Buddha Disneyland in Shan state

Written by Pro Tourist

A pen is sharper than a gun !

My memory of Pindaya, a peaceful town in southern Shan state has flashed back when I wrote about Switzerland. We also have many beautiful places like Switzerland. Majority of towns and villages in Switzerland are around the lakes. Pindaya town is very similar to Luzern or Zurich, a big lake is in the heart of the town and huge banyan trees, aged more than hundred years are beside the lake which catch the visitors eyes. Big branches, five to six feet from the ground spread out so that the trees give very good shade where children are playing and visitors are taking a rest.

Some people from big cities like Yangon and Mandalay want to take pictures with the big trees. Pindaya is home for Danu ethnic group but Pao, Shan, Taung Yoe & Burmese live there.

They have got green fingers, they grow many kinds of vegetables such as cabbage, ginger, chilli, wheat and Indian leek. The villagers around Pindaya come to five-day-market and sell their products that is very busy and interesting. Pao people who live at the mountain range grow tea leaf. They especially women wear traditional costume, black or dark blue blouse and bright colourful turban, shoulder bag is around their neck.

Green grocers and fishmongers place the vegetables and fishes on the ground and sell them. Tea shops, liquor shops and black smiths are busier than other shops because market day is reunion for these people. Some people repair their agricultural tools and young men have rare chance for a drink when they are away from their wives.

how easy it is?

The ethnic people are very healthy and strong as they have fresh vegetables. They can easily carry about forty kilo grams of goods with bamboo basket. Ladies in Shan state work harder than men. Even they have infants, warp them with big shaws or Longyi and carry in their back. Babies are sleeping while mothers are working but they are crying when they are starving. At that time the ladies are very clever, they never take out the shaw or longyi properly. They just move around the kids from the back to the front and nurse them, how easy it is?

Shwe U Min, Buddha Disneyland

The most notable place in Pindaya is ” Shwe U Min ” cave which is a big limestone cave where there are more than 8000 Buddha statues. Burmese devotees have spent much money to donate new statues and guild the gold leaves so all the Buddha statues and stupas are very brilliant with gold. The cave is full of Buddha statues and stupas which is like Buddha Disneyland. The visitors follow the foot path, like maze among the Buddha statues. We need to keep torchlight handy otherwise it is completely dark and the floor is slippery as the water drops from the ceiling. Take great care, if someone falls down and have injury, it’s very difficult to manage.

Once, I went there with big group. I left my torchlight in the luggage as I directly came out from the airport. The batteries are not allowed in the hand carry and we couldn’t afford hand phone in those day. I didn’t expect the light will break out but it’s blackout suddenly when our group is in the middle of cave. I gave them suggestion stand still and clap your hands. They did, then I sang a popular new year song. Two minutes later, the light is on again. They asked me, are you chanting the religious verse? Actually, not. I’m a freethinker. I tried to concentrate their mind so that they lost the darkness. If we know how to use our head, we can get over any difficulty.

Another speciality in Green Tea restaurant is ginger tea with honey which is very good when it is cool.

We also can learn handmade paper, parasols and papèr lanterns under the huge banyan tree. Normally, we have lunch at ” Green Tea ” restaurant that is beside the lake. If we have lakeview seats, we are happier where see through to the beauty of lake, ladies are washing, bathing, children are swimming, all in one. Shan food is very good but a little spicy because the weather is colder than other places. Another speciality in Green Tea restaurant is ginger tea with honey which is very good when it is cool.

Blue water pond

Nowadays, a new tour site ” Blue water pond ” came to light which is not so far away from Pindaya, motor way is good. The pond is small in the jungle. As usual, some superstitious burmese built stupa and marked as religious place. I wonder whether why the water is blue? May be the minerals near the pond affect the colour. Many local visitors pay a visit there because there is no more blue water pond in Burma. Near the blue water pond, another beautiful place ” Meinmaye Taung “, a heroine mountain has many big Buddha and spirit statues which is very good for photograph.

My colleagues and I usually travel throughout the country during this period before COVID 19 and stupid coup in Burma but we all are in the dark age now. I always give suggestion to my friends…Hey friends, hang on in there!

The golden opportunity is at hand. We’ll work & go together happily.

Written by Pro Tourist

Harder Than Ever !

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