Bo Bo Gyi traditionally refers to the name of a guardian spirit (called nat) unique to each Burmese Buddhist temple or pagoda. Bo Bo Gyi is typically depicted as a nearly life-sized elderly man, dressed in a curved cap and sometimes carrying a cane, to signify old age. Offerings of scarves and paso are common by worshipers. There are many Bo Bo Gyi shrines throughout the country, and some are more widely respected than others. The Shwenyaungbin (Golden Banyan Tree) Bo Bo Gyi shrine between Yangon and Bago is often visited by new car owners hoping have their cars blessed by the Bo Bo Gyi spirit at that site. The Botataung Pagoda (Burmese: Botahtaung; literally 1000 military officers) is a famous pagoda located in downtown Yangon, Myanmar, near the Yangon river. The pagoda was first built by the Mon around the same time as was Shwedagon Pagodaââ¬âaccording to local belief, over 2500 years ago, and was known as Kyaik-de-att in Mon language. The pagoda is hollow within, and houses what is believed to be a sacred hair of Gautama Buddha.
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