Resting on Mount Kyaiktiyo is one of the three most scared religious sites in Myanmar: the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda that sits atop a huge gold-leaf covered boulder. The pagoda stands 24 feet tall, but it’s the boulder that attracts attention. Fifty feet around, the boulder rests on the edge of a cliff with more than half of its surface leaning out over open air. The pagoda has become scared among Buddhists not simply because of its impossible position. Legend has it that the boulder remains in place because it is perfectly balanced on a strand of the Buddha’s hair.
The hair was given to a hermit by Buddha himself, who in turn found a boulder which resembled his own head. He then built a small Stupa on its top and pilgrims have made their way to see it ever since.
This magnificent structure is not only fascinating but it also generates a magnificent energy. Pilgrims come to this place to marvel at how it clings to the side of a cliff, but also feel the it’s spiritual power. Visiting the Golden Rock was one of the highlights of our time in Burma.
We have no idea how it has balanced on this mountain over the ages but as we gazed upon it with our own eyes, we became believers that something extraordinary was standing before us.
Picture Credit : Google