The golden rock is also popularly called Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. It is a famous Buddhist pilgrimage site in Myanmar which offers a lot of Myanmar tours packages located in Mon State of the region of Myanmar. It is a very small pagoda that is erected on a granite boulder decorated with golden leaves attached by the worshippers. As a Buddhist legend, it is believed that there is a golden rock on one of the Buddha’s hair. This rock has defied the power of gravity as it appears that it could roll off where it perched. It is so strong and well balanced. Both the rock and the pagoda are on a mountain called mountain Kyaiktiyo. After Mahamuni pagoda and Shwedagon Pagoda, the Kyaiktiyo is the third most relevant pilgrimage site in Burma by the Buddhists.
The Golden Rock Legend
It is generally believed that the Buddha on one of his many visits gave a strand of his hair to a hermit called Taik Tha. Taik Tha after tucking the strand of hair of given to him in the tuft of his hair, later gave it to the king with the desire that the strand of hair be enshrined in a boulder having the shape of the hermit’s head. It symbolizes that the king has inherited a supernatural power from his father who was an alchemist and from his mother who was a dragon princess. It was believed that the rock was found beneath the sea by the king of heaven where the hair was eventually enshrined after building there a pagoda. It is the strand of hair that is preventing the rock from rolling off the hill thereby defying the law of gravity. The particular boat with which the golden rock was transported to its present place is believed to have turned into a stone which is also worshipped by those pilgrims. Another legend is that anyone who visits the place for pilgrimage will be blessed with recognition, fame and wealth which are essential tour packages to Myanmar.
The Geography of Kyaiktiyo
The golden rock is located close Kyaiktiyo in Mon State around the north area of Tenasserim coast. It has an elevation of about 3,600 ft above the average sea level situated on the Kyaiktiyo hill, special tour packages site in Myanmar. The Kyaiktiyo hill is on top of the Paung-laung ridge in the Eastern Yoma Mountains. It has a distance of about 210 kilometers from Yagon. The Kinpun village is one of the nearest villages to Kyaiktiyo hills. There are two big lions guarding the entrance of the Kyaiktiyo pagoda. Many tourists and pilgrims visiting this site are usually under compulsion to observe the rites by walking to the pagoda on barefoot after pulling off their foot wears some kilometres away.
Pilgrimage to the Golden Rock.
This golden rock and the Kyaiktiyo hill have become pilgrimage site to the Buddhists devotees as well as a tourist attraction for many years. The pilgrims go there to have their share of blessings while tourists are not exempted from the tour packages in Myanmar. TNK Travel can make all necessary arrangements to take you on tour to the golden rock.
Source: TNK Travel
