Visit to "The Global Pagoda", Mumbai

Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Attractions: Monuments

Visiting time: 9am to 7pm

Best time to visit: Anytime

The Global Pagoda:

It was saturday noon 31^st June 2014, when I with my wife decided to go out, to some place not far from our home (Mira road). The place that came to my mind was Pagoda. The only bright structure, shining and standing tall in the dark bushes between Dahisar and Mira road railway station. It is visible on the west side while traveling by train between Mira road and Dahisar. It can be seen from railway crossing bridge at Mira road station.

Route:
From Bhayander: by bus (number-4), auto or own vehicle. 
From Borivali: reach Gorai and from Gorai take ferry.

We took train to Borivali from Mira road, from Borivali took an auto to Gorai. From Gorai there were common ferries going to Pagoda & Esselworld at every 15-20 minutes. Fare for ferry ride was 50Rs. per head for return journey.

It was a beautiful day with blue sky and dispersed clouds. 

Borivali-Gorai line seen from boat

Ferry returning from Pagoda

10 minutes ferry ride was really pleasant, enjoyed the beautiful view of creek, clouds and golden pagoda shining bright on the other end.

There was a common path to Pagoda and Esselworld entrance after we got down from the ferry. At the junction there were sign boards which guided us towards Pagoda.

Path going to Pagoda

The golden giant was getting bigger and brighter. And with each step towards it my curiosity was continuously rising up. After walking for 5-10 minutes, finally we reached the main entrance.

Main entrance - Myanmar Vipassana Gate

The grand entrance was a real piece of art, It looked as if a big piece of gold was carved to make this pyramidal structure and two huge lions were appointed to protect it. Right in the middle there was a wheel like design which was similar to “Ashok chakra (wheel)” seen in our Indian national flag. The name of entrance “Myanmar Vipassana Gate” related that piece of art to Myanmar (Burma). The symbol similar to the one on Indian flag and name of entrance relating to Myanmar added more to my curiosity.

I was then just few steps away from that mysterious golden tower. The bright tower looked amazing with the blue sky in the background and white clouds adding contrast to the overall view. 

Once we reached up, It looked that this giant structure was supported by big pillars along the entire circular edge. We kept walking along the perimeter, there were nice frames fixed on the walls having wise messages written on them. I read most of them while walking along. I was looking for a door to enter that massive structure to end my curiosity.

The wheel of Dhamma at the top of the dome

We reached the door from where we were allowed to enter inside this structure. Once entered, we were behind the glass wall through which we could see the massive dome up with the wheel design right in the middle. All the doors were closed so it was bit dark inside. There were few people there but not everybody was allowed without special permission.

Until that point I was under the impression that this place was significant because of its architecture. But I was shocked when I read the sign board which said “Lord Budhha’s corporeal relics are enshrined above the wheel of Dhamma on top of the first dome”. Yes, you got it right. The bone relics of the great Gautam Budhha were there at the top of this dome right above that wheel -“The wheel of Dhamma”, and yes that was the wheel that I could find in most of the structures and designs around.

After reading about the Budhha’s relics, I was more curious about that place. I asked for guide and they said that in some time there will be a common guide who will brief about this place. After waiting for some 10 minutes, there came a guide, who explained the significance of this place and talked about many facts related to this place. 

The global pagoda is an effort to preach and preserve the lost teachings of Budhha. Since last many centuries the teachings of Budhha are followed and practiced in neighbor country Myanmar, so as an expression of gratitude, this structure was constructed to replicate “The Shwedagon Pagdoda of Myanmar”.

Main door to enter the dome

Carvings on the door

The pagoda is constructed using red stone and lime stone to make it last for centuries. It’s world’s biggest dome without any supporting pillars. It is constructed using stones which are interlocked to each other. There is a 3 feet tall crystal kept at the top of canopy which shines by sunlight during daytime and by light via optic fiber during nighttime. There are eight entry points, each of which has wooden doors with beautiful carvings on them. 

Main Pagoda

      Some digits related to Pagoda:

• Total height of Pagoda: 325 feet (99 m)
• Height of the pillar-less main dome: 90 feet (27.5 m)
• Diameter of the pillar-less main dome: 280 feet (85 m) 
• Seating capacity: 8000 persons 
• Stone used: 2.5 million tonnes of Jodhpur red sandstone 
• Cost of construction: 135 crores INR (about 30 million USD) 
• Time spent: 90 million man hours

 

The South Pagoda

The North Pagoda

Pagoda serves as a meditation center, that dome is a place where people gather to do meditation. Pagoda offers a course to teach Vipassana, which involves teaching meditation based on the teachings of Budhha. It’s a free course for which you have to stay there for ten days. For registered candidates there are no fees for accommodation & food for ten days. On every sunday people gather in this hall to practice meditation. 

Apart from the main Pagoda, there were two more small pagodas with height of 60 feet (18 m). The one in north was a prototype built to test the principles of construction on which the main pagoda was constructed. The one in south is used by meditators during their course of vipassana.

The Vipassana Centre

There was a small garden with a pond having beautiful lotus flowers.

There were some wonderful Burmese architectural art pieces constructed in the premises.

The Burmese architecture

The replica of Ashoka pillar

In the nearby garden there was a replica of the famous Ashoka pillar. The four lions on pillar (India’s national emblem), depicts how Budhha’s teaching of Dhammas reaches out in all four directions of the world. The wheel in Ashoka emblem, and in the heart of Indian national flag, depicts the wheel of Dhamma rotating to liberate suffering beings from the wheel of misery.

Very recently they have planted a sapling of a historical tree known as a “Bodhi tree”. Bodhi tree was the one under which the great Gautama had attained enlightenment.

The bell donated by Myanmar

After spending some 2 hours around Pagoda we decided to get down. Down stair there was an auditorium showing the short film about history of Pagoda (some 15-20 minutes), there was an art gallery which had 122 pictures related to Budhha’s life, each with audio explanation.

The gong donated by Myanmar

As an expression of gratitude towards Pagoda, Myanmar has made good contribution. The bright golden paint that we saw on almost all the constructions, the beautifully carved wooden doors, the flooring of pagoda, the huge idol of lord Budhha, the big gong and bell near the entrance are remarkable contributions by Myanmar. 

The Budhha statue donated by Myanmar

waiting point for the ferry

We finished all the places and then had some snacks and tea at café.

Finally by 7pm we decided to make a move and headed back towards the ferry pickup point. 

I absolutely recommend this place to all the people who want some peaceful time without really going far away from the busy city.

 

The last view of Pagoda before getting in to the ferry

           “Twenty five centuries ago in India, a young man set out to investigate the basic truths of existence. That time and place seem infinitely far away from us today. But despite all the differences, we face the same questions to which he sought answers: 
What is the right way to live? 
Why is there suffering in the world? 
How can we find real understanding?
How can we find real happiness? “

Mentioned above are the first few introductory lines about Vipassana course. It sounds appealing to me.

If time permits, I will definitely get ten days out to learn Vipassana.


 More pictures on Facebook and Panoramio