87NORTH OF YANGONSIGHTS & ACTIVITIESAROUND YANGONSIGHTS & ACTIVITIESAROUND YANGONBAGO (PEGU)kind of overwhelming object you would ex-
pect to be constructed by an absolute mon-
arch with a guilt complex – the little fi nger
alone extends 10ft.
Since its original construction the statue
underwent several restorations before the
destruction of Bago in 1757. The town was
so completely ravaged that the huge buddha
was totally lost and overgrown by jungle. It
was not rediscovered until 1880 and restora-
tion began in 1881. The 1930s saw another
fl urry of renovation activity, as a mosaic was
added to the great pillow on which the bud-
dha’s head rests.
Near the huge head of the image stands
a statue of Lokanat (Lokanatha or Avalok-
itesvara), a Mahayana Buddhist deity bor-
rowed by Burmese Buddhism.
A Japanese war cemetery, Kyinigan Ky-
aung, can be seen on the grounds of a mon-
astery just north of Shwethalyaung.
Shwemawdaw Paya BUDDHIST STUPA
eráem;'e/;.urC"
A pyramid of washed-out gold in the midday
haze and glittering perfection in the evening
gloss, the 376ft-high Shwemawdaw Paya
stands tall and proud over the town. Accord-
ing to murky legend the original stupa was a
small, ramshackle object, built by two broth-
ers, Kullasala and Mahasala, to enshrine two
hairs given to them by Gautama Buddha. In
AD 982 a sacred tooth was added to the col-
lection; in 1385 another tooth was added
and the stupa was rebuilt to a towering
277ft. In 1492 strong winds blew over the hti
and a new one was raised.
The stupa has collapsed and been re-
built many times over the last 600 years;
each time it has grown a little taller and the
treasures mounted in it have grown a little
thicker. The last time it was destroyed was
in 1930 when a huge earthquake completely
levelled it and for the next 20 years only the
huge earth mound of the base remained.
Today the gaudy golden top of the stupa
reaches 46ft higher than the Shwedagon in
Yangon. At the northeastern corner of the
stupa, a huge section of the hti toppled by
the 1917 earthquake has been mounted into
the structure of the stupa.
The Shwemawdaw Paya is a particularly
good destination during Bago’s annual pa-
goda festival, in March/April.Hintha Gon BUDDHIST STUPA
hs¿Ckun'"
Located behind the Shwemawdaw, this
shrine was once the one point in this whole
vast area that rose above sea level and so
was the natural place for the hamsa to land.
A statue of the bird, looking rather like
the fi gures on opium weights, tops the hill.
The stupa was built by U Khanti, the hermit
monk who was the architect of Mandalay
Hill. Walk to it by taking the steps down the
other side of the Shwemawdaw from the
main entrance. This paya is also a big spot
for nat (spirit beings) worship and festivals
and with a bit of luck you’ll catch the swirl-
ing, veiled forms of masculine-looking nat
dancers accompanied by the clanging and
crashing of a traditional orchestra.Kyaik Pun Paya MONUMENT
kYŸik'pân'.urC"
The Gautama Buddha and his three pre-
decessors can all be found hanging out to-
gether about a mile south of Bago just off
the Yangon road.
Built in 1476 by King Dhammazedi, the
Kyaik Pun Paya consists of four 100ft-high
sitting buddhas placed back to back around
a huge, square pillar. According to legend,Bago
æTop Sights
Shwethalyaung Buddha...................... A1æSights
1 Four Figures Paya................................ B1
2 Kanbawzathadi Palace........................D2
3 Kha Khat Wain Kyaung........................ C1
4 Maha Kalyani Sima (Maha
Kalyani Thein) ................................... B1
5 Mahazedi Paya..................................... A1
6 Naung Daw Gyi Mya Tha
Lyaung ............................................... A1
7 Shwegugale Paya ................................ A1
8 Snake Monastery.................................D2ÿSleeping
9 Emperor Hotel .....................................A2
10 Gandamar Hotel .................................. D1
11 Mya Nanda Hotel .................................A2
12 San Francisco Motel............................A2úEating
13 Hadaya Café.........................................A2
14 Hanthawaddy....................................... D1
15 Three Five Restaurant.........................A2Transport
16 Bus Station........................................... D1
17 Bus Station...........................................B2