Pilgrimage
About 500 local pilgrims are visiting the ancient Kyaikhmawwun Pagoda, which is also renowned as the Island Pagoda (Yele Pagoda) in Kyauktan Township, Yangon Region, every day, said U Soe Win, a member of the Pagoda Board of Trustees.
“The number of pilgrims to the pagoda was small at first, but now, the number has reached and 500. They all are local pilgrims and some of them are from other regions and states. Their numbers have not reached the level before the arrival of COVID-19 in the country. In the earlier days after the reopening of the pagoda, it had about 50 visitors daily. The number has been increasing since the end of Thingyan Water Festival. First, the number reached over 300 and then the current point,” the member of the pagoda board of trustees explained.
Everyone can visit the pagoda during the time from 6 am to 4 pm daily in accordance with the COVID-19 prevention and containment rules. The pagoda was reopened on 8 February this year and about 50 visited it daily during the initial days. The number has increased after the Thingyan Water Festival and now the number of visitors has reached about 500. More people visit the pagoda on weekends, according to the residents of Kyauktan.
During the closure of the religious edifice, the pagoda board of trustees had to feed the fish that always stay in the surrounding waters of the Island Pagoda, mostly with bread. The board had to spend Ks 50,000 every day to feed the marine visitors to the pagoda. Now, the number of pilgrims that feed the fish is increasing and the board has to spend only Ks-20,000 for them.
‘‘As for the pilgrims, fish feeding is one of the most interesting parts of visiting the pagoda. As the fish would go away to other places in search of food, the pagoda board of trustees had to provide them with food daily, so that they would be remaining in the surrounding waters of the pagoda. We spent Ks-50,000 daily to give them bread daily during the closure time. Thanks to our efforts, the fish never leave the pagoda. Their Myanmar name is river catfish (Nga Dan). But now, the pilgrims are also feeding them. So, we have reduced the daily expense for the job to just Ks-20,000,” said U Soe Win.
People come to the pagoda from the nearby jetty by motor schooners, and per passenger fee is Ks-200 for roof-less boats and Ks-500 for roofed boats. They can also chartered a boat which can carry 15 passengers.
Thanks to the wish made by the arahats and the doors, who built the pagoda long ago, sea tides never reached the pagoda platform and there is always a place for the pilgrims to pay homage to the pagoda however it is crowded. Moreover, they also prayed for the pilgrims to gain merits in the present life and also in the next existence.