. The pagoda is 1100km
above sea-level. It is a 11 kilometer uphill climb
for the hikers from Kinpun base camp. There is also
a steep winding road for 4-wheel drive cars from the
base to the nearest point of the pagodas. The pagoda
is also known as "the golden rock".
The meaning of Kyaik Hti Yo : According to Mon
tradition, the name is a corruption of
Kyaik-ithi--yo being derived as follows. In Mon
language the word "Kyaik" means " pagoda" and " yo"
" to carry on the hermits head", in Pali the word"
ithi" means a hermit and therefore the name means "
the pagoda carried on the hermit's head.
Structure The pagoda, about 18 feet high, and 50
feet in girth. is situated on the hill of the same
name on the ridge between Sittaung and Thanlwin. It
is built on a huge, almost egg- shaped, rounded
granitoid boulder perched on the very summit of a
projecting and shelving tabular rock, which in
itself is separated several feet from the mountain
by a rent or chasm, now spanned by a small foot
bridge of iron and on the further side drops
perpendicularly into a valley blow.
History
It is said that the boulder has been over 2500
years. The tradition is that after the hermit had
obtained the hair from the Buddha, he was carrying
it on his head inside his hair knot till he found a
boulder which resembled his head, and so he built
the pagoda on its enshrining the relic, substituting
the boulder for his over head. On the extreme verge
of this sloping rock table, and actually over
hanging it by nearly half, is perched this wonderful
boulder (now completely gilded with gold), thirty
feet high and surrounded by the pagoda. By gently
rocking the boulder a thread can be passed
underneath; seemingly appears as if the additional
weight of a few pounds, or a strong wind, would send
it sliding down from the place it has occupied for
unknown centuries watching over three thousand feet
into the sloping valley beneath and we know what
freakish law keeps it in its position. Anyway pious
Buddhists attribute it to the power of the relic
enshrined in the pagoda.
This relic is a hair of Gotama Buddha given to a
hermit residing on the mountain by the Buddha
himself as he was returning from the second heaven
of the Nats whither he had gone to preach the law to
his mother. Visitors can also go by car up to a
point about a mile away from the Pagoda. Then take a
walk for about 30 minutes to reach the pagoda's
terrace. It can take about 10 hours to go up from
the base of the camp to the pagoda. You can feel the
environment around, by trekking mountain to
mountain. Some visitors who cannot walk for long can
be carried up by bamboo carrier chairs.
Festival
It is of considerable celebrity and attracts
crowds of worshippers annually beginning from
October to March which is the seasonal pilgrimage
period for worshippers Especially on the full moon
day of Tabaung, the platform of the pagoda is
lighted with ninety thousand candles offered to the
Buddha and thousands of worshippers gather around
the pagoda offering fruits, foods incense to the
Buddha. Sometimes reflected rays of color from the
Buddha's image were said to have been observed by
the worshipers.
Kyaikhtiyo Wildlife Sanctuary
This wild life sanctuary was established in 1998.
It covers a total area of 180.05 Sq. km. It is
situated in Tropical Rain forest type. Recorded
birds are only 50 species, the others are not yet
recorded. Highlight species that can be found are
Great Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill,
Blue-throated Barbet, Vernal Hanging Parrot,
Germain's Swiftlet, Pin-tailed Green Pigeon,
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch , Black-headed Bulbul,
Streak-eared Bulbul and Black-throated Laughing
thrush. Other mammals such as : Goral, Gaur, Sambhur
Deer, Bear and Monkey can also be seen. There are
also about 50 species of butterflies. Trekking at
Mt. Kyaikhtiyo can also be enjoyed. The distance is
1,102m. |
