【Myanmar Unveiled】A Journey to the Mysterious Golden Rock Guarded by Buddha’s Hair

 Text and photos: E Cat

VisitedYangonShwedagon Pagoda, the next day I set off fromYangonfor Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, with the goal ofMyanmar’s another pilgrimage site—the Golden Rock. The Golden Rock is a massive boulder perched atop a 1,100-meter-high mountain. Due to its proximity to the edge of a cliff, it looks as if it might topple at any moment, making it a spectacular sight. Locals have adorned it with a mythical story.

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Legend has it that one day, the Buddha passed through the area where the Golden Rock now stands and gave a strand of his hair to a hermit named “Taik Tha.” The hermit then tucked the hair into his own hair and continued his ascetic practice. Later, after attaining enlightenment, Taik Tha met a king and passed the hair on to him, suggesting that if the king wished for the Buddha’s blessing and prosperity for his kingdom, he must find a rock resembling the shape of Taik Tha’s head and enshrine both the hair and the rock together. Eventually, the king found a cliff-edge rock that matched the shape of Taik Tha’s head. He then covered the rock with gold leaf and built a stupa to house the Buddha’s hair, creating the magnificent Golden Rock we know today. Over the years, the Golden Rock has been revered asMyanmar’s must-visit destination for Buddhists. Its extraordinary efficacy attracts endless streams of devotees, despite the arduous journey up the mountain.

Traveling fromYangoncity to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda takes about 4 hours by car, followed by a 45-minute ride on an open-top truck from the bus stop at the mountain base. It’s worth mentioning that ride on the open-top truck—each vehicle has around ten rows with six seats per row, and only departs when full. It’s quite cramped, and due to the winding mountain roads, the ride feels very much like a roller coaster—thrilling indeed.

 
Before long, the truck arrives at the village at the mountaintop. A short walk up the main road of the village soon brings you to the temple complex where the Golden Rock is located.

Photo 5The little girls in the village have a natural sunscreen paste made from ground Thanaka tree bark on their faces, making them absolutely adorable.

However, the guide noted that with the increase in tourists in recent years, many people have posed as monks to beg for money. To distinguish real monks from impostors, the simplest way is to see if they actively ask for money—since genuine monks believe in fate and will never solicit anything from others.

As you walk along, you’ll eventually come face-to-face with the Golden Rock. The first glimpse of this enormous boulder—15 meters tall (including the stupa part) and weighing 611 tons—is truly awe-inspiring. It’s larger than any other balancing rock I’ve seen, and the men applying gold leaf around it look as tiny as ants, which is astonishing.

The guide explained thatMyanmar’s tradition for worshiping the Golden Rock involves a gender-specific role: traditionally, only men are allowed to touch the rock. Thus, men are responsible for applying the gold leaf, while women offer incense, burn joss paper, sing, and chant prayers around the outer perimeter of the rock.

In the glow of the setting sun and under the bright lights, the Golden Rock shines even more brilliantly golden. Coupled with the bustling crowd of devoted worshippers, it’s no wonder the Golden Rock isMyanmarOne of the fascinating scenic spots.

More travel information about the Great Golden Rock:http://www.dcfever.com/travel/attraction.php?id=12354

Acknowledgements: Wing On Travel,MyanmarNational Airlines, Sedona Hotel Yangon, Tourex Asia