Archaeologists were amazed to see the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda in Myanmar and the ancient legend behind its construction. This pagoda holds boulders that defy gravity so they don't fall.
Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, also known as the Golden Stone, is a famous Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mon State, Myanmar. The pagoda is located on the Kyaiktiyo hill (also known as the Kelasa hill or the East Yoma mountain range), and is on the Paung-laung ridge of the East Yoma mountain range.
Shrouded in the clouds, its origins and story are full of fascinating mystery and mythology. The Golden Stone, which is the main attraction of this pagoda, can balance itself on the edge of a cliff.
To the human eye, seeing this stone will indeed seem confusing and almost impossible. Even though it is on the edge of a cliff, this stone does not fall. For some who believe it, this is evidence of God's power.
Quoted from Express, Friday (1/14/2022) Buddhists there believe that the stone can remain balanced because of the miraculous power of the Buddha. They believe that between the rock and the hill above, there is a hair of Buddha placed there, thus helping the stone to maintain balance.
Some people are curious about the technique behind the construction of this stone placement, but others are devoted to its mythology. The more a site is shrouded in myth and wonder, the more important it is to worship and pray there.
The story and history of the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda is explored during the Smithsonian Channel documentary "Wonders of Burma: Shrines of Gold". The narrator of the story notes that this stone is unique in that it defies gravity. "This is a natural wonder sacred to the story," they said.
The legend behind the rock
The legend begins with a thousand year old kingdom, which was in a faraway region called 'Upper Mon'. One day, the king met an ascetic who held a hair in his hat and claimed it belonged to the Buddha. He offered it to the king.
In return, the hermit insisted that the hair should be enshrined in a pagoda built on a rock in the shape of his head. The king himself inherited supernatural powers from his father Zawgyi, a renowned chemist and his mother, a dragon's daughter.
He then enlisted the help of Sakra, Thagyamin, to find the perfect stone at the bottom of the ocean, pulled it from the seabed, then used a boat to transport the stone and finally lifted it to the top of the mountain.
After balancing the stones on the mountain, the king built a pagoda on it and enshrined the Buddha's hair in it. The boat used to transport the stones has also been turned into stone and worshiped by pilgrims at the site, about 300 meters from the Golden Rock. This site is known as Pagoda or Stupa Kyaukthanban which literally means stone boat.
Another version of the story states that the stone was placed on top of the hair, and the hair helped prevent the rock from sliding down the mountain.
The Golden Rock and Kyaiktiyo Pagoda are currently a tourist attraction, especially in November to March, when many pilgrims come. They come from all over Myanmar to offer prayers, light candles, meditate, and bring offerings to the Buddha.