Towering over the ramshackle streets of Yangon and drawing the city to it like a colossal golden spaceship, Shwedagon Pagoda is the foremost sacred site of Burma and one of the most spectacular temples of the Buddhist world. The Shwedagon complex radiates positive energy and tranquillity.
Aside from being the foremost spiritual site in Burma, Shwedagon is the main social site in Yangon. Monks and nuns arrive at dawn fill the site’s nooks and crannies in prayer and chanting. Office workers come to meditate before work. Brown-robed sages hold court and or sit in silent meditation. Friends and families dressed in their Sunday best make their devotional rounds and gain merit for the next lifetime. Young couples and friends stroll hand in hand. Children run around freely and play. People read the papers, chat with friends, have picnics and sleep in the shade.
Even after my umpteenth visit the magic is still there for me.