Mahamuni Pagoda, Mandalay

Maha Myat Muni Paya, often referred in English simply as the Mahamuni Pagoda, is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mandalay, Myanmar. It is the second holiest pilgrimage site in Myanmar after the Golden Rock (and also second most important after the Shwedagon in Yangon. It is located 3km south of the city centre on the road towards Amarapura. The name Mahamuni (also written Maha Muni) means Great Sage Pagoda, and is also known as the Rakhaing (Arakan) Pagoda or Payagyi (also written Phaya Gyi), or Great Pagoda. The Mahamuni Pagoda was built in 1784 by King Bodawpaya.

The principal image within the pagoda is the Mahamuni Buddha, also called Mahar Myat Muni Buddha. It is the most reverred Buddha image in Mandalay. This Buddha image was taken by King Bodawpaya during his invasion of Rakhaing, and is an object of intense devotion to pilgrims from all over.

The Mahamuni Pagoda, Mandalay, Myanmar.

The Mahamuni Buddha was cast during in the life-span of Buddha. It shows the Buddha in a seated posture called Bumi Phasa Mudras, which symbolizes his conquest of Mara. The Mahamuni is 4m high, and is cast in bronze. The statue weighs 6.5 tons. Its crown is decorated with diamonds, rubies and sapphires.

According to belief, the Mahar Myat Muni Buddha Image was being cast in front of Buddha himself and is the closest portrait of the Buddha. Hence the face of the image is most revered. Every morning at 4:30am, a team of monks would wash the Buddha's face and brush the teeth. Countless thousands of devotees apply layers of gold leaf on the image to gain merit, so much so that the image has been completely covered with 15 cm thick gold and its original shape is now distorted.

The Mahamuni Pagoda is open daily from 6am-8pm, and entrance fee is US$4 for foreigners not accompanied by a tour package.

Devotees pasting gold leaf on the Mahamuni Buddha image.

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