Cave of So, So Many Buddhas, Kalaw

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sun 3 Dec 2017 23:47
Shwe Oo Min Cave Pagoda, Kalaw
 
 
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A twenty minute bimble from our digs brought us to the Shwe Oo Min Cave Pagoda, passing the fence we saw many stupas and after leaving our shoes at the gate we followed a long corridor to the cave entrance.
 
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To our left, the main outside shrines, a chap on welcome duty and to our right, a side shrine.
 
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Once inside the entrance room we paid a small donation and entered the cave proper to find biggish Buddha statues.
 
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Apparently the oldest chap is a black one near the main entrance. The Buddha statues range from near life sized to measuring no more than my little finger. Every colour, every type of material, every position, some have blankets, capes with sequins, beads or tapestry, posh umbrellas, dry flowers, real flowers, even disco lights. We saw some very dodgy electrickery, water leaks and the odd tree root but what a way to bimble. We followed the floor matting and enjoyed many crevices, side caves and main chambers. Never seen anything like it before or since. How many are there ??? Well they don’t take them all down for a Spring clean or a stock take, some say more than a thousand but someone was told in 2014 that there were 8094 which seems a very specific number. However many we found, it
is a very happy place to visit, many find it a very sacred place and we saw several locals coming to say their prayers. On the way out we found two chaps repainting the main sign. This is what we saw:
 
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ALL IN ALL A UNIQUE LITTLE GEM
                     WHAT A LOT OF CHAPS