In the State of Shan, in Burma, there is a quiet resort nestled between harmonious green hills, limestone mountains and a small lake: we are in Pindaya, in the heart of the country, a village especially appreciated for its caves, but which offers also various trekking opportunities or simple nature walks, with panoramic views of the lake and the cultivated fields.
The rhythms of life here are still governed by rural activities, it is not uncommon to see women washing clothes at the lake or revive the fire under the rice pots, while the men lead big wheels with wooden wheels pulled slowly by their faithful buffaloes , in the direction of the fields.
This peaceful quiet is interrupted only once every five days, on the occasion of the market: farmers, artisans and farmers in the area gather to exchange goods, vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, wood and bamboo utensils and finely decorated terracotta pots, these latter products are made of a vasa tradition that the inhabitants of the region have been passing on for generations.
The name Pindaya derives from a legend and in the Burmese language literally means "I killed the spider": it is said that seven princesses were captured by a giant spider while they were bathing in the lake and were trapped in a cave on the mountain through a thick cobweb that closed its entrance; the frightened screams of the princesses attracted the attention of Prince Kummabhaya who intervened with his bow and arrows, killing the spider and tearing the spider's web to free the princesses.
Today the caves of Pindaya represent an important Buddhist shrine, but it should not be surprising if the sacredness of the place are mixed with pagan elements: at its entrance a giant spider is reproduced with its spiderweb, symbol of the legend and the ease with which the Burmese mix ancestral myths and religious devotion.
Beyond the spider, we enter a large system of caves, caverns and ravines completely covered by statues of all shapes and sizes of Buddha: the atmosphere is increasingly imbued with spirituality while, barefoot, barefoot, we enter the caves illuminated by light soft that reflects on the golden sculptures.
The first effigies of Illumination date back to the eighteenth century and it is estimated that up to now have been placed about nine thousand statues, each with its own style: an extended period of time and a considerable number of pieces that allow us to consider the 150 meters of the caves of Pindaya literally an art gallery.
Buddhist pilgrims arrive at the Pindaya shrine from all over Myanmar (name also known as Burma) to show their devotion, to bring fragrant flowers and candles, to gather in prayer and meditation in the quieter corners; two statues in particular, placed one next to the other, arouse amazement and admiration among the faithful: their peculiarity is in fact to have the surface constantly moist, preventing the affixing of the traditional golden leaves and inducing the pilgrims to caress them in the points of the body that wish to be blessed.
Heho airport is not far from Pindaya, about forty kilometers, but most visitors prefer to avoid detours and go directly to the main attraction of central-eastern Burma, that is the beautiful and unique ecosystem of Inle Lake .
We advise those planning a trip to Myanmar to include Pindaya in their itinerary anyway: the serenity of its people and the mystical atmosphere of its caves will captivate you!
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Myanmar
