Page 189 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

Yangon to MandalaY Central MyanMar 187
A near-copy of the Shwedagon in Yangon (although it comes in at a symbolic 30cm
shorter), the Uppatasanti is impressively huge from a distance, although less remarkable
close up when the shoddiness of the workmanship, including lots of cheap gold paint
with red and white smears, becomes apparent – only the topmost section of the spire is
properly gilded. Three grand staircases lead up to the terrace (although only the eastern
stairs are usually open, and most visitors take the lift). The terrace itself is huge,
windswept and depressingly bare, with only a couple of token Buddha statues and a
single huge prayer pole to relieve the emptiness, although the sweeping views partly
compensate.
The pagoda’s chief peculiarity is that it’s hollow. A huge square pillar stands in the
centre of the green-and-gold interior, as if carrying the weight of the stupa on its
shoulders. Fine carvings showing scenes from Buddhist mythology, history and the life
of the Buddha are arrayed around the sides. Visit around sunset, when most pagodas
across Myanmar are humming with activity, and what will likely strike you about the
Uppatasanti is the dearth of people – a far cry from the Shwedagon.
In a small pen near the bottom of the eastern stairs you’ll find the pagoda’s celebrated
menagerie of five white elephants (see p.82), which can often be seen here munching
on bamboo (although they’re sometimes taken off for exercise elsewhere), plus a couple
of smaller ordinary elephants. Locals regard these rare creatures as being extremely
auspicious, though sceptical foreigners may feel the animals provide an apt symbol
of Naypyitaw itself – given that it’s essentially nothing but an enormous white elephant
of a slightly different kind.
4
Fountain Garden
• Taungnyo Rd • Daily 8am–9pm • K700
Just east of Thabyegone Roundabout, and providing a pleasant change of scene from
the concrete wasteland outside, is the pretty ornamental Fountain Garden, set either
side of the small Ngalait River; a pair of small bridges traverse the water, employing an
enjoyably wobbly, jungle-style design. Lush clumps of bougainvillea, palms and topiary
trees abound, along with assorted pavilions, a playground with water slide, and a
musical clock, none of whose four faces can agree on the correct time.
Although it’s worth a visit at any time of the day, this garden really comes into its
own around dusk and shortly after dark, when the fountains light up in fluorescent

MINISTRIES IN MOTION
Myanmar’s new capital was constructed amid cloak-and-dagger secrecy between 2002 and
2005, at an estimated cost of around $4 billion on a greenfield site between the old Yangon–
Mandalay highway and the small towns of Pyinmana and lewe. Following its unveiling,
government ministries were moved en masse from Yangon, with staff being given 48 hours to
relocate (though their families were temporarily banned from following). Meanwhile, the
foreign diplomatic community remains stubbornly entrenched in Yangon – so far the only
embassy to have moved into the city’s designated diplomatic zone is that of Bangladesh.
the city’s long-suffering bureaucrats, summarily transferred from Yangon, now occupy
lego-like swathes of dormitory suburbs, their roofs colour-coded to signify the status of the
officials within, while the ruling elite have ensconced themselves in the city’s fiercely guarded
military zone (strictly off limits to casual visitors), allegedly complete with many kilometres of
tunnels and bunkers, and eight-lane highways designed so jets can land on them. there is also
a vast military parade ground in this zone, overseen by statues of kings anawrahta, Bayinnaung
and alaungpaya – Myanmar’s three greatest empire-builders, and greatly beloved of the army
bigwigs – often featuring in militaristic propaganda, though inaccessible to the average citizen.
Surprisingly, naypyitaw’s population is already nudging the million mark, making it
Myanmar’s third-largest city and one of the world’s fastest-growing urban centres – although
you’d hardly guess this, given the largely deserted and decidedly moribund atmosphere. the
entire place still feels very much like a work in – perhaps permanent – progress.

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