Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, council members, Union ministers, the Yangon Region Chief Minister, the commander of Yangon Command and officials, yesterday morning visited Shwedagon Pagoda in Dagon Township.

The Senior General paid homage to Padamya Myetshin Buddha Image on the upper terrace of the pagoda and offered alms, flowers and water dedicated to the Lord Buddha.

He inspected the progress of offering gold foils to the whole structure of the pagoda and maintenance works. He also donated jewellery items, gold and religious objects to the pagoda and sprinkled scented water. From the scaffolding, the Senior General viewed urban development scenes of Yangon City and instructed officials to continuously carry out the beautification of the city.

The Senior General viewed maintenance of the pennant-shaped vane of the pagoda and donated objects of well-wishers. The Senior General offered two gold plates weighing six ticals each donated by SAC Chairman Prime Minister Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla and family at the plantain bud of the pagoda.

The Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture and members of the pagoda board of trustees reported to the Senior General on the offering of gold plates and foils to the pagoda, offering of gold foils to the whole structure of the pagoda in 2024-25 financial year.

In offering gold foils, it needs to use 1,200 one-square-foot gold plates weighing six ticals each. So far, a total of 1,060 gold plates have been offered to the pagoda. Now, it is necessary to donate 140 more plates. Moreover, it needs 10,000 gold coating weighing one tical each. So far, a total of 7,500 gold coatings have been installed at the pagoda. As such, it is necessary to donate 2,500 more gold coatings. Well-wishers can donate one square gold plate weighing six ticals worth K15 million and one tical gold coating worth K2.5 million to the pagoda.

After hearing the reports, the Senior General left necessary guidance, visited the pagoda and instructed officials to carry out maintenance of the pagoda structure with neat and tidy measures.

Shwedagon Pagoda is a great symbol of Yangon as well as Myanmar. Kings, governments and people have renovated the pagoda in successive eras. Gold plates were donated to the plantain bud of the pagoda in 1899 and to the second circular decorative band in 1936. During the period from 1949 to 1970, gold foils were offered to the pagoda once every three or four years. Moreover, gold foils were also donated to the pagoda once every four or five years from 1980 to 2019. The gold plates damaged by Cyclone Nargis were substituted with new ones. During the 40 years from 1980 to 2019, gold foils were donated once every four or five years. So, the ninth gold foil donation will be held at the whole structure in the 2024-25 financial year. The scaffolding was built at the pagoda starting from 19 September 2024. Gold plates were sent to the pagoda with the use of a decorated float from 18 October. So far, the gold plate and foil donation process has been completed by 80 per cent. A plan is underway to complete the offering of gold foils in the third week of March this year. There remain to donate 140 one-square-foot gold plates weighing six ticals each and 2,500 one-square-foot gold coatings weighing one tical each. Well-wishers can donate K15 million per one-square six-tical gold plate and K2.5 million per one-square one-tical gold coating to the pagoda.

MNA/TTA

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