Tilawkaguru Monastery
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Mon 27 Nov 2017 22:47
|
Tilawkaguru Cave Monastery, Sagaing
Hill
  We drove down the hill
from our last stop and our driver pulled up at some closed gates in front of a
museum. Hopping out and entering a side gate, he reappeared a few minutes later
with a set of keys. “I know who to ask”. OK then. We drove for five minutes or
so and left the road, the track led us to a sign
outside a very old building.
   We waited for our driver to unlock the gate and fiddle with the light switches, nope,
they didn’t work so he pulled a torch from his pocket and led the way. We were
in a corridor, pointing to the arch on the right he
said “I want to save the best until last” so we passed that dark entrance and
headed to the end where we could faintly make out a staircase. We passed ‘cells’ that were and are still used for private and silent
mediation.
  Beautiful patterns on the ceiling and walls, we passed more cells. Built around 1672, we could make out
bright reds, yellows, blues but especially turquoise that produced richer more
vivid murals in this unique meditation cave.
   Wall Buddha’s leading to another
cell and yet more Buddha’s, their rich red
robes still visible but the surrounds sadly gone.
   Looking down the stairs we had just climbed. The upper corridor, lit as the monks would see by the light
from the small windows and in
torchlight.
   In the space behind
us at the top of the stairs – an umbrella from the
spire of a pagoda, we wondered if it had belonged to this building before it
fell ???. Each cell we passed we peered in hoping for a wow, but only found
bits and bobs. We walked
the full length of the upper corridor and took the
stairs at the far end.
   More cells at the
bottom, but then we stopped at the most important
prayer room, still used today for silent meditation.
The a prayer room lit by a window. Now for the cell with the special white surround - our grand
finale........
   At the entrance our driver shone his torch along the ceiling
“Buddha’s footprint”, in rich reds that led to the
sacred shrine.
  Heading back outside we wondered if in its prime the
building had multiple entrances.
  Our driver led us
through a gateway and we followed a wall – looking up
we could see where a huge pagoda must have stood. Further along and we were in a
huge courtyard, on the left monk’s
washday.
  Wash stand and the monk’s teeth
care – good advert for Colgate.
 Monks
prayer hall.
  We walked around the
side of the prayer hall and saw a
very attractive monastery, quite a surprise.
     It was nice to amble
around in the sunshine taking in the domestic
scenes.
 The bell.
   The gong, brooms and back to the washday
yard.
    Shower in use (block of three), clean
robe waiting, handsome chap and off we go.
  .Heading back to the car we couldn’t help but think how this whole complex would have looked stunning in its day. On we go.
ALL IN ALL SUCH A SILENT, COOL PLACE OF WORSHIP AND MEDITATION PRIVILEGED TO SEE THE CAVE |