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 Bagan
became the Burmese capital back in the 11th Century
when King Anawrahta was on the throne. The city
grew in power and prestige for over 200 years,
and temples and pagodas were built in great numbers,
a measure of the wealth of the Burmese kings and
the merit sought from Lord Buddha. The stonework
was remarkable in its quality and gold was richly
used in the decorations.
At the end of the 13th century, the Mongols overthrew
the Burmese Kingdom, but there is no sign that
they sacked Bagan for the temples remain largely
intact, but from that date the city fell into
decline and was never again the seat of royalty.
In more recent times the temples have been protected
and renovation work has been carried out, work
that was hindered by the earthquake of 1975.
There is such a wealth of splendour to be seen,
with literally hundreds of temples that could
be visited, that the average tourist would never
be able to take them all in, and a strict itinerary
visiting only the finest is recommended. These
must include the beautiful white Ananda temple
and the adjacent Ananda Ok Kyaung monastery, one
of the few surviving monasteries from the early
Bagan era, with incredible murals and frescoes
in vibrant colours.
Another must-see is the massive block-shaped Thatbyinnyu,
one of the tallest of all Bagan's structures which
was popular with tourists as a sunset-viewing
spot, because of easy access to the upper terraces,
until the authorities banned the practice to protect
the temple from damage. The Gawdawpalin temple,
close to the river bank, is another of the largest
and most imposing in Bagan. The so-called corncob
spire has been restored since it fell during the
1975 earthquake and with the river and the distant
hills in the background it is most photogenic.
 The
Shwezigon pagoda is considered by many to be the
most beautiful of the Bagan temples and has been
in constant use since its construction in the
early 12th century. The gilded bell-shaped chedi
soars over the plains and is a famous landmark.
As though Bagan itself is not enough the neighbouring
areas Myinkaba and Minnanthu are rich in ancient
temples.
There are direct flights by Air Mandalay from
both Yangon and Mandalay and plentiful accommodation
to fit a wide range of budgets. Plenty of air-conditioned
transport, to beat the dry heat of central Burma,
is available, but for traditionalists, get around
by pony and trap. Visit now before the tourist
hordes start to appear - as they undoubtedly will
in time for this part of the world has a lot to
offer.
Destinations
Abeyadana Temple This Temple
is situated south of Myinkaba village and was
built in the early 11th century AD. Its frescoes
on the inner wall depict Mahayana, Theravada Buddhist
and Brahmanic episodes. Under the UNDP/UNESCO
project the frescoes have been cleaned up and
scientifically preserved.
Ananda Temple
This 11th century temple features numerous, golden
Stupas and is one of the finest, largest and best
preserved of the Bagan temples. The Ananda suffered
considerable damage in the earthquake of 1975
and in 1979 reconstruction took place. Built in
1091 by Kyanzittha, the temple is said to represent
the endless wisdom of the Buddha.
Ayerarwady River
Perhaps the most pleasurable way to see Myanmar,
is to travel the Ayeyarwady River. While enjoying
the river's tranquillity, life on the riverbank
offers endless fascination. From small teak and
bamboo dwellings, to the ox carts cultivating
fields and magnificent temples, the river cruise
gives a unique insight into the way of life in
Myanmar.
Gawdawpalin
soars over 50m high with resplendent spires. There
are small temples with rich schemes of wall painting
and others with outstanding cycles of sculpture.
The major concentration of monuments is around
the original city, on the bend of the river. It
is a temple from the later period of the Bagan
realm and although it was severely damaged during
the earthquake of 1975, it has been restored again.
Shwezigon Paya
This is the most important pagoda of Bagan. According
to lore several relics of the Buddha are conserved
inside it: a tooth and a number of bones. Therefore
the Shwezigon pagoda is primarily not an archaeological
site, but a temple serving religious purposes
... one of the most important pilgrim destinations
in Myanmar. The construction of the Shwezigon
pagoda was started in the 11th century during
the reign of King Anawratha, but was completed
only during the reign of his son, King Kyanzittha. |
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