Photography is all about telling stories. We can find interesting stories everywhere. It’s up to the photographer to creatively frame the scene and present only what is essential for the viewers to see without losing the truth and essence of the story. I’ve been to many places but Myanmar would still be my top recommendation for photographers who’d want to hone their skills in visual storytelling.
From the moment I arrived in Yangon to my last day in Mandalay, I have witnessed a lot of stories waiting to be told. Every scene is like watching a National Geographic documentary in real life. It took me years to finally be satisfied with the post-processing of the photographs. I felt like I can never give justice to how beautiful Myanmar is. That I still can make some improvements. It took quite a number of revisions before I finally decided on how I would want to tell this story. What changed? More than the skills I’ve learned through the years, it’s accepting the fact that an artwork can never reach perfection. An artist would always see flaws in his work. There has to be a point of completion and remind yourself about your objectives.
MAHAGANDAYON MONASTERY
Buddhism in Myanmar
Culture has always been part of my deciding factor on which country to visit. I always get inspired whenever I immerse myself into another country’s culture. It broadens one’s horizon and promotes cultural understanding. Myanmar is a nation whose culture and tradition are upheld very strongly up to this day. It’s an everyday scenario in Myanmar to walk past monks. 90% of the country’s population practice buddhism - one of the world’s oldest and most revered religion. Boys as young as seven years old start training as novice monks. They're expected to enter the monastery for a period of a few weeks or several months. They have a choice to stay or return to his life outside the monastery. It’s an honor to have a monk in a Burmese family. For families below the poverty line, it serves as an opportunity for them to be educated for free and gain access to an honorable position in society.
It’s completely normal for Burmese people to go in and out of the monastery several times in their lives. What makes the monastic system work is equality. There is no social class among monks. They wear identical robes, shaved heads and eats together as a community. This series focuses on the life of the monks inside Mahagandayon Monastery - the largest buddhist monastery in Myanmar.
Inside the Monastery
Founded in 1914, Mahagandayon Monastery is located in Amarapura on the outskirts of Mandalay. The complex is home to over a thousand men from different parts of Myanmar and the world who go there for monastic study and to be ordained as monks.
Daily Ritual
Here’s a glimpse into the daily practices inside Mahagandayon Monastery:
04:30 AM - Pre-dawn beating of a drum called ohn-maun to wake monks and novices. Shortly after, monks leave the compound to go around nearby villages for their alms round.
05:00 AM - Breakfast is served by the local residents. Monks eat in silence and clean up their meals before proceeding to classes and study the teachings of Buddha.
10:30 AM - Monks line up for their last meal of the day. Monks are expected to eat nothing from noon until dawn the next day. Classes resume after washing the dishes until it’s time for them to sleep.
Seeing the monks line up in an orderly row on the road leading to the eating hall was an interesting experience for me. They all bowed down their heads and have rice bowls and cups in hand. You would really see the discipline instilled in each of these monks. I learned a lot just by observing their activities. Everyone was silent, patient for their turn, and seems to be contemplating on everything they hear and see.
3 Types of Monks in the Monastery
I believe we all have a similar image in mind on how a monk looks like - red robes and shaved heads. With this in mind before getting in, I got curious when I saw young monks wearing white robes. I was thinking then that they were part of a different group. I found out that there are actually three types of monks living inside Mahagandayon.
First are the white-robed pre-novices who basically served as helpers in the monastery. They’re not matured enough to be actual novices but rules still apply to them. Rules are more lax for these young monks so you’ll still see them play around and eat in the evening.
Next are temporary novices who are just starting out with their practice of Vinaya - the 227 rules which serves as the code of discipline to be an ordained monk.
The third type are monks from other monasteries who transferred to Mahagandayon to advance their studies. They have to pass an examination conducted by the government to prove that they have mastered some level of Buddha’s teachings.
Ubein Bridge
Just a few steps away from Mahagandayon Monastery is the Ubein Bridge. The 1.2 km long bridge is said to be the world’s longest teak bridge. The Taung Tha Man lake serves as a backdrop for the bridge that offers a stunning view during sunrise and sunset that tourists shouldn’t miss. The bridge might look familiar since it can be seen in a lot of magazines and news articles. I decided to cross the bridge and I can’t help but point my cameras everywhere. Every angle offers a different story. The bridge has so much character which helped me in composing my images. Hundreds of locals and monks cross the bridge everyday.
There are a lot of things we can learn from these monks that we can apply in our lives. I admire them for being able to live their life according to the teachings of Buddha and strictly follow the daily rituals. I’d be lying if I say that I’m not considering experiencing being a monk. I feel that I needed the silence and discipline to move forward. I’m not sure if I’ll survive the lifestyle but I’m curious on know how it can change me as a person. It can definitely change how you see the world. I hope this story inspires everyone. I came to Myanmar wanting to take good photographs but I went home taking with me stories and learnings I can share with everyone else.
Thank you for viewing! Let me know what you think of this series.
