NAY PYI TAW December 14
Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Moe Aung and wife, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Tun Aung and wife, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, Commander of Northern Command Maj-Gen Ko Ko Maung and officials, this morning, paid homage to ancient historic Kaunghmulon Pagoda built on the bank of Namkyo (Malikha) River near Kaunghmulon Village of Machanbaw Township in Putao District in Kachin State.
The Senior General and party were welcomed by Commissioner of Putao District General Administration Department U Khaung Lan Tee, Chairman of the pagoda board of trustees U Thant Seng and members, and local ethnic people.Then, the Senior General and party offered flowers and water to the Buddha image in the pagoda.
After going round the pagoda clockwise, the Senior General instructed officials to ensure long term existence of the pagoda, arrange convenient paying of homage by travellers and carry out sanitation around the pagoda.
The Senior General signed the visitors’ book and presented cash for all-round renovation of the pagoda to the chairman and members of the pagoda board of trustees who returned the certificate of honour.
The pagoda enshrined with three pieces of sacred relic of the Lord Buddha was built in 244 Sasana Era in the reign of King Siri Dhammasoka. Kings in successive eras renovated the pagoda. So, the pagoda is dubbed as “Kaunghmulon in upper, Shwedagon in lower and Shwezigon in centre” by Myanmar Buddhists. Kaungh-mulon Pagoda is very ancient, named “Kaungmuusaokankham” called Shwehsatmin Pagoda in Taikhamti Shan language. As it is largest and tallest with the most famous among other pagodas in Khamteelon area, the pagoda is named Saokaunghmulon, identified as the noblest pagoda, according to the records on all-round renovation of the pagoda.
At the Rawang Cultural Museum in the Rawang National Park in Duttan Ward of Putao, the Senior General and party were warmly welcomed by Chairman of Myanmar Rawang Literature and Culture Association U Rei Dan Tang and Rawng ethnic people with the Rawang music. The Senior General and party viewed round the booths on stone weapons, utensils made of stone, wooden utensils, hats made of wood and rattan, traditional musical instruments, wickerwork, utensils made of rattan and bamboo strips, swords, spears, axes, bows and arrow weapons, bamboo utensils, traditional bags, traditional medicines, traditional weaved equipment, Rawang traditional jewellery, the map showing the ancestors, and State leaders and Kachin state cultural leaders. U Rei Dan Tang and officials conducted the Senior General and party round the booths.
In his response to the explanations, the Senior General said he took pride in preserving culture and history of Rawang ethnic people. As ancient handiwork utensils are invaluable historical records, it is necessary to systematically preserve them and show them in tidiness. The Senior General stressed the need to maintenance of the objects not to be damaged in natural disasters and pests.
The Senior General signed the visitors’ book of the museum and posed for documentary photos in front of the Reindan called Manaw post together with Rawang ethnic people.
