Visit to Wat Sao Rot Ton (Mynmar)

Monday, 4 November 2013

Entrance to Wat Sao Rot Ton 

The temple is supported by 100 teak wood poles

There is a religious celebration in the 100-pole temple located just across Three Pagoda Pass in the Mon Controlled Burma. To gain access to the temple, one can either officially enter Burma via the Three Pagoda Pass Immigration Check point paying USD10 to the officer or via the dusty gravel road/path that I took 2 days ago to the Women and Children Safe home.  We chartered a songteow for 600 Bahts and use the illegal path. We were about 300 meters away from the Three Pagoda Immigration Office where we join back the main road entering Burma. Apparently the Immigration Officers are aware of some Mon and Thai people are entering via the backdoor but kept silence so as NOT to rock the boat and affect the livings of the locals.

Main Altar

There were music, dance and noises accompanying the entering of convoy of donations van/ lorry. Real currency notes of 1000, 100 or 50 Bahts are stapled onto plastics envelops and attached to pole resembling tree trunks. I am NOT sure if banana tree were used before but now the trend is using plastic materials. The money trees were brought into upper halls where prayers were carried out.

Free Food

There were free foods provided in several tents nearby, something similar in Malaysia where Malay wedding feast was held. The foods were basic fish, chicken, vegetable curry and water melon fruit as desert. A common bowl of soup is provided in the centre of dining table, but most people don’t touch the soup.

Other than free food, you can also find vendors selling cheap toys and accessories for young ladies. Under the hot sun, ice cream vendors are doing fine business.

I now reserve my respect for monks in this part of Burma. Besides smoking openly in open fields in front of children, they also smoke in the temple and the cigarette ashes drop unto the floor where children and adults are sitting. Some were using phones and smart devices. I wonder if they are checking emails and reading social media. It will be hard to learn the displayed moral examples. 

 Under the hot sun, the gold plated ornamental figurines and roof glitters. The people may be poor but the temple continues to be shrine and glitter. This is the reality that occurs in Thailand too.

More chatting instead of paying attention to peachings

We missed our return schedule by about 2 hours because Grandma has to wait for her turn when her contribution is mentioned or blessing administered. Because of the delays, the planned visit to nun temple nearby was skipped. However, we pass by the Women and Children Safe house to pick up Fa’s sister who were working on a project there.

 p.s. This blog was written while I was still in Thailand.