Kakku

Located in the Shan state, Kakku is about 33 miles from Taunggyi. It will take 2 – 3 hours’ drive by car from Inle Lake. Kakku Pagoda is an outstanding example of tradition art and architecture and one of the Asia’s largest and most spectacular ancient monuments, built about 400 years ago, by one of Myanmar’s many ethnic minorities, the Pa-Oh, who had shown great religious devotion in contributing much of their energy and limited wealth to creating monasteries and pagodas. Kakku is a priceless piece of mankind heritage, a truly splendid example of the creative talent of remarkable people. It contains over 2,000 stupas, each one being an individual masterpiece with origins dating back many centuries.

The main stupa in Kakku is around 40 meters high, the mass of the spire surrounding it uniformly. The external decoration on many of the stupas is simple, almost sparse. The builders have concentrated on pure grace and form for effect while other features elaborate decoration. Traditional motifs weave intricate patterns of arabesques and stems to create a delicate tracery of the highest artistic merit. Even more fascinating are the many beautiful figures, carved in stucco and apparently originally brightly painted, which adorn corner or pay silent homage beside the niches in the base, many of which still contain antique Buddha images. Angels, musicians, dancers- all were created with consummate skill.

The Kakku Pagoda Festival is usually held during March, during the full moon day to Tabaung. During the festival, the Pa-O people come to pay homage to the pagoda in their finest costumes. Some from near villages come to the festival with decorated bullocks.