Myanmar: Golden Rock, Buddhist Practice and the Real Inle Lake
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Kyaiktiyo — the Golden Rock — is a gilded boulder balanced on the edge of a cliff at 1,100 metres altitude in Mon State, apparently defying gravity. A strand of the Buddha's hair is said to prevent it from falling. The rock has been painted with gold leaf by pilgrims for centuries, accumulating layers that have rounded its edges and made it glow in the morning light. Reaching it requires a cable car and a final section walked barefoot. The pilgrimage is undertaken by millions of Buddhists each year. The rock does not fall.
Myanmar's Buddhist tradition is one of the most alive in the world. Over 90 percent of the population practises Theravada Buddhism, and the relationship between daily life and the dharma is practical rather than formal. Young men spend time as novice monks — sometimes for weeks, sometimes for years — as a normal part of growing up. The giving of food to monks during their morning alms round is a daily act that structures the early morning of communities across the country. The monasteries are educational and social institutions as much as religious ones.
Inle Lake in Shan State is famous for the leg-rowing fishermen who paddle their narrow boats by wrapping one leg around the oar, leaving both hands free to handle fishing equipment. The technique is specific to this lake and developed by the Intha people who have lived on and around Inle for generations. The lake itself contains floating gardens — strips of vegetation anchored to the lakebed and cultivated for vegetables — a system of agriculture practised on water for centuries.
