Yangon (Rangoon) originated as a small fishing village known as Dagon. In 1755 King Alaungpaya renamed it Yangon (Rangoon) which means ‘end of strife’ to commemorate his conquest of lower Myanmar and the addition of the region to the Third Myanmar Empire. Before departing for the royal capital in upper Myanmar, he marked Yangon (Rangoon)’s boundaries with a stockade and gates to keep the tigers, elephants and crocodiles at bay. Wells were dug within the compound so the townspeople would have a safe source of clean drinking water.
Two suburbs of present-day Yangon (Rangoon), Pazundaung to the east and Kyeemyindaing to the west, were at that time small villages separated by vast expanses of forest land.
Even as a small village Yangon (Rangoon) was a place of great religious significance for Myanmar as it had long been the site of the Shwedagon Pagoda. which rests on top of Sanguttara Hill.
Legend says that the pagoda was built during the lifetime of Gautama Buddha, after he gave eight of his hairs to two travelling merchant brothers to take back to Myanmar. Upon their return they presented the holy relics to King Okkalapa, who built a pagoda to enshrine them. According to the story, the Sanguttara Hill site was chosen by the spirit guardian of Sule Pagoda, which already existed at the time.
The small pagoda was increased in height to 60 feet in 1372 through the merit of Bannya U, a Mon king who ruled from Bago. Sixty-four years later, his descendents raised the height of the pagoda to 302 feet and covered it with gold.
• During the 16th century the magnificence Shwedagon Pagoda impressed two of the earliest western visitors to set foot in Yangon (Rangoon). An Italian gem trader from Venice named Gasparo Balbi was on his way to Bago when in Yangon (Rangoon) to marvel at the golden spire rising towards the sky. He was followed a month later by Ralph Fitch from England, who wrote that the pagoda “is of a wonderful se, and all gilded from the foot to the top is the fairest place, as I suppose, that is in the world.”
The Colonial Era
Just two years short of a century after Alaungpaya renamed the town in 1755, the colonial British took over the delta region, including Yangon (Rangoon), which they pronounced and spelt as Rangoon. The British turned it into a port city and made it their capital.
The vast area surrounding Shwedagon that had been designated as the pagoda compound by previous kings was taken over the British government as the capital expanded and to the south and southeast, military offices and barracks replaced the monasteries.
Yangon (Rangoon) changed at a rapid pace through. the years of British rule as the swampy land in area was filled in and elegant colonial-style buildings were constructed, The small, octagonal Sule Pagoda, which had once stood far beyond the protective walls built by King Alaungpaya a spur of laterite rock surrounded by marshland became the centre-point of the city from which a network of new streets radiated.
After the British colonized the whole country in 1885, railroads and roadways were construct to supplement transportation along the Ayeyarwaddy River, so that teak and rice from upper Myanmar could be brought down to Yangon (Rangoon) where most of the trading companies were based. The city became the true hub of the country bustling with financial activity and hopeful immigrants.
In the park near Sule Pagoda, the Independence Monument now stands as a beacon of hope for the people of Myanmar as it commemorates the winning of independence in 1948.
Yangon Today
Yangon (Rangoon) is now a modern metropolis set like a green jewel in a country enjoying an increasing number of tourist visits.
One of the first things visitors will notice is that Yangon (Rangoon) possesses the vibrancy typical of many Asian cities but manages to retain an old-world charm and cultural distinction that sets it apart from any other urban area in the world. Tall pagodas share the skyline with colonial-era buildings and modern high-rises. Vendors sell electronics alongside traditional fabrics on tree-lined sidewalks, while cars and buses vie for space in the streets with bicycles and trishaws. Young men play the distinct Southeast Asian game of chinlon outside internet cafés, where other youngsters use the late technology to keep in touch with the rest of the world.
This curious mix is apparent in nearly all aspects of the city. Gleaming hotels offer all the amenities and convenience that contemporary travellers have come to expect, yet the staff pamper guest with traditional hospitality that is becoming increasingly difficult to find in many other parts of the fast-paced world
Shopping options range from malls stocked with western clothing to small market shops selling everything from local jade to hand-woven blankets from the Chin Hills. Dining could be in one of the posh, well-lit restaurants or sidewalk food stalls, or something in between. Aside from Myanmar food, dishes from neighbouring countries (especially India, China and Thailand) feature heavily in Yangon (Rangoon)’s culinary scene, as does international cuisines such as French and Italian.
Entertainment ranges from traditional dance dramas and marionette theatre, to the latest movies made in Myanmar, India and Hollywood. Meanwhile, Yangon (Rangoon)’s musicians supply an urban sound that embraces age-old hsaing waing ensembles, home-grown pop tunes, British and American covers, original hip hop songs and European techno.
And for relaxation at the end of the day? Travelers can choose from traditional massage or computerised fitness equipment at their hotel gym. Those with more time can golf on international-standard courses, or even check into a meditation centre and follow the millennia-old path of the Buddha.
Yangon (Rangoon) today is a city that is looking to the future without abandoning its colourful past. It has been the country’s centre of commerce, where a walk along the waterfront reveals huge cargo vessels carrying goods from faraway countries, alongside local rowboats hauling produce to Yang markets from villages just across the river. In the suburbs, water buffaloes wallow in paddy fields supply the country with rice. often within view of sprawling industrial zones, where clothing, shoes packaged foods are manufactured.
These diverse influences combine to make a visit to Yangon (Rangoon) an experience that is sure to be full of pleasant surprises; an enjoyable adventure that will never be forgotten.