Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda is Home to a 66-Meter Long Reclining Buddha
Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda in Yangon is home to a 66-meter long reclining Buddha. It’s a massive structure of its kind – the largest one I’ve seen in Myanmar and Southeast Asia. It is worth noting that this statue was built entirely from donations.
The temple doesn’t really look like a conventional Buddhist temple. It doesn’t even resemble a pagoda. Without the sacred statue, it looks like an enormous shed or warehouse.
As soon as you enter, the gigantic face of Buddha greets you.
The statue is 16 meters high so you have to look up to admire the shiny figure.
Buddha’s right arm supports his head.
If you notice, the reclining Buddha is embellished with bold, captivating colors! His face and body are super white. His lips are red and his eye shadows are blue.
The golden robe covers his body.
And his finger nails are painted in red.
And the soles of his feet are red and they are embellished with 108 sections with images that represent the propitious attributes of the Holy Deity.
Don’t forget to read the descriptions on display if you want to know the meaning of these symbols.
As you walk around, you will also find a mural that shows the life of Buddha.
There are also interesting displays of cultural symbols.
At the back of the statue, you will see more tiny statues. The good thing is that they have descriptions that you can read.
Surrounding the reclining statue are a number of small shrines. Each chapel is named after days of the week. I was told that devotees go to the shrine based on the day they were born.
Below the huge statue is a space for worship and a makeshift altar where devotees can leave their offerings.
There are monasteries surrounding the pagoda. If you have time to go around, you might be able to see monks studying Buddhist scriptures.
Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda is open daily from 6:00 in the morning to 8:00 in the evening.
Related Post: All the Things I did in Yangon
Cheap Stay in Old Yangon
Yangon is still pretty cheap for a backpacker. I treated myself by staying in a cheap hotel with basic necessities. I stayed at Yangon Urban Hotel which is smacked right at the center of the old downtown. The room was spacious and they clean it daily. The staff members are nice and they will try to help and answer your questions. There are many restaurants and grocery shops nearby. Breakfast was nice, too. From here, Sule Pagoda is just 7 minutes walk and 28 minutes to Botataung Pagoda/Paya. They also offer an airport pick-up with a reasonable fee. You can book it via Booking, TripAdvisor, HostelWorld, and Expedia.
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