The Fascination of Faith – Yangon: The Shwedagon Pagoda
Episode 2 of 5 of the series The Fascination of Faith: Places of Worship Around the World
Germany | 2006 | Documentary | 45 min | DVCPro50 4:3
The world of religions with their secrets small and large offers much to explore. Faith has many faces and leads to different ways of life. In the series The Fascination of Faith, we get to know the exciting worlds of the five major religions and meet people who live according to their systems of rules and values. We see grand temples and magnificent churches –houses of worship. We accompany people attending ceremonies, trying their utmost to lead their lives in obedience to the will of their Gods.
Gold and glittering, it attracts pilgrims from all over the world: the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, is the heart of Buddhism. Its cupola is one of the most important Buddhist sacred buildings in the world, covered with more than 13,000 golden plates, topped with rubies, sapphires and a 76-carat diamond. Before we enter the pagoda, we have to pass the guard lions, the “Chinthe”, which protect the entrances from evil. Inside, monks hold ceremonies and recite sutras. Due to its social and moral functions, the community of monks, the “Sangha”, still has a great importance for the people of Myanmar. Many parents give their children into the monks’. We accompany a family at the big novice ceremony, where their son is initiated into the monk community and gets his hair sheared. The belief in ghosts is also important for the Burmese people. They throw raucous parties for these so-called „Nats“, with much dancing and alcohol in order to receive their messages. The documentary provides an insight into the great importance of Buddhism in the everyday life of people in Myanmar.
Initiative: Marita Neher
Director: Marita Neher
Commissioning editor: Linde Dehner (ZDF/arte)
Producer: Andrea Ufer
Channel: ZDF/arte
– Episode 1 – Casablanca: The Mosque of Hassan II
– Episode 2 – Yangon: The Shwedagon Pagoda
– Episode 3 – Budapest: The Dohány Synagogue
– Episode 4 – Madurai: The Meenakshi Temple
– Episode 5 – Milan – The Cathedral of Santa Maria Nascente
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