Mahamuni Temple in Mandalay - The Buddha Statue Consecrated by Buddha Himself!

Mahamuni Temple, a Buddhist temple visited when traveling from Bagan to Mandalay, is located in the southwest of Mandalay city. It is a typical Burmese-style pagoda temple with a square layout. The corridors form a cross shape and converge at the center's seven-layered gilded pagoda. The corridors are supported by 252 gilded pillars, and the courtyard is shaded by green trees, giving it a geometric aesthetic. Mahamuni Temple is famous due to a legend. It is said that during the Buddha's lifetime, there were five statues made in his likeness. Two true statues are in India, two in the heavenly realm, and the remaining one is the bronze statue in Mahamuni Temple, making it a sacred site in Burmese Buddhism. However, the statue is now fully covered in gold leaf. The temple has a unique custom. Every day around 4 a.m., devotees help brush the statue's teeth and wash its face, and this ritual must be presided over by a high monk. The ceremony is elaborate and solemn, not just a casual wash, making it quite special.