PINDAYA CAVE (SHWE OO MIN)

The Pindaya cave has obscure origins. The immense collection of Buddha images it houses is in fact the largest Buddhist museum in Burma. Some of the 8,000 original statues have been stolen, but there are believed to be 2,000 more, made of teak, alabaster, marble or bronze. You will climb a few steps up to the entrance of the cave. There, a multitude of statues await you in the humidity.

The tazaung or prayer hall. Built by U Khanti, the hermit monk who was also the architect of Mandalay Hill and other religious buildings in Burma.

After climbing the south staircase and passing the usual pagoda shops, you will be confronted with images of Buddha adorned and set in glass niches.

The entrance to the cave is guarded by two mythological dragons.

Alaungsithu's stūpa. The first stūpa you pass by on your way to the place was built by King Alaungsithu in 1160.

The hive of Buddha images. At the top, at the right angle on the north side of the cave, you can see images of Buddha so small that they look like bees.

The ancient stūpa. Almost entirely hidden by the stacked Buddha images is an ancient stūpa, built by the Indian emperor Ashoka more than 2,000 years ago.

The ancient statue. Just at the foot of this stūpa (no. 6), are ancient images of seated Buddha. The construction would be contemporary to Ashoka.

The labyrinth. You enter the labyrinth formed by the accumulation of Buddha's images over centuries.

The Bay-Thit-Ja-Guru images. Rare Burmese examples of Buddha images depicted in the mudra meaning 'great physicist'.

The image of Buddha sitting on the back of an elephant. Carved in wood, it would be more than 600 years old.

The meditation rooms. Several meditation rooms. One of them is only accessible on all fours. Sathipathana Vipassana meditation is practiced there.

The sweating statue. It is said that this image of Buddha was always wet.

The rock gongs. Before there were bells, people came to ring these gongs to tell the village about its merits.

The miraculous stūpa. The most venerated in the cave: it is believed to have the power to grant wishes.

The victorious point. The place where one can pray to any god or other sacred figure, supposed to help the practitioner to be persevering and victorious.

The black chalk hill. Considered sacred, the believers say that when you come into contact with the rock, you purify yourself of all evil thoughts.

The fairy pond. Its water would be good as tears because it contains copper and zinc after its passage underground.

"Termination". According to the legend, the original cave did not have the shape it has today. It was so deep that you could walk all the way to Bagan by foot. More scientifically, when the cave was formed, water must have flowed naturally through this hole.

The Alegu pagoda. After walking through the main cave, you can go to an artificial cave, Alegu paya. It is a five-minute walk from the main cave, free entrance. While all the Buddhas in the main cave are represented with their eyes closed, as a sign of contemplation of the Dhamma, those in the Alegu Pagoda have their eyes open, through Enlightenment.

For the return journey, avoid going up the stairs by cutting into the mountainside.