Legend
The legend associated with the pagoda is that the Buddha, on one of his many visits, gave a strand of his hair to Taik Tha, a hermit. The Hermit, who had tucked it in the tuft of his hair safely, in turn gave the strand to the King, with the wish that the hair be enshrined in a boulder shaped like the hermit's head. The King, had inherited super natural powers from his father who was well known as Zawgyi (a proficient alchemist) and the mother was a naga (serpent dragon) princess. They had found the rock at the bottom of the sea. With the help of the Thagyamin, the king of Tawadeintha Heaven in Buddhist cosmology, found the perfect place at Kyaiktiyo for locating the golden rock and build a pagoda, where the strand was enshrined. It is this strand of hair that, according to the legend, prevents the rock from tumbling down the hill. The boat, which was used to transport the rock, turned into a stone. This also is now worshipped by pilgrims at a location about 300 metres (980 ft) from the golden rock. It is known as the Kyaukthanban Pagoda or stupa (literal meaning: stone boat stupa).
Legend also mentions that pilgrims undertaking the pilgrimage by trekking from the Kinpun base camp, three times consecutively in a year will be blessed with wealth and recognition.
Read more about this topic: Kyaiktiyo Pagoda
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