The Golden Rock

Hello my Steeming Pals!

In Need of a Rest

We parked our motorbikes in front of the guest house on the outskirts of Kinpun with a sigh of relief. Three days on the uneven roads of Myanmar under the Asian sun had exhausted us and the signs of fatigue were clear. We brushed our tired faces from the dirt, turned off our motors and then shuffled together around Fabian who was still shaken from his collision with a drunken scooter rider a little earlier on. There was no real damage. Fabian was lucky to get away with a bruised foot while his machine showed little more than a few scratches.

I thought it was just as well we had arrived at the foot of the Kelasa hills that day, at one of the holiest places of buddhism in Burma. It was time for some thought, maybe meditation, away from dusty roads, fuel stops and motorbikes, even if was just for a few hours.

Mount Kyaiktiyo

Mount Kyaiktiyo is home to the Golden Rock of Myanmar, a unique, iconic landmark that attracts hundreds of devout Buddhist pilgrims and tourists every day. Perched at a height of 1,100m (3,600 ft), it consist of a roundish granite bolder perhaps 15m in diameter (50ft), that looks precariously balanced on the edge of a precipice. What's more, the bolder glistens, covered as it is in layers of gold leaf meticulously maintained by the local monks. Extra precious metal is added daily by the devout, who line up by the granite boulder with new gold leaf to attach as a sign of homage. On top of the the rock there is a 7m (20 ft) tall Stupa (small shrine) that is rumoured to contain relics, locks of hair, from none other than the Buddha himself.

The climb from the base of Mount Kyaiktiyo to it’s holy summit involves a long and unappealing hike on an uneven trail. Tired as we were we chose the easier option with whatever public transport we could find. In the end, for a small fee we piled into the back of a truck, and held on for a rollercoaster ride on the single track road to somewhere close to the top of the mountain.

The views from Kyaiktiyo were stunning. Once more Myanmar revealed how exceptionally green it was with verdant valleys that stretched as far as the eye could see. I admired the pristine sights with wonder and hoped the greenery would be respected by future generations as it had been so far.

The feeling of calm, the pleasant views and the cool mountain air soothed and relaxed me. It was what I had hoped for and needed. No doubt it had the same effect on my travel buddies whom I noticed were lost in gazes to the horizon of their own.

Slowly, after leaving the truck, we walked ahead on a paved path towards the Rock. Around us, there were few other western tourists. Most prominent of all were what I can only describe as “holy men” of some kind. I passed an elderly monk with a crimson robe and tall hat as he muttered words from a mantra and took painstakingly short, slow steps towards the shrine.

The Golden Rock

Another turn on the path and the Golden Rock suddenly appeared majestically in the distance, glowing in the sun, bulging from the backdrop of a dark blue cloudless Myanmar sky. What a sight!

I could see a small procession of people, queuing to get within arm’s length of the Rock’s golden surface and decided to hurry on and join the line as well. First though, being so close to holy relics, I was required to remove all footwear as is the custom in places of buddhist worship. Then, for a couple of dollars, I bought a strip of sticky gold leaf and silently got in line.

Only men are permitted to within touching distance of the Golden Rock for reasons unknown even too the locals. Women are relegated to a small prayer area 10m (30ft) away from the shiny golden surface.

Each step I took in the queue got me closer. At one point I noticed to my astonishment that bolder really was precariously balanced on its perch without any apparent added anchoring. Bizarrely there was a sizeable gap underneath the huge stone that you could see daylight through. The contact area between the granite mass and its perch was small indeed.
I couldn’t help but wonder what might happen to the Buddha’s sacred locks of hair in the event of an earthquake, even of low magnitude!

Finally, I stuck my gold leaf onto the granite bolder respectfully, next to those of many worshipers doing the same. I wished the rock and the contents of its shrine a long and safe existence for the benefit of the many pilgrims and the devout that visited every day.

Worth It?

I found the Golden Rock of Mount Kyaiktiyo an interesting experience and certainly worth a visit. Like most of Myanmar it’s still a relatively lesser known attraction and holds a lot of authenticity.

There are holy men and women and monks and pilgrims on the path to the shrine, some of which appear lost in thought and prayer. This creates a dose of real mysticism I feel is so hard to find anywhere these days. Of course there are also the inevitable stalls selling food, refreshments and souvenirs on the path for those so inclined. I’m glad I went and recommend a trip to the Rock to those who intend to visit Burma.

Back on the Road

As we all got back on our motorbikes the following day for the push to the Thai border, there were smiles on everyone’s faces. Even Fabian was feeling refreshed. It almost seemed as though there might have been some healing power in that lump of granite we visited, or maybe it was the holy relics….who knows…

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