Photographs (by George P. Landow) You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. Click on images to enlarge them.
Gold against blue: Pinnacles of the stupas against the deep blue sky.
Three workers scrubbing the marble tiles before one of the shrines at the south-west corner of the Schwedagon complex.
Left: Woman resting in the shade with her sleeping baby--her offerings are in a carrier bag in front of her. Right: A temple on the west side decorated with painted bas-reliefs inside and out.
Left: A temple on the west side decorated with painted bas-reliefs inside and out — almost dioramas. Right: The reclining Buddha who was resting and not in Nirvana; to the left a man appropriately takes a nap.
Left: Turning 90 degrees from the direction in which the last picture was taken, we see into the next shrine, which is filled with different-sized Buddhas, most with the the right hand touching the ground. Right two: Two gold-encrusted rooflines.
Left: Some more beautiful decoration. Middle: a shrine sheltering three separate Buddha figures. Right: A worshipper at the altar for the second half of Wednesday; the main pagoda rising up in the background. At intervals around the main pagoda are shrines dedicated to each of the eight days of the week (Wednesday divides into two parts); worshippers make special offerings of fruit, flowers and paper umbrellas, and do special acts of devotion, like lighting candles in front of and pouring water over the Buddha and the totem animal of their birthday weekday (here an elephant WITH tusks).
Left: A view toward the north. Middle: Another view of the altar for Wednesday evening seen facing west. Right: The inside of one pagoda, showing the beautifully carved ceiling and gilded carvings on front and sides.
Last modified 17 April 2001