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Kakku Pagodas. Photo by Garonzi Stefania.

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Kakku Pagodas

Kakku Pagodas is a group of pagodas and temples numbering in the thousands constructed over 2000 years for the worship of Buddhism religion in Myanmar.

Featuring a cluster of fantastic ancient monuments, the Kakku Pagoda complex is located in Taunggyi district in the heart of Shan State in Myanmar.

 Kakku Pagodas is a popular tourist attraction site as many tourists visit to marvel at these ancient temples and Buddist Pagodas which date back about 2000 years ago.

The Kakku Pagodas were established by Pa-O people who live in the Thaton area in southern Shan State. The entire region of Kakku where the pagodas and the temples are located is occupied by Pa-O villages and boasts of a beautiful natural landscape.

The top 10 amazing facts about Kakku Pagodas include the following.

1. The Kakku Pagodas Are Located in A Remote Location

Garlic Field. Photo by LBM1948.

Located in the hills overlooking the valley South East of Inle Lake, the Kakku Pagodas which is essentially a pagoda complex is located in a remote location in Shan State.

The pagoda complex which is located in Pa-O territory was recently opened to visitors.  It takes effort to get to the complex as its located in an isolated location.

Visitors have to drive over small winding roads sandwiched between Pa-O villages, fields of onions and garlic and houses of bamboo and wood to get to the complex.

2. The Kakku Pagoda Complex Is Made Up of Thousands of Pagodas

Main Stupa. Photo by LBM1948.

The pagoda complex consists of thousands of pagodas most of similar shape and size. Closely put together in a square field, the pagodas are found in long rows within the complex.

A main stupa standing at 40 meters high is located at the center of the complex.  The main stupa is surrounded by smaller pagodas which are mostly well preserved.

However, a few of them lie in ruins while some have bushes and trees growing in them

3. The Pagodas Portray Ancient Architectural Mastery

Kakku Pagodas. Photo by LBM1948.

 A top element shaped like an ornamental umbrella can be seen on most of the pagodas.

The pagodas are made of brick and are plastered with stucco, most of which has crumbled off with the passage of time.

Many of the pagodas are adorned with sculptures curved in stucco which are well preserved.

The original colors of the pagodas can still be seen on some of them today.  Images of the Buddha are still enshrined in a number of the pagodas.

4. The Pagodas May Have Been Constructed Over 2000 Years Ago

The pagodas do not seem to have been constructed at the same time. While some pagodas date to the 18^th century, there are still others which date to the 17^th century.

Some of the Kakku pagodas may still date as far back as the 3^rd century as the Indian emperor Ashoka built a lot of pagodas and monasteries in South East Asia during his reign.

5. King Alaungsithu Built the Largest Kakku Pagoda

Statue of King Alaungsithu. Photo by Kantabon.

Alaungsithu, a King of the Bagan empire in the 12^th century is believed to have built the largest Kakku pagoda.

Alaungsithu was a devout Buddhist who travelled throughout his kingdom extensively. In order to spread Buddhism, he built pagodas and Buddhist monuments across his empire.

It is believed that Buddhist devotees added many more pagodas during the course of the centuries that followed.

6. Kakku Pagoda Festival Is Held Each Year

The Kakku Pagoda festival is held during Tabaung which is the 12^th month of the traditional Burmese calendar. This corresponds to March of every year on the regular calendar.

The festival marks the end of the cool season in the region. The Pa-O people adorn traditional costumes and pay homage to the pagodas by bringing food offerings.

The festival takes place within 9 days and is marked by traditional dancing and eating of local food. During the festival numerous people visit Kakku Pagodas to pay homage from all over Myanmar and beyond.

7. Tourists Can Trek to The Kakku Pagodas Site

Located in the hills South East of Inle Lake, the Kakku Pagodas complex is a 60-kilometer drive from Taunggyi town. It takes between one and half to two hours to drive to the site.

Depending on the starting point, visitors can trek for five to seven hours along a scenic but very challenging trekking trail to the Kakku Pagoda complex.

There are wooden bungalows near the site where visitors can spend the night. visitors can enjoy Burmese food in a restaurant located next to the complex.

8. Visitors Can Take A Horse Ride in The Complex

Visitors can tour the facility on the safety and comfort of a horse. All horses available for hire are well trained and of good behavior and are provided by Nampan Horse riding club.

 Each visiting horse rider is provided with a high-quality saddle and other facilities which are aimed at enhancing comfort of the rider within the complex. A groom is also provided to escort each rider to ensure the experience is enjoyable.

9. Some Pagodas Have Suffered from Extreme Weather and Earthquakes

Even though the Kakku Pagoda Complex is still a site of religious devotion by the Pa-O people, the second largest ethnic group in Shan State, the pagodas have suffered from extreme weather and earthquakes.

The pagodas are said to have been much more than the current number. A large number of the original pagodas were destroyed by extreme weather and earthquakes that have hit the region in the past. The unkept pagodas have bushes and trees growing in them.  

10. The Kakku Pagodas Seem to Be Part of Fantasy-themed Amusement Park

The Kakku pagodas may seem to be part of a themed amusement park from a distance.  The complex containing thousands of mostly 10-foot-high pagodas appear mesmerizing to visitors. Visitors feel like they have visited another world when walking among rows upon rows of the stupas.

While some pagodas have fallen into ruin, a few have been restored while some are well preserved from time long past.  The pagodas are actually Buddhist religious shrines which stick up to the sky. 

The massive amount of details in the individual pagoda structures is simply astonishing to visitors walking through the maze of stupas in the Kakku pagoda complex.  Created in pink, orange and brown stone the stupas are a spectacle to behold to tourists.

The Kakku pagoda complex is an attractive tourist destination for those looking for a perfect tourism vacation. 

Breath taking photographs can be taken in the complex and as such visitors are encouraged to carry cameras to take memorable pictures of the complex.