This is the first place I have visited after coming to Myanmar. As you know, Myanmar is famous for its Pagoda-studded landscape, and so rightly called as 'The Land of Pagodas'.This 'Sule Pagoda' is said to be more than 2000 years old, and the British used this landmark to plan for rebuilding the city in Grid pattern during 1880's. It is believed that the Golden dome contains a hair given by Buddha to two traveling Burmese traders. This 48 meter dome is made by pure Gold, and is used as meeting place to design the big one- Shwedagon Pagoda. Sule Pagoda was built in the typical Burmese Mon style, with four entrances facing the four compass points.
As we went around, each and every corner of this octagonal monument represented a day in the week, where people offer waters! So, if you are born on Friday, you need to go to Friday corner and offer water. Yes, I know your question. Myanmar has a belief of having 8 days a week, where Wednesday is divided into two.
The area is covered with a number of small shops of various kinds, and in the entrance it looks more commercial than spiritual. You can keep your sandals at the entrance for a fee, or carry them around in a polythene bag.
I am trying to estimate how much Gold is required to make this Pagoda... may be around 10 Tons!
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