One of the hills that surround Mandalay is Yan Kin Hill. Situated in Patheingyi Township of Mandalay District it lies about four miles to the east of Mandalay-PyinOoLwin motor road. With Ye-Tagun Taung hill, Mya Kha Mauk Taung Hill and Labogyi Taung Hill of Shan Mountains as its background Yan Kin Hill is dotted with religious monuments of different types and sizes belonging to different periods of Myanmar history. From the platform of Mya Nan San Kyaw Palace you can see this hill straight to the east.

Stretching from north to south 6606 feet and 706 feet high Yan Kin Hill is neighboured by Aung Pinlei Lake and Nanda Lake and Min Kan Lake dammed for water storage by Myanmar kings in days of yore. To the east is Seidaw Gyi water supply projects, to the north is Patheingyi Town, and Yey Htwet Chaung Win villages, to the south are Yan Kin Taung village, Lein Pin village, to the west are Ponna Kone, Mik Kone, Myo Tha Kone, and Kyi Kone with clusters of toddy palms around them. Apart from paddy and other seasonal crops, the villagers grow in their backyard gardens, eugenia (thabye), Thanatkha, Jasmine, Zun, Myatlay, Zizawa, Land lily, crysinthynum, and roses for their supplementary income.

Two names of this hill “Nga Yant Min Taung” (banded snake head fish king Hill) and “Yan Kin Taung (Danger free Hill) originated in its legend which is associated with the birth stories of Gotama Buddha. In one of his previous existences Gotama Buddha was the Nga Yant fish king and his opponent Devadat was a fisherman. Besides there were Enapatta Naga serpents trying to catch Nga Yant Min fish. But Nga Yant Min Fish managed to escape from these enemies. During the long journey for escape, Nga Yant Min fish passed through from stations on four hills such as Nga Hmun Taung in Madaya Township where the fisherman with his knife made a number of inscions on the body of Nga Yant Min Fish, Hsin Khar Taung in Patheingyi Township where Nga Yan Min Fish shook its body to get rid of salt smeared on its body, Hman Pyay Taung (today Mandalay Hill) to where Nga Yant Min Fish ran amock, and Nga Pone Taung near Yay Htwet Chaung Win village where Nga Yant Min Fish hid itself. Finally Nga Yant Min Fish arrived on the Yan Kin Hill where it found the safest place which was a spring pool inside a deep cave on that hill. Because that hill is well-protected from all dangers it came to be called Yan Khin Hill (Abhaya Giri or No danger hill). So Nga Yant Min Taung means where Nga Yant Fish King lived and Yan Kin Taung means No danger hill and the two names are related in the legend. Yan Kin Hill has been mentioned in Myanmar history since Bagan period. Prince Min Shin Saw, the elder son of King Alaungsithu came to the Mandalay area and founded a town of Htun Tone Pu Tet (Now called Bo tet Kone). It was he who did many development works there by damming two big reservoirs Aung Pin Lei and Nanda Kan to contain rain water from Shan mountains and supply water for consumption and cultivation through many dug canals, by reclaiming many acres of land for agriculture and founding many villages for the settlement of followers who grow paddy and other crops in the well watered fertile fields and fruits and vegetables in farms and gardens.

The entire area produced triple crops and enjoying economic prosperity. But there were times when rain was spruce and drought visited drying up all bodies of water. Prince Min Shin Saw consulted astrologers and Sayadaw Monks. They advised him that rain calling rite be performed by propitiating Nga Yant Min Fish, pouring water on its statues reciting Nga Yant Min paritta; keeping Sabbath and doing religious deeds. The Prince, his men and the public carried out accordingly. Down came rain torrentially.

But as the rain calling rite was continued, rain did not stop resulting in flood, submerging fields and villages causing malaria and other water related diseases. Sayadaw Monks advised to stop the constant performance of rain-calling rite and to enshrine the Nga Yant Min Fish Statue at an auspicious place. The Prince put the statue on the back of his elephant named Toke Khe and he made a wish “May my royal mount kneel down at the right place where the fish statue should be housed. The elephant roamed about making short stops around and on the Yan Kin Hill. Later religious monuments were built at these steps to commemorate. Finally it went down the big cave and squated at the sparing pool right inside the cave. The Nga Yant Min statue was placed in the pool and a big propitiation ceremony was held to consecrate it. We can still see this marble fish statue in the pond. This rite of rain-calling by pouring water on the fish statue in the pond and reciting Nga Yant Min Parittas is held when there is scarcity of rain or drought by the people of Mandalay Division and they believe it does work.

Prince Min Shin Saw built a commemorative pagoda named Nga Yant Min Zedi on the hill in about AD 1153. Besides the marble statue of Min Shin Saw’s time. There are two additions made by hermit U Khanti in AD 1918 lying side by side in the pool. An old standing Buddha Image of Bagan period style about 12 cubits high in the gesture of loving compassion (Maha Karuna mudra) on this hall was also built by the Prince.

The remaining religious monuments that dot the hill were built by kings and queens of Konbaung dynasty. Prominent are (1) Setkya Man Aung Zedi (Kyo Kya Min Phaya) built by King Bodawpaya in AD 1782. (2) Ein Thaya Sutaung Pyi Zedi (Hin Tha Min Phaya) was built by Thayawaddy Min in AD 1837. (3) Lwan Zedi on the middle summit was built by king Mindon in even loving memory of his chief queen Satkya Devi. It can be easily discerned from the Mandalay Palace. (4) Pan Paung sitting Buddha image donated by Hsin Hpyu Ma Shin, King Mindon’s queen of the middle palace in Sagaing monastery at the foot of Yan Kin Hill. (5) Kyet Min Zedi on the hill built by Hermit U Khanti, (6) Zina Man Aung (Kho Min Phaya) venerated by successive kings, (7) Wa Ko Lone Zedi on the hill built by a holyman, (7) A cabalistic square with letters and numbers inscribed on a stone slab given to Hermit U Khanti by Ramon Monk Sayadaw, (8) A big standing Buddha Image of bridge and cement in gesture of divine prediction with his right hand and forefinger pointing to the Mandalay Palace. There are many other religious buildings — monasteries, nunneries, meditation centres, rest houses at and around the hill.
Geologists opine that Yan Kin Hill was once under the sea as marine fossils and ferns there prove. There are nine natural caves on the hill (1) the Nga Yant Min Cave is the largest —about 300 feet long and 40 feet wide and 100 feet high. Inside it is the natural spring pool, the shrine of the Fish Statue, (2) & (3) Twin Nyee Naung caves (4) Aung Buddhga Cave (5) Nat Naga Cave (6) Dhamma Theikdi Cave (7) Wingaba Cave (8) Gu Thit Cave and (9) Hpa Gu.
A variety of flora at all seasons provide flowers, fruits, herbal medicine for the villagers. The hill has been a sacred refuge for monks, nuns and holymen, a retreat for the pilgrims. Within the last two decades many development have been carried out there — a good motor road around and up the hill has been built and commuting bus ferry between Mandalay and the hill is in daily service. Agriculture college, Technological University, cooperative college, high schools have been established around the hill, without spoiling the natural environment. These modern teaching and training institutes are hidden behind the green screens of foliage. Up on the hill turning around you get a breath-taking panoramic view — the blue Shan hills in the distance, wide stretches of green fields and farms punctuated with hills such as Taung Pulu, Shin Thu Nge Taung, Htidaw Moe Taung, Mei U Taung, Ko Yin Maung Taung, Ein Shey Min Toddy palm grove and clusters of villagers. Though Mandalay hill is widely known and much visited because it is easily seen when you are in Mandalay, Yan Kin Hill seems to be far out of the sight of visitors. It lies straight to the east of Mandalay Palace, easily accessible. Your visit to it many prove very rewarding.