The golden stone is a Buddhist shrine. In an incomprehensible way, the landmark of Myanmar has been teetering over a precipice for centuries. People are trying to figure out who raised such a lump here. Anyone can shatter a boulder, but for two and a half millennia it has not been possible to throw it off the cliff.
According to legend, the relic originally hung in the air. The fall of human morals brought her closer to the ground. Even the elements failed to move the artifact. Only a woman can move the Golden Stone from the top of Chaittiyo.
Traditions
A little above the granite block, sparkling with gilding, is the Chaittiyo Pagoda. Many pilgrims visit the pagoda every year. Especially a lot of them arrive at the end of March or Tabanga, which ends the year in Burma.
At the entrance to the temple, believers acquire records with gold leaf. The guests cover the stone with them every year. That is why, because of their zeal, in some places the surface of the block is lumpy: there is too much gold on the stone.
Meditations and candle lighting continue throughout the night. Among believers, it is considered a sacred act to touch a shrine. According to the legend, those who in a year reach the relics three times on the pilgrimage road, will receive wealth and honor.
Contrary to the law of gravity
At first glance, it seems that the boulder and the rock are a single whole, or the stone is simply imprinted. However, the monks offer to rock the block to every skeptic. This is quite within the power of 2-3 people.
The shrine begins to stagger without rolling. According to local beliefs, a giant cobblestone will leave the summit if a woman approaches it. Therefore, the fair floor is not allowed closer than 10 m to the shrine. Ladies are not upset, because they can take great pictures and admire the miracle from such a distance.
To the question why the boulder does not obey the earth's gravity, the Buddhists have the answer. They are sure that the relic is kept by the Buddha's hair, immured in the pagoda. The strand was brought by a hermit who received a priceless gift.
Taiku Tu kept it, before his death he handed it over to King Tisu with a request to attach his hair to a stone shaped like a head. Spirits raised a lump on the mountain, Nata. The precious artifact donated by the Buddha is kept in the pagoda itself.
The path to the shrine
Pilgrims seeking to see a local landmark will have to walk 16 km to reach the nearest village of Qingpun. An exception is made for tourists: they can travel by truck. But they too will have to walk several kilometers.
The reason is not at all in the peculiarities of local beliefs. It's just that the terrain is rocky, there are no roads, and it is impossible for cars to pass. Pilgrims can spend the night in religious buildings built around the place, but foreigners are prohibited from staying near the relic.
Myanmar is an amazing country. Everything breathes in it with the culture of Buddhism. The sights of the state are wonderful golden pagodas adorned with precious stones, outstanding monasteries, ancient traditions and shrines.
They are not only pleasing to the eye, but also stunning with energy. And the Golden Stone with the Chaittiyo Pagoda confirms this.
