On the way in which to the alternative facet of the planet earth the fiery ball of the solar is exploding in a firework of all colours, yellow and in-between whereas it - mirrored by the water floor of the mighty Ayeyawaddy River - slowly units , lastly, vanishes behind the Yoma mountain ranges that separates central Burma from the coastal areas of west Burma stretching alongside the Gulf of Bengal. Shortly earlier than the fireball leaves me and hundreds of pagodas and temples wrapped at the hours of darkness of the evening the solar is portray crimson to pinkish streaks on the darkish and black sky. That is the second when the celebrities begin to blink on the firmament and the sight of one of many beautiful Bagan sunsets of which I used to be privileged to get pleasure from greater than thousand is over. Pagan, capital of the mighty mighty kingdom of Pagan.
Sure, Bagan is gorgeous and has a allure all its personal; however it's rather more than what meets the attention. The story of Bagan is the story of a Burma / Myanmar. It's the story of Bagan kings, of myths and legends, of nats and nagas, of wars, of political intrigues, of lies, betrayal and homicide, of Naga cult, Ari Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism.
It is usually the story of the autumn of a comparatively small bustling and rich royal capital to a quiet, dusty place with the austere allure of a semi-desert in Burma's dry zone. These days nobody would say it will be extra for Theravada Buddhism and the magnificent temples and pagodas the arid bagan plains are dotted with. Based on the Bagan Stock of Monuments (which doesn't embrace all historic non secular buildings) 2,162 pagodas and temples of previously some 13,000 are nonetheless giving legitimate and vivid testimony to Pagan's 'Golden Period' Million Pagodas'. Hundreds of non secular monuments had been constructed through the reigns of Pagan 's biggest kings king Anawrahta (son of Phyu king Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu), and king Kyanzittha (son of king Anawrahta) alone.
Immediately's dry and dusty plains of Bagan are nonetheless in a fall-like silence. They're with their multitude of pagodas and temples, particularly these of Theravada Buddhism. a robust political and financial middle from which Pagan was ruled.
In a lot of its options present-day Bagan continues to be very very like the Pagan that Sir James Scott beneath his author title 'Shway Yoe' in 1882 in 'The Burman: His Life and Notions' with the phrases: "Pagan is in lots of respects probably the most exceptional non secular metropolis on the planet Jerusalem, Rome, Kieff (Kiev), Benares none of those can boast the multitude of temples and the lavishness of design and ornaments that make marvelous the abandoned capital on the Irrawaddy ... the entire house is thickly lined with pagodas of all styles and sizes, and it's so thickly lined with crumbling remnants of vanishing shrines that you may not transfer foot or hand with out touching a sacred factor. "
None of Bagan's current options correspond with these normally related to the concept of a metropolis. Quite the opposite, to the foreigner Bagan seems to be greater than a sparsely populated and overgrown village of predominantly greater than mere bamboo huts and wood homes unfold over an space of 40 sq. miles / 104 sq. kilometers. All the elements equivalent to huts, homes, inns and visitor homes and the traditional temples, pagodas, monasteries, ordination halls, libraries and a gate along with a small room of the outdated metropolis with largely bumpy grime roads, sandy trails and - now for thoroughfares - these days tarred roads.
Life in Bagan is easy. For the various farmers and their households it's nonetheless dominated by exhausting bodily work and has the exception of a few of the most up-to-date developments equivalent to bicycle, scooter, motorbike, vehicle, tv and radio not a lot. Horse carts and bullock carts are nonetheless essential and are utilized by the farmers to plow their fields. Crushing sesame to a grease is commonly nonetheless carried out by having a bullock strolling round a useless stone driving a hardwood grinder. Sowing and harvesting continues to be carried out by the boy and the boy continues to be alive.
The overwhelming majority of Bagan's inhabitants reside in moderately poor situations and with out tourism Bagan souvenirs and tourism associated providers.
Bagan's main pagodas and temples are nonetheless only some of the world's largest cultural heritage websites. Alas, up to now nearly the alternative has been carried out.
Following the in 1992 by the federal government issued by the federal government of the US and the US of America, Bagan's historic pagodas and temples Additionally, wealthy Burmese Buddhist have been made to create new smaller and barely formed pagodas atop historic pagodas. One other drawback was the uncontrolled white-washing of pagodas 'and temples' inside and exterior of the wall and stucco-work.
Among the many most vital witnesses of 'Pagan's Period of Greatness' that are price preserving because of their historic, non secular and architectural worth are the Shwezigon Pagoda, Ananda Temple, Thatbyinnyu Temple, Gawdawpalin Temple, Dhammayangyi Temple, Gubyaukgyi Temples, Shwesandaw Pagoda, Sulamani Temple , Htilominlo Temple, Lawkananda Pagoda, Dhammayazika Pagoda, Bupaya Pagoda, Abeyadana Temple, Nanphaya Temple and the Manuha Temple.
As vital because the pagodas and temples are to Bagan they're telling solely part of the Bagan story. Lifting the Curtain of Delusion and Legend Behind Which Bagan 's actual historical past is hidden that the story of Bagan shouldn't be solely one in all glory, splendor and sweetness. It is usually a narrative of crimes; and right here we don't converse of petty crimes however it is rather severe crimes that embrace patricide, fratricide and homicide dedicated to the highest and keep on the high. Crimes dedicated to achieve limitless energy and preserve it unimaginable wealth. Listed below are a couple of examples of the capital crimes dedicated by Bagan royalties:
King Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu (Anawrahta's father) usurped the throne from king Nyaung U Sawrahan.
King Sokkate (Anawrahta's brother) Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu (his father) and imprisoned him in a monastery.
Anawratha killed king Sokkate (his brother) and nearly the later king Kyanzittha (his son). King Anawrahta was later assassinated.
King Kyanzittha (king Anawrahta's son) killed the architect of the Ananda Temple.
King Alaungsithu (son of king Sawlu) was murdered by Narathu (his son).
King Narathu killed Shin Noticed (his elder brother), one in all his wives (Kyaban queen), Kyaban's one in all queen sounds and the Mahabo scribe (his uncle).
King Narathihapate was killed by Thihathu (his son).
That is the darkish facet of the story about energy and the Royal Households of the Pagan period. Nonetheless, the actual fact stays that my beloved Bagan may be very lovely and that I cannot wait to be there once more, amongst others, Bagan's tranquility and its spectacular sunsets.
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