Sagaing
Sagaing
 Sagaing
is famous for Buddhism in Myanmar. It is the capital of Sagaing Division and has
numerous meditation centres on the hill. Once an ancient capital, Sagaing lies
21 km a little south of Mandalay, beside the Ayeyarwaddy River. The Sagaing
Hills are dotted with Pagodas and there are over 500 monasteries, a retreat for
some 6000 monks and nuns. Monywa, Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda, Kaung Hmudaw Pagoda
and Ywahtaung Village are places worth visiting. Near Sagaing is a village named
Ywahtaung which is the center of silversmith craftsmen. They are well-known for
their engraving of beautiful figures and scenes and for their silversmith
skills. Sagiang with its hills and pagodas is well-worth visiting to see both
the beauty of nature and human religious endeavors.
Sagaing Hills
 Once
you cross the Inwa Bridge, you see the hilltops, each crested with a
pagoda, the banners proclaiming the Buddha's teaching, the refuge from
all ills and tribulations where over 600 monasteries for monks and nuns
are located for Buddhistic studies and meditation. The
 Padamyazedi
dates from 1300 while the U min Thonze or thirty caves pagoda has many
Buddha images in a crescent shaped colonnade. Mural paintings can be
seen in the Tilawkaguru cave temple, which was built around 1672. At
the nearby village of Ywahtaung you can see silver workers producing
bowls and other silver items by traditional methods. The most
impressive Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda nearby was constructed in 1312.
The view of Sagaing from Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin and its approach is
marvellous.
^^
Top
Kaung Hmutaw Pagoda
 This
huge pagoda is 10 km beyond the town of Sagaing. The enormous dome
rises 46 m (151 feet) in the shape of a perfect hemisphere and was
modelled after the Mahaceti Pagoda in Ceylon. Also known as Rajamani
sula, the pagoda was built to commemorate Inwa's establishment as the
royal capital of Myanmar. Around the base of the pagoda are stone
pillars, each of which is 1.5 m high. The details of the pagoda's
construction are recorded on them.
Soon Oo Ponya Shin Pagoda
 It lies atop Nga-pha Hill, one of the 37 hilltops of Sagaing Hills.
The hill resembles a frog and hence Nga-Pha Hill. It was built in 674
by sage U Ponnya of Pintaya Tazeeshine Thinhathu. It enshrined Buddha
relics revered by successive kings. Since its construction, it is known
to have the earliest 'soon" offered by celestial beings before any by
human beings. It is also the first pagoda offered "soon" on the
full-moon day of every year of al hilltop ones. It is reputed to grant
14 wishes such as being free of killing by others, getting promotions,
and having an insight into things and event.
Mingun
 Mingun
is a village on the western bank of the river Ayeyawaddy, approximately
7 miles north of Mandalay. It is reached by ferryboats across the river
and takes 1 hour for up-river and 40 minutes for down-river. It is
famous for many Buddhist shrines, monasteries, meditation centre and
monuments of historical and cultural importance. Highlights in Mingun
are Pa Hto Daw Gyi (The world's largest unfinished pagoda), the Great
Mingun Bell and Mya Thein Dan Pagoda.
Pa Hto Daw Gyi
 King
Bodawpaya (1781-1819 A.D) had made a vow while he was in hiding at
Mingun that should be ascend the throne he would implement four
projects as a deed of merit that should be outstanding, viz., (1)
Pagoda (2) Bell (3) Reservoir & (4) Two huge leogryphs. Over 20,000
workers toiled for twenty years on the construction of the Pa Hto Daw
Gyi Pagoda, which was
 unfortunately abandoned due to the death of King Bodawpaya in 1819. A 15feet miniature
model of the pagoda is in close proximity. Judging comparatively the
work done each length measuring 230 feet of square base and completed
to a height of 162 feet up to the first terrace is less than one third
of the final height. Had this pagoda been completed, then it would have
been the largest monument. This unfinished structure was badly damaged
with cracks by the earthquake of 1838. It is a colossal mound of
brickwork. A visit to this site by a ferry service launch would be the
trouble. Then you will wonder and agree to believe it.
^^
Top
Mingun Bell
 Through
King Bodawpaya did not complete the pagoda project during his lifetime,
yet he did complete the other three projects successfully. The Mingun
Bell was east in 1790. During the smelting of the bronze, the populace
was allowed t donate their contributions, who brought ornaments of
silver and utensils of brass, copper, aluminum, zinc and iron metals.
The bell was cast perfectly and weighs 90 tons. It is the world's
biggest ringing bell. The much heavier and larger bell at Moscow has a
crack and duel in sound. This colossal, weighing bell was cast on a
raised stand of sand and the mounting on large teak trunks. When it was
fitted steadfast, the sand stand was washed away leaving the bell
hanging on the teak trunks. Though it withstood the quake of 1838, yet
a century later it dropped to the ground in the quake of 1938, where it
remained till the end of World War II. The Ayeyarwady Flotilla Company
lifted the bell with mechanical cranes and installed it on the existing
pillars with a befitting pavillion to shelter it. One can go within the
bell and stand upright. It's worth a visit to witness the Biggest
Ringing Bell in the world.
Mya Thein Dan Pagoda
 This
Pagoda's architecture does not conform to the prototype of pagodas and
is in close proximity of the big bell. It is also called Hsinbyume
pagoda because it was built by Bagyidaw in 1816 before he ascended the
throne in commemoration of the death of his chief queen Hinbyume. It's
designer presents the Buddhist cosmology Sulamani Pagoda on the
Legendary Mount Meru in Tavatimsa, the Celestial abode of the chief
spirit, Indra. Seven concentric terraces represent seven mountain
ranges going up to the Mount Meru. At four cardinal points are four
flights of steps leading to the top stupa. The marble figures in the
niches of the balustrades are the mythical monsters guarding Mount Meru.
Monywa
 Monywa was a big village in the Bagan Period. The classical name
for the Monywa is Thalawadi. The chronicles mention that Monywa was one
of the places where King Alaungphayar encamped for the night on his
campaign to Manipura in 1758. During the Myanmar kings' time Monywa
remained just a big village as the administrative centre for the region
was at Ahlon. It was only a year after the Annexation of 1886 that
Monywa became the Headquarters of the Lower Chindwin District. In the
last few years with the legalizing of the border trade with India,
Monywa has grown into a bustling trading centre, second only to
Mandalay in the Upper Myanmar region. There are busy markets, popular
restaurants, a Degree College affiliated to Mandalay University, a
Technical High School, and soon there will be an Institute of
Economics, the second after the one in Yangon. As the town is on the
eastern bank of the Chindwin River, you can travel by boat across the
river to Po Win Taung caves, with over 400, 000 ancient Buddha images
and statues and murals dating from the 14th to the 16th century. Tame
monkeys abound and can be feeling by visitors. Hightlights in Monywa
are Thanboddhay Pagoda and Bodhi Tahtaung. Monywa can also be the base
for visiting Kyaukka, a town about ten miles to the east, second only
to Bagan as a center for the Myanmar lacquerware cottage industry. The
Ledi Kyaung Monastery is also well worth visiting. Built by the famous
Ledi Sayadaw, a renowned Pali scholar, there are now 806 stone slab
inscriptions that preserve some of the Sayadaw's writings. A few hours
drive will also bring you to Twin Taung hill, an extinct volcano whose
crater now forms a beautiful lake. The surrounding area has lush
vegetation, and views of the area from the rim of this Crater Lake are
breathtaking.
^^
Top
Thanboddhay Pagoda
 If
you are traveling to Monwya by car you should stop about 20 kilometers
before you reach the town to visit this most unusual Buddhist temple
complex, which is part of the Mohnyin Forest Monastery retreat. It was
the Brainchild of the famous Mohnyin Sayadaw whose life-like effigy can
be seen nearby. Thanboddhay is the only pagoda with this unique shape
in the whole country. The square temple base, which worshippers can
enter is topped by receding
 terraces, with a myriad of small stupas
surrounding the central golden cedi. Tourists can study and take photos
of the twenty tagundaing, huge decorated pillars, and also big masonry
fruits in the shape of bunches of bananas and coconuts, water melon,
mangoes, jackfruits, papaya and so on. These fruits are also objects of
veneration for the local farmers. If you can go at the beginning of the
Myanmar month of Tazaungmone (usually around November), you can see the
annual pagoda festival, which goes on for several days.
Pon Win Taung
The hills have probably been occupied since the dawn of human
habitation in Myanmar; to the south - west lies the Pon Daung Pon Nya
mountain range, where the fossilised remains of Pontaung Mon's may have
lived 30 million years ago - were found. The caves themselves contain
Buddhist statues and murals dating to the 17th and 18th centuries. Most
exhibit the Inwa style, though some may date as for back as the 14th
to16th centuries. A covered stairway climbs a hill to the main cave
shrine, but there are dozens of large and small caves in the area
filled with old Buddha images. There are over 400,000 images in these
and other nearby caves. Shwe Ba Hill, just beyond Pho Win Hill,
features unique pavilions cut from the surrounding sandstone and filled
with plain Buddha images.
Kyaukka
Kyaukka, which is produces its own distinctive kind of
lacquer-ware. A few hours drive will also bring you to Twintaung Hill,
an extinct volcano whose crater now forms a beautiful lake. The
surrounding area has lush vegetation, and views of the area from the
rim of this Crater Lake are breathtaking.
The Naga Hill of Myanmar
 Although
most people have heard about Naga tribes there are some who have seen
them and only a few who have been to their area. Our expedition will be
going right through the center of Naga region where we will be meng
some out of the total 68 tribes. Starting from Mandalay to Monywa we
will be driving through the largest lowland forest of Myanmar called
Mahamyaing forest after crossing the Chindwin River and traveling a
short distance you will be entering the Naga Hills. You will be busy
shaking hands with Naga warriors wearing hats made from bear fur, wild
boar tusks, hornbill feathers,
 and
tiger claws. Some also have tiger fangs hanging from their necklaces.
If you think the thrill is not enough you can go trekking Mt Saramati
12553 ft), asacred mountain for the Nagas, crossing wild pristine
forests and some Naga and chin villages, where civilization hs almost
never touched. The best months to visit is December to March.
^^
Top
|
