Devotees gather at Myanmar's Shwedagon pagoda to mark Buddha's birthday

Devotees visit Shwedagon Pagoda as Buddhists mark Buddha's Birthday, which falls on the Full Moon Day of Kasone, in Yangon on Wednesday.

Updated on: May 22, 2024 1:31 PM IST

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Published on May 22, 2024 1:31 PM

Thousands of Buddhist devotees gathered at Myanmar's Shwedagon pagoda on Wednesday to mark the Buddha's birthday and to water a sacred Bodhi tree believed to be linked to his enlightenment. (AFP)

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Devotees pou ar water on a revered Bodhi tree at Shwedagon Pagoda. The Bodhi tree, also known as the "tree of awakening," holds great significance in Buddhism. (AFP)

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Crowds made their way up a roofed stairway, crowded with stalls offering flowers, candles, and incense, to reach the hilltop complex that towers over the skyline of Yangon's bustling commercial hub. (AFP)

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In one corner people lined up to water a sacred and gnarled Bodhi tree, believed to have been born from a sapling of the tree the Buddha achieved enlightenment under thousands of years ago in India. (AFP)

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Published on May 22, 2024 1:31 PM

Towering above them was the main, gold-plated spire of the Shwedagon Pagoda, which rises 99 meters (325 feet) into the sky and is believed to house four relics of the Buddha. (AFP)

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Published on May 22, 2024 1:31 PM

Upon reaching the expansive marble platform adorned with smaller shrines, families dispersed and headed to various parts of the complex to make their offerings. (AFP)