| Bagan
and Its Environments |
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Bagan
The main tourist destination in Myanmar
is Bagan, Capital of the first
Myanmar Empire, one of the richest archaeological sites in South-east
Asia. Situated on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River,
about
300km south of Mandalay, it is reached by a 90 minute flight
from Yangon.
The 42km area of Bagan contains over 2000 edifices, the well
preserved
pagodas and temples representing the rich cultural heritage
of the 11th
–13th century.
Bagan is the most wondrous sight in
Myanmar It can be reached by |
flight,
by ship and car. To talk about the beginning of Bagan-
Not far from the Tuyin hill range, on
the sandy plain called "Yon Htut Kyun" were located 19 villages
which believed to be the
first settlement of Pagan people. The name Bagan derived from
" Pyu-gama" with the meaning of Pyu villages.
According to Myanmar chronicles, Bagan changed its capital four
times.
(a) the first was Pauk-kan by King
Thamudarit,
(b) the second was Thiripyitsaya by
King Theligyaung.
(c) the third was Tampawady by King
Theiktaing
(d) the forth was Arimaddana, which
is Pali name "the city that crushes its enemies" built by
King Pyin bya in A.D 874. It is
now called
Bagan.
Bagan is the capital of the first Myanmar
Empire. It became empire only in the time of Anawrahta (AD, 1044-77).
Under
Anawrahta, Bagan grew into peaceful and prosperous city. In
AD- 1056 Pure Buddhism was also introduced into Bagan with
help of Shin Arahan, a Learned monk from Mon kingdom. As Hteravara
Buddhism had been flourished in Bagan for years,
many monasteries, pagoda and temple were built which can still
be seen today.
Among the monuments of Bagan, Shwezigon,
Ananda, Bupaya, Thabyinnyu, Dhammayangyi etc., are famous pagodas.
The decline of Bagan was in 1287 during
the reign of a Narathihapateic. At that time, Mongo troops of Kublaikhan
invaded
Bagan and the King fled. The invitation of Mongo cause to the
fall of Bagan. So, Bagan empire started in the 11th century and
ended in 13th century. |
Manuha
Paya
Manuha was named after the Mon king
from Thaton, who was held
captive in Bagan by Anawrahta. Legend says that Manuha was allowed
to build this temple in 1059, and that he constricted it to
represent his
displeasure. The exterior and overall floor plan is a rectangular
box topped
by a smaller rectangle. Inside, there are three seated Buddha
facing the
front of the building, and in the back. There is a huge reclining
Buddha. All
seen too large for their enclosure, and their camp and uncomfortable
position are said to represent the stress and lack of comfort
the king had to
endure. That only the reclining Buddha, in the act of entering
parinibbana,
has a smile on its face, showing that for Manuha, only death
was a
release from his suffering. It is said that, just as King Manuha
expressed |
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dissatisfaction with his captivity by building paya. |
Ananda Temple
Built
by King Kyansittha in 1090, the Ananda Temple is the masterpiece
of early style temple architecture. There are four huge
Buddha images in
the standing position at the four faces and a series of
eighty reliefs
depicting the life of Buddha from his birth to his Enlightment.
Ananda is one of the ancient city
of Myanmar. It is finest and most
venerated temple in Bagan. It was built on the model of
Nanda-mula cave of
India, according to tradition. There are four different
meaning of Ananda.
(a)
to represent the wisdom of Buddha
(b)
to represent the name of Buddha's cousin
(c)
the word Ananta later changed into Ananda |
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(d)
the name Nanda-mula changed into Ananda
It was religious and historical significance, and
has graceful architecture.
The temple is rising about 168 high above th ground
level. It has the enclosing wall and four gate ways.
The Ananda temple is the masterpiece of early style
temple architecture. There are four huge Buddha images in the
standing
position at the four faces to represent the Buddha appeared
already in the present world. |
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Thatbyinnyu
Temple
Over
66 meters high: the Thatbyinnyu Temple, built by King Alaungsithu
in the middle of the 12th century, overtops all other
monuments and its
terrace affords visitors a magnificent panorama of the
Bagan Plain.
Thabyinnu Temple is one of the
highest in Bagan, towering above the
other monuments. Its' name was taken from omniscience
of the Buddha.
The world Thabyinnu in Myanmar is omniscience and Futher
explanation is
that knowing throughly and seeing widely.
Being built by king Alaungsithu(111-163)
in the middle period and is a transitional temple with the hight
of 61m. The location is between Ananda,
the early style temple and Gawdawpalin of the late style temple.
It is one of the earliest double-storyed
temple, but the arrangemaent is |
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different
from later double-storyed temple. The three receeding terraces above
each storey arranmented with coner stupas.
Above the terrace of upper storey rises a curvilinear spire,
surmounted by a slim, tapering stupa. In oldendays it was used as
a Library for monks.
It is a good place to enjoy the senic sunset
at Bagan for being the highest. |
Gubyaukgyi
Temple (Wetkyi-in)
A 13th
century temple with a spire resembling the Mahabodhi temple
at
Bodha Gaya in India: the Gubyaukgyi is noted for its wall
paintings,
depicting scenes from the previous lives of Buddha. |
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Htilominlo
Temple
Built
by King Nadaungmya in 1211 : the 50 meter high Htilominlo is
one of
the largest temples of Bagan, and is noted for its fine
plaster carvings.
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Dhammayangyi
Temple
This
massive temple : built by King Narathu in the 12th Century,
displays
the finest brickwork in Bagan.
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Shwezigon
Pagoda
Built
by King Anawrahta, founder of the first Myanmar Empire, and
finished by King Kyansittha in 1084. The Shwezigon was held
in special
reverence of successive kings and become the prototype of later
Myanmar
pagodas.
Shwezigon is one of the famous
pagoda in Bagan. It is situated in the
part of Nyaung U. It was built by King Anawrahta.
But unfortunately the
king died before the pagoda was finished. So, king Kyansitta
carried on
the construction and it was finished in 1090 AD.
During the reign of king Anawrahta
he sent a delegation to Srilanka to |
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request
some relics of Buddha. Accordingly, the king of Srilanka presented
the frontal bone relic of Buddha to Bagan. At the
advice of Shin Arahan, the king built that pagoda in which
the frontal bone relic and tooth replica were kept. It was built of
sand
stone brought from Tu-yin Hill about 7-mile away. The stone
blocks were brought by human-chain passing from one hand to
another.
The pagoda is a solid, cylindrical structure
resting on three square terraces. It is a prototype of later Myanmar
stupas. It has
got a beautiful waist band on the bell shape dome above which
rises series of concentric mounding, finial and topped with an
umbrella.
On each side of the Pagoda, there are
small shrines halls with standing Buddha of the Gupta school of Art.
The Buddhist of
the whole of Myanmar highly venerated the pagoda and the kings
in ancient time used to come to worship it when they
accented the throne.
And the king Bayintnaung, the founder
of the second Myanmar Empire also visited there and donated the bell
in 1557. The
deed of merit was recorded in the inscription that housed on
the eastern side of the pagoda. There are many interesting artistic
and historical objects dedicated to the pagoda. |
Gawdawpalin Temple
This
13th Century temple is like Thatbyinnyu, about 60 meters high
with a
fine view of the Bagan plains. |
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Shwesandaw Pagoda
The
pagoda built by King Anawrahta in early 11th Century, displays
a
strong Mon influence with a steep stairway directly to the terraces
for a
superb view from the upper level. |
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Sulamani
Temple
A temple
built in 1181 by King Nara Patisithu is known fro its murals
dating from 11th - 12th century.
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Buphaya
It
is one of the early pagoda in bagan. It is convenient site of
seeing
the sunset at the bank of majastic
Irrawaddy river. |
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Sapada
stupa
Sapada
is known for its unique architecture, it is a solid stupa closely
resembled to Thuperama stupa in Sri-lanka.
Kyaukku
Umin
It
is one of the popular caves and lied some 2 miles to the east
of Naung-U known as one of the four stone-buildings and for
its excellent stone-carvings.
Nagayon
Temple
The
Nagayon temple has the main-building in square ground-plan with
a projecting hall facing to the north, with 5 stone
windows on the massive walls.
Dhammarajika
stupa
Dhammarajika
has its own peculiarity together with the similarities of earlier
monuments. Interior walls of these 5 lateral
temples are covered with mural paintings and ink-insriptions
of contemporary Bagan period.
Payathonzu
Three
distinct square buildings incorporate a triad temple by means
of narrow lateral passages leading from one building to
another.The Payathonezu temple is much more similar to
the ground-plans of the East Zegu temple and Shwenyaungbingon
temple at Srikshetra Pyu City. The mural paintings are
covered entirely on the walls of eastern-most temple, half on
the central
one. All the paintings are closely resembling to Northern
Idian Style.
Nandamannya
Temple
In
comparison with the small size of the temple, the interior walls
of the temple are completely covered with so impressive
mural paintings. But, most of the paintings of Nandamannya
are obviously representing Theravada Buddhism.
Other attractions in Bagan are Mingala Zedi Pagoda,
Lawkananda Temple, and Bagan Museum.
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Mount Popa
About
67km southeast of Bagan is Mount Popa, an extinct volcano over
1,500 meters high, rising out of the plains. It is famed
as the abode of the
Mahagiri Nats or spirit gods to whom the Kings of Bagan
paid annual
homage and their shrines can be seen at a near by rocky
crag. The Mount
Popa area has also been designated as a National
Park, a perfect place
for ecotourism,
Natural Springs, stone-bulls,butterflies
and birds chould be enjoyed.
Mt.Popa park, the forest of harbal medicines, sandal-wood
are
knowledgeable together with leisure activities of golfing,
swmming, horse-
riding and trekking. |
Meikhtila
Meikhtila
is the town where the Bagan- Taunggyi and Yangon-Mandalay train
lines intersect. It’s an important and
prosperous trade center. Meikhtila, 15km drive from Pyinmana.
Meikhtila Lake, which is situated in the Center
of the town, is
famous. It provides peaceful atmosphere and fresh air.
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Sale (Sa-lay)
It
is a small town about 15km south of Bagan, down the
Ayeyarwaddy River. U Pone Nya Museum,
formerly the Yoke Sone
Monstery, exhibits antique lacquerwares, wooden
reliefs and a large
standing gilded Buddha image. The figures carved outside
the front of
the building are worth seeing. An other place worth visiting
is Tha-ta-
na Kyaung (Keythar Monestery) where Tipitaka
texts are housed in a Large red lacquered cabinet. |
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