Under a spell of serenity

A visit to Myanmar during a peaceful spell reveals its true face: The people are religious and law-abiding and life goes on at a slow pace. Till recently, the capital was Yangon but military rulers, acting on the advice of astrologers, replaced it with the town of Pyinmana, renaming it Nayidaw (Royal City) and making it the seat of government.

But Yangon, which remains the heart of the country, is a charming enclave of colonial buildings, tree-lined avenues and a profusion of places of worship — mainly payas (pagodas), Chinese shrines and even a few Hindu temples.

Urban melee

The city was established by King Alungpaya in 1755. The British made Yangon, earlier known as Dagon (ironically meaning "the end of strife"), the capital of Burma in 1885 and called it Rangoon. The bazaars are bustling, the streets are busy with vendors and overloaded buses, scooters whiz past and rickshaws carry passengers down narrow lanes. Adding to the melee are horse carts, vintage taxis, autorickshaws, four-wheel Mazdas and Japanese pickup trucks. Monks wearing saffron or red robes are seen everywhere and people bow to them as they walk past. There are few tourists: a few Europeans but mainly the Japanese and the Thai on a Buddhist pilgrimage.

Gilded glory

Although Sule Paya (pagoda), one of the major Buddhist temples, is in the centre of the city, it is the Shwedagon Paya in the northern part of Yangon that is the most important, as it is said to contain eight strands of the Buddha's hair. It is a huge, gilded structure that dominates the skyline. For the people of Myanmar, it is the most sacred place of worship. The monument, said to date back 2,500 years, has suffered damage over the centuries from earthquakes, fires and the like but has been rebuilt, achieving greater heights of splendour every time. The golden dome, which rises 98 metres, seems to touch the skies. The best time to see it is at sunrise or sunset, when it seems to glow. Surrounded by a garden and shops selling flowers, it forms an oasis of calm in the busy life of the city.

The Shwedagon is huge, built on a plinth on a platform stretching for 5.6 hectares. The main stupa, said to be coated with ten tonnes of gold, is surrounded by temples, shrines, spires and pavilions. Worshippers throng the area and the only sound is that of the chanting of the monks. At twilight, it seems almost iridescent, the fragrance of flowers and incense filling the air with a mood of sanctity.

A short distance away is the Chaukhtatgyi Paya, which houses a huge statue of the reclining Buddha. This is, however, kept in a large, metal-roofed shed and surrounded by astrologers and palmists to make the most of tourist visits.

Royal regalia

Everything pales beside the Shwedagon. But there is a lot more to see — especially the National Museum, which boasts royal regalia from the time that Burma was ruled by monarchs. Many of these pieces were taken by the British and only some returned later. Among the exhibits is the 8-metre-high Lion Throne of the last ruler King Thibaw Min.

To understand the culture of Myanmar, try a dinner show. The Karaweik is a colossal replica of a royal barge, which sits on the Kandawgyl Lake (the Royal Lake). As it is made of concrete, it is unlikely to sail away! It's a popular spot for tourists, where they sample local cuisine and watch folk dances. It is also a favoured spot for photo sessions.

A walk through Yangon is like going back in time, with old colonial buildings and street names to match (The Strand).

Bazaar beat

A bazaar is always the heart of a community. The Bogyoke Aun San Market is a maze of little alleyways. It is also referred to as the Scotts market. It sells just about every item — from handicrafts (Myanmar's lacquerwork is a must-buy) and T-shirts to gems. It is the ideal place to spend a few hours picking up gifts.

A visit to Myanmar is memorable — gentle people, oppressed by the army, clinging to faith but leading life with a smile on their lips; and the magnificent Shwedagon pagoda, glittering in reflected sunlight. Rudyard Kipling described it as "a golden mystery ... a beautiful wonder".

— Nirmal Khanna is a UAE-based freelance writer

The story of the Golden Land

Around the 6th century, the Mon, a tribal people, settled in the Irrawaddy Delta. Inscriptions refer to it as Suvarnabhumi, or the Golden Land.

The Burmans, a tribal people, came down from the eastern Himalayas and established control in the 9th century. In 1044, King Anaanawrahta came to power and annexed large swaths of territory. Having conquered Bagan, a Buddhist kingdom, he came in contact with the scriptures of the religion. However, his death was followed by 240 years of strife and chaos, including the invasion by Kublai Khan.

In 1550, Bayinnaung came to the throne and unified the kingdom. But again, after his death, the kingdom fell apart, with disparate powers vying for control.

In the 19th century, the British, set on their colonial expansion, wanted to extend their control beyond India. Besides, the mineral and agricultural wealth of the country was tempting. In 1819, Bagyidaw, a cruel and ruthless ruler, came to the throne, slaughtering more than 6,000 people who might have opposed his rule. In the turmoil that followed, the British gained control over many areas and around 1885, the country became a part of the British Empire.

However, with India becoming independent in 1947, Burma followed suit a year later. Although elections were held in 1960, General Ne Win came to power a few years later and set the country on his much publicised "Burmese road to socialism". Ever since, the country has been under the control of the army. In 1989, Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of national hero Bogyoke Aung San, was placed under house arrest and has been detained ever since, with spells of freedom in between. As an acknowledgement of her peaceful struggle for democracy, she has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought, the Simon Bolivar Prize and the Jawaharlal Nehru Prize for international understanding.

Myanmar remains in the grip of the military junta and, as seen after hurricane Nargis recently, its squandering of funds on grandiose projects shows a disregard for the people that is shocking and shameful.