President A P J Abdul Kalam on Thursday visited the revered Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar where Buddha's relics are enshrined.
On the second day of his three-day visit to Myanmar, the first by an Indian Head of State, Kalam went around the Pagoda, located atop a 58-metre high hill.
One of the wonders of the world, it is believed that the Pagoda was built over 2500 years ago. Lord Buddha's relics were divided in eight equal parts and enshrined in an equal number of stupas.
Later, emperor Ashoka is said to have recovered one of the eight parts and distributed it among 84,000 stupas.
The Shwedagon Pagoda is significant because it enshrines sacred hair of the Buddha, which was obtained during his lifetime.
During his visit to Myanmar in 2003, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat had donated coloured glasses worth about Rs 3 lakh to the Pagoda.
Photograph: RB Photos
