43(^) SIGHTSYANGON
SIGHTS
YANGON
SIGHTS
ing features the original blue-and-white Star
of David motif.
Several colourful Hindu temples can be
found in the centre of the city, including
Sri Kali (Map p 46 ; Anawrahta Rd; h5-11am &
3-9pm), between 26th and 27th Sts, and the
Sri Devi (Map p 42 ; cnr Anawrahta Rd & 51st St;
h6.30-11.30am & 4.30-8.30pm), both of which
are Technicolor temples following the classic
South Indian style of towers. These are the
centres for the city’s annual Murugu Festival,
famous for colourful street processions fea-
turing acts of ritual self-mutilation.
Christians get in on the act in Yangon as
well with St Mary’s Cathedral (Map p 42 ; cnr
Bo Aung Kyaw St & Bogyoke Aung San Rd), built in
a bizarre red brick (and with an equally bi-
zarre red, green and white interior), which
will excite colonial buff s.
OUTSIDE CIT Y CENTRE
Shwedagon Paya BUDDHIST STUPA
er ̄ti8u®.urC"
(Map p 48 ; admission $5; h5am-10pm) Heart
stopping at any time, the Shwedagon Paya
glitters bright gold in the heat of the day.
Then, as the sun casts its last rays, it turns a
crimson gold and orange, magic fl oats in the
heat and the mighty diamond at the spire’s
peak casts a beam of light that refl ects sheet
white, bloody red and jealous green to the
far corners of the temple platform. It can be
quiet and contemplative or colourful and
raucous, and for the people of Myanmar it
is the most sacred of all Buddhist sites, one
that all Myanmar Buddhists hope to visit at
least once in their lifetime.
Visible from almost anywhere in the
city, Shwedagon is located to the north of
central Yangon, between People’s Park and
Kandawgyi.
The admission fee, which goes to the gov-
ernment (see p 21 ), includes a lift ride to the
raised platform of the stupa. Of course, like
most local visitors, you may walk up one of
the long graceful entrances, by far the more
exciting method of entry. The north gate is
especially photogenic at night.
The following details the history and at-
tributes of the main structure. Freelance
guides (they’ll locate you before you can
fi nd them) at the stupa can fi ll in the details
about the surrounding elements.
History
The great golden dome rises 322ft above its
base. According to legend this stupa – of the
solid zedi (conelike) type – is 2500 years old,
but archaeologists suggest that the original
stupa was built by the Mon people some
time between the 6th and 10th centuries.
In common with many other ancient zedi in
earthquake-prone Myanmar, it has been re-
built many times, and its current form dates
back only to 1769.
During the Bagan period of Myanmar’s
history (10th to 14th centuries), the story
of the stupa emerged from the mists of leg-
end to become hard fact. Near the top of the
eastern stairway you can see an inscription
recording the history of the stupa to 1485.
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