Kyaikhtiyo - A temple in Myanmar associated with an anecdote about Buddha's hair

Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda in Myanmar is world famous for its unique architecture. In particular, this place has a sacred rock lying on a cliff with the legend of being anchored by a strand of Buddha's hair.

Myanmar is considered a country of temples. There are hundreds of thousands of temples and pagodas of different sizes located throughout this country.

Among them, the Golden Rock Pagoda, also known as Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, is one of the most famous pagodas in Myanmar and is considered a wonder of Southeast Asia.

Where is the temple located?

Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, also known as Golden Rock, is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the beautiful country of Myanmar. This seemingly golden rock is actually a granite rock covered with a layer of gold leaf on the surface. In addition to the sacred element, this place also possesses unique and unprecedented features.

According to the tourist information site Renown Travel, this giant Golden Rock is located in the mountains northeast of Yangon city (Myanmar). This place is famous for a giant gold-plated rock standing on the cliff. For thousands of years, the rock has still remained there, even though it seems precarious, and from a distance, people always have the feeling that it is about to roll down below.

Break all rules of gravity

The gold-plated rock has stood precariously for thousands of years on the mountain, challenging all laws of physics, making scientists restless. It is that magic and the legendary story behind it that makes this place a place that attracts a large number of tourists.

It is located on a steep cliff at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters above sea level. On the rock - about 7.5 meters high, 15.2 meters in circumference - is a small pagoda over 7 meters high, called Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda or Kyaik Hti Yo Pagoda. All are plated with shiny gold, creating a rare and spectacular sight.

The rock was balanced on the edge of a cliff and looked like it could fall into the valley below at any moment. From some angles, it appears to float above the ground, the contact area is very small. Yet, for thousands of years, it has remained in place, despite storms and storms, challenging all laws of physics.

Legend of the Golden Rock

It is unclear when this rock appeared, but local people spread the story that when Buddha visited this area.

Myanmar people here believe that this sacred stone lies on the cliff without falling because it is held by a strand of Buddha's hair. Legend has it that this ancient temple was built 2,500 years ago.

Buddha once came down to earth and gave a hair to a hermit. This person carefully kept the hair and before he died, he gave it to his adopted son, King Tissa, with the last words: "Please keep this relic in a stone shaped like the hermit's head."

Obeying his father, King Tissa, with the help of the gods, went to the golden stone located on the top of Kyaiktiyo mountain. King Tissa made a small hole in the stone, put the Buddha's hair in and built a small temple on it.

Even though it is perched on the edge of a cliff, with a very dangerous contact point, the strange stone still stands firm. Up to now, there is still no convincing explanation for the above phenomenon, but the Myanmar people themselves believe that the stone did not fall into the abyss because of the sacredness of Buddha.

How to get to the Golden Rock

The Golden Rock along with Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda is located near Kyaikto town, about 80km east of Bago city and 160km northeast of Yangon city.

To reach this place requires quite a lot of effort and overcoming difficulties during the travel process. The first leg of the journey is by bus or taxi from Yangon or Bago to Kinpun village at the foot of the mountain where Golden Rock is located.

From Kinpun, it's possible to ride in the back of an open truck with a bench seat attached, up winding roads in mountains more than 1,000m above sea level. It is estimated that it takes about 30 minutes to get to Ya Thay Taung. From here, it takes about 1 hour to walk to Golden Rock, along the road there are shops selling souvenirs.

At the entrance of the temple area, everyone must take off all shoes and socks, then continue walking barefoot. Bring a bag to carry your shoes with you. If you don't feel like walking, you can hire someone to drive you there in a bamboo sedan chair.

People also spread stories about how if you go to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda 3 times in a year, you will have luck and happiness.

The unique architecture, the strangeness of the precarious rock on the cliff, especially the sacred Buddhist space, have made the temple increasingly famous, attracting many tourists from everywhere.

However, to come here you should choose the time from November to March, when the weather is dry and sunny, convenient for Buddhist worship activities, sightseeing, and experiences.

Exhibition of "Buddha's hair relics": Abbot of Three Golden Pagoda repents, disciplined Uyển Đình13:40:16 05/01/2024The Buddhist Church of Vietnam convened Venerable Thich Truc Thai Minh, abbot of Ba Vang Pagoda (Quang Ninh province) for his involvement in the case of displaying relics of the Buddha's hair from Myanmar to Ba Vang Pagoda.