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Around the world in 2000,
via Asia and Madagascar.
Bago (Myanmar )
Bec2004-09-18 17:16:55
Displayed times (last time: )
Bago
The Mon people who had migrated into southern Thailand from western China in the 6th century controled the Bago area in the 8th but their capital Thaton was overrun by the Burman Bagan Kingdom and their King Manuha was taken to Bagan as a prisoner in the 11th.
After the fall of Bagan to the Mongols in the 13th century, the Mon Kingdom was reinstated with Bago as capital and it survived Burman attacks for over two centuries before being crushed by the Burman Toungoo Dynasty in 1539.
The Shwemawdaw Pagoda whose spire can be seen behind this impressive entrance portal, was originally built by the Mon to a height to 23 meters in the 8th century and was rebuilt higher several times until it finally reached its present 114 meter stature in 1954.
The Mon were culturally much more advanced than the Burmans when they were overrun by them in the 11th century. Anawratha brought back to Bagan not only an enormously rich booty but also 30 000 skilled artisans and learned monks that made the rapid development of Bagan possible. That is how the Burmans were converted to Therevada Buddhism.
Below left, a smiling novice and right, a poor food stall for ordinary people in the street next to the golden pagoda.
All this temple glitter is not something left from a glorious past, nor was it provided by international aid, it represents sacrifices made by today's people in the hope of improving their future lives.
Below left, here is how the people cross the river to go to yet another golden monument (Ananda Temple), on the right.
And a little further west is this sumptuous entrance to the Shwethalyaung Paya that shelters the largest reclining Buddha in South East Asia (55 meters, 9 meters more than the Wat Pho Buddha in Bangkok).
Originally built by the Mon in 994 this big Buddha was restored several times but was overgrown by the jungle after the total destruction of Bago by
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See photographs from:
Burma (Myanmar) Gallery
