KAYAH STATE:
Kayah State, formerly Karenni State is bordered by
Shan mountains to the north, Thailand's Mae Hong Son
province to the east and Kayin (Karen) State to the
south. It is the smallest among the seven states of
Myanmar. The terrain is mountainous and is traversed by
the Thanlwin (Salween), the principal river. The
inhabitants of the state are Karens. The state is fairly
well provided with Kyun (Teak wood) and other hard woods
such as Pyinkado (Ironwood), Padauk and Ingyin. Other
forest products are lac, resin and honey. Tin is found
in the southern state. Marble is also a product of Kayah.
Agriculture is one of the main economy of people. Rice,
wheat, maize, millet, ground nut, sesame, cotton, soy
bean, chilies, onions, garlic, tobacco, orange, banana
and vegetables are grown. Myanmar's largest and most
important hydro-electric power plant has been
constructed at BaluChaung Waterfalls at LawPita some 12
miles south of Loikaw, capital of Kayah state.
How to get there:
Normally tourists could travel form Inle lake area using
boat and car. The car roads from Taungoo (Bago division)
and from Kayin state are not recommended due to lack of
safety and bad road conditions. Loikaw is linked by the
newly constructed Aungban-Pinlong-Loikaw rail line.
Flights to Loikaw are made by Myanmar Airways Domestic
which is seldom used by foreign tourists due to its bad
safety record. |
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Loikaw:
Is the capital of Kayah state. The famous religious
landmark of Loikaw is the Thiri-Mingalar Taung-kwe
Pagoda Hill, scenically built on a hillock overlooking
the vast expanse of the environs. Around Loikaw visitors
can visit Taungwe Pagoda (twin peaks of hills with a
pagoda on top of each), two lakes and the market.
The revered names of some pagodas were: Shwe Yin Aye
Ceti, Kyauk Thanban Ceti, Aung Taw Mu Ceti, Su Taung Pyi
Ceti, Pyi Lone Chan Thar Ceti, Auk Kyaik Htee Yoe Ceti,
Atet Kyaik Htee Yoe Ceti and Shwe Pyi Aye Ceti.There was
a prophecy that one day the nine pagodas will be unified
into one omniscient pagoda in the propagation and
perpetuation of the Buddhist faith. The name of the
sacred hill was also changed to Thiri-mangalar Hill in
1970.
The next interesting place is called Htee-pwint-kan or
Umbrella pond. It is situated in Demosoe Township in the
heart of the paddy fields. It was just a small pond
around a hundred feet in circumference. The Kayahs
believe that the present 'Htee pwint kan' is the pond
dug by the crocodile with the help of the white buffalo.
There is a legend about this pond. It says “Once upon a
time in a dense forest a big white rabbit and a big
crocodile lived together as friends. One day the rabbit
told the crocodile that a severe drought would befall
the following summer which would cause extreme hardship.
The rabbit then persuaded the crocodile to leave the
forest to more salubrious pastures where water was
plentiful. Believing in the rabbit they both traveled
till they reached atop a hillock when the rabbit ran
away, leaving the poor crocodile to his dire fate.
Luckily a white buffalo passed by and saw the
predicament of the distraught crocodile, who requested
the former to take him to where water was available. The
buffalo replied that water was very far away. Then the
crocodile suggested that the buffalo dig the earth with
his strong hoofs, urinate on the earth to soften it and
repeat the process again and again until the pit was
deep enough for the crocodile to wallow inside. The
buffalo obliged, and the crocodile wallowed until as
luck would have it water spurted from the subterranean
lake, bringing relief to the amphibian. The thankful
crocodile offered to help the buffalo so that he may not
suffer for want of water. Thus we now see that buffaloes
never feel the scarcity of water as the crocodiles kept
the promise made once upon a time. |
Taungwe Pagoda
Padaung
Lisu |
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