MON
Mon is a state in Myanmar which covers a narrow strip of land located between Kayin state to the east and the Andaman Sea to the west. The first recorded kingdom of Mon is attributed to Dvaravati which prospered around 1024 AD till their capital was sacked by the Khmer Empire. The region was conquered by the British in 1824 after the first Anglo-Burmese War. The Mon people helped the British in the war, in return for promises of their own leadership once Burma is defeated. Thousands of Mons had migrated to Siam earlier but returned to their homeland during the British rule. However, the promise was never fulfilled and Mon existed as a colony of the British. Mon has a tropical climate since it is located close to the sea. Currently, Mon has about 8 notable cities and two islands. It is home to the Mon people who are the ethnic group of the state. They are one of the earliest people to reside in Southeast Asia. They speak the earliest people to live in southeast Asia.
Origin
Lineage - Mon, Bamar, Anglo-Burmese, Chin, Kachin, Kayin, Rakhine, Shan, Burmese-Thai. Language spoken - Mon, Kayin, Bamar. Religion followed - Buddhism, Christianity
Geography
Climate - Tropical climate. Region borders - Kayin State , Andaman Sea, Bago Region Tanintharyi Region and Thailand. Region size - 12,296.6 sq km/ 4,747.7 sqmi
Interesting facts
State capital - Mawlamying. Home to the Mon People. 2.05 million population (2014)
Mon State houses some of the most notable pagodas of Myanmar. The Golden Rock pagoda Kyaik Htee Yoe is located here. It is a pagoda built on a huge rock, precariously balanced over another rock. The rock is located on top of Mt. Kyaik Htee Yoe which presents a charming view of the landscape. The largest reclining Buddha of the world is located at the Win Sein Taw Ya Pagoda in Mon State. this 30 meters high and 180-metre long pagoda attracts thousands of tourists across the world every year. It is located right opposite Kyauktalong Taung, a flat rock formation with a Buddhist shrine on top. Kyaik Paw Law Pagoda is another notable pagoda of the Mon State, famous for the living mole on the face of the Buddha image. Shwe Sar Yan pagoda is also an acclaimed pagoda believed to have eight hair strands of Kakusana Buddha and four tooth relics of Gautama Buddha. Kyaik Than Lan Pagoda is another important pagoda which holds Tripitaka manuscripts and gold images of Buddha.
Mawlamyine, the erstwhile capital of the British Empire, is the capital of Mon State and is the third largest city of Myanmar. The city has been featured in several famous pieces of literature, especially British literature. The town offers an eclectic mix of colonial architecture and Buddhism, the evidence of which can be seen in various parts of the town. The town’s landmark is Kyaik Than Lan Pagoda which was built in 875 A.D. A notable place to visit is Kyaik Ka Mi, a small coastal resort, well-known for Kyaik Ka Mi Yele Pagoda, a metal-roofed Buddha shrine complex perched over the sea and Kyaik Ma Yaw Pagoda, a temple of serene, white-faced Buddha, built by Queen Shin Saw Pu in 1455. Another notable place to visit is Thaton, also known as Suvannabhumi. It bears an important place in Myanmar’s history as it is one of the places where Theravada Buddhism was established some 2500 years ago. Other interesting places in Mawlamyine include Bilu Kyun, Setse beach and Sein Yin Hmyaw Pagoda.
Being located in the southern region, with a significant coastal region overlooking the Bay of Bengal, Mon State is home to quite a few pretty beaches and some beautiful islands. The coastal town of Kyaik Ka Mi with the Kyaik Ka Mi Yele Pagoda is a noteworthy place to visit. A pretty beach lying 24 kilometres south of Kyak Ka Mi town is Setse beach. It is a wide beach with brown sand lined with waving casuarinas trees. Tourists can enjoy a quiet time here enjoying nature while sipping on fresh coconut juice sold by local vendors. An island located quite close to Mawlamyine is Bilu island, locally called Ogre Island. This curiously named island has several stories which relate back to Ogres. Tourists can have a fun time collecting these stories from locals, who are warm and hospitable. The island offers a wide variety of experiences to tourists. Another island worth visiting is the beautiful island of Gaungsay Kyun located to the north west of Mawlamyaing. Considered as a good picnic spot, tourists can enjoy a fun day here.
