Burmese Meditating in Front of the Shwedagon Paya

Mention Myanmar or Burma to any knowledgable traveller and the Shwedagon Paya immediately comes to mind. Such is the fame that this pagoda has earned through the centuries that it has become synonymous with the country itself including its hopes and dreams. The Shwedagon Paya domainates that Yangon skyline and it is practically visible from anywhere in the city. The paya is not just that golden stupa that shines anytime of the day, it also houses a complex of temples within its walls.

One of the Temples in Shwedagon Paya

As the sun goes down at the Shwedagon Paya, the lights are also turned on. What was a golden stupa in the day, is still a golden stupa at night. The lights of the stupa make it glow a brilliant gold which was impressive to say the least. At least there are not as many people here at night as in the day time and it makes it more pleasant to walk without the sun.

Golden Stupa in the Night

I intentionally skipped doing the Shwedagon Paya the moment I got to Myanmar even though I passed right in front of it that day. I wanted to be able to see the famous pagoda in my own time. A sunset shot would have been great but there was not sunset since it was so cloudy that time. Here at night the Burmese would just sit in front of the golden stupa, pray and meditate. I couldn’t help but also be awed by the grandeur that is the Shwedagon Paya.

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Tags: Buddha, Burma, Myanmar, pagoda, paya, Shwedagon, stupa, Yangon