N 53 A Trip to Mwaydaw Nam Set (part 2 )

But there was nobody in the fairly neat and wide compound. Not even an animal was to be seen. We were  all alone by ourselves. Then we realized that we had come at the wrong time.

What the women at Kakku told us that there are about half the amount of Kakku pagodas is not true. There is only one big golden pagoda and some pagodas that look like old around it. We went into the small homage paying area where there is an old image inside a niche and one reclining statue and said our prayers.

After paying homage we put down our mats on the grass and prepare to have lunch. Everybody had packed some kinds of food and when we had laid all of them our lunch was like a feast. So although it was still early everybody ate heartily.

After all had eaten we wandered around the pagodas. I saw a zayat with open door. When I peeped in to see if there was  somebody so that I could ask questions I found none. Also  the building close to the pagoda is empty. So I gave up the idea of enquiring about the pagoda.

Beyond the compound there are many big banyan trees like other religious places. Some of us thought  the pagodas are not as old as the Kakku pagodas. And I noticed that the work is not very neat and impressive. But we can understand that this is a remote part of Shan State.

It was over noon when we set back on our way home. After Hsai Khao the Kyauk Talone road branched out to the west ,towards Kakku. So as not to trace back our old route we took this road. It was an unpaved road but smooth and not very dusty yet. Eventually we reached the paved road to Kakku and before long we sighted the amazing Kakku Pagodas.

  (  PS….the festival time of Mwaydaw Nam Set  is from 7^th to 9^th of the waning days of Tazaungmone )