Botataung pagoda
Botahtaung pagoda is located by the river bank close to harbour and on the strand road of Botahtaung Township, Tapussa and Ballika were greeted at the river-bank by king Okkalapa with his people in a grand pomp and ceremony. After the completion of Shwe-Da-Gon erection, the two brothers built a stupa enshrined with the relics of hair to commemorate of being greeted by a thousand of military leaders and entitled the pagoda Botabtaung of "Thousand Commanders. It was in Tabotwe (March) 103 Maha Era, (Some says kyaik-Pagoda Pa-two ) at its first erection.
The second time was in 111 Maha Era, On visiting of Gautama Buddha with His 500 arahat disciples, King Srimasoka Tissa Dhamma Siharaja of Thaton received two strands of hair relic from Buddha on his return. One was enshrined in Mya-Tha-baik, or Emerald Bowl Pagoda in Thaton and the rest was added inside the Botabtaung Pagoda. The working activities were supervised by the supreme commander Thurathena on the king behalf. It was titled of Kyaik-Dae-Ulp meaning sweet sound sing pagoda as of being resided by the melodious vocalist and sang of sweet-song.
In 236 A.D, king Thihadipa of Thanlyin received hair-relics from the eight arahats led by Ashin Sona and Uttra then had his royal commander with the help of Kyaungkon Sayadaw enshrined a strand of hair-relic in so-called Botahtaung pagoda.
Along it history, king Tabinshwehti, Singu, Bodawpaya, Ba-Gyi-Daw, Yangon mayors stood for preservation. The Second World War broke out in 1939-43 A.D and the entire world was filled with the smoke and flame of bombs and blood, scarifying a large number of people and edifices all over the world and our Myanmar and its religions were no exception, but effected more or less. Anyhow, 6 o'clock in the morning on 1st May 1947, the mould in ruin was wiped out and cleared in which the genuine hair-relics of Gautama Buddha were come in public vision gilded in role in the relic chamber made of laterite-stone and goldstone. These hair-relics were never enshrined insight the newly bulk pagoda again but have been put in red-stone casket of the opened relic chamber fortified by gigantic laterite-stone in 10' depth, by Sir U Thwin for the sake of visual veneration and adoration of pilgrims and devotees. The relic-chamber was designated of circular pattern with 8-glass-tighted showroom around it. The votive tablets with Pyu inscriptions have been displayed in series there.
The entire body of relic-chamber is against the main stupa which is bulk in golden with a height of 160 ft or 32 metres, having 4 small pagodas on the plinth facing to cardinal points. On the lower -base, there arc 7 pagodas, one out of 7 is the miniature of the main pagoda.
Along the clockwise direction of circumambulation, the stone-inscription of Ovadapatimauka is inside a small-shrine hall in front of the Tuesday planetary post. The two images of Ashin Mahamauggala and Ashin Thariputtra, the greatest disciples of Gautama Buddha are standing on the left and right as the custodian of it.
Then the tortoise-lake and the shrine-halls of Mya-Nan Nwe, Bo-Bo-Gyi of Botahtaung and Thurasati figures are seen in their respective position in their own caves like builds under spires, accessed by a viaduct over the lake.
In front of the Wednesday Planetary Post, there is a larger hall made of brick and iron-latticed in which a set of Buddhas to an amount of 28 images are placed in different mudras under theirs respective Bo-trees with individual name and some data are inscribed on. More than that, the statues of Shinthiwali, enriched with most wealth next to Gautama Buddha and shin Uppagutta, the most miracle person after the Gautama Buddha, could be worshipped and enjoyed in your own vision.
On the north of main pagoda , to the hall , there is a grand prayer-hall on the pagoda precinth, where a grace Buddha image in fine royal costume is seated on the lotus-throne. It was made of alloyed metals after the fifth synod by king Mindon. That was one of the masterpieces of konbaung period and venerated at the head of Mandalay's palace by king Mindon and Thibaw in Yatanabon period. It was taken away to London Albert Museum in 1886 A.D and shown with other regalias for 68 years. On 17 June, 1953, that image was returned to Myanmar and adorned at the anti-hall of Main pagoda for 30 years then placed inside a newly built adoration-hall of over 10 lakhs costing on 16 May 1981 A.D.
The real hair-relics of Gautama Buddha in visual casket, votive-tablets in Pyu alphas, antique objects and coins, the castings of konbaung period, the respective mudras of Buddhas are viewed at one stop which is about 8 acres with some 11 monasteries, situated on the bank of Yangon river, just a little far off the downtown area.
Book Title : Aspects of Myanmar Culture Presented By : Tim Mg Oo (B.A. English) Licensed Tour Guide