MYANMAR MANDALAY

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Myanmar Mandalay Myanmar

is the last city where Burmese Kings ruled, a not so old old pagoda and temples citadel of the Konebaung dynasty who ruled the country for the last time before the British annexation in 1885.

The city at the Irrawaddy river

was built under King Mindon starting at 1856, at that time a Irrawaddy river cruise was the preferred means of transport.

Today the city is the number three tourist destination in the country and is flooded by Chinese immigrants from behind the northern border. For great travel a Mandalay Hotel is virtually behind every third corner.

Mandalay Myanmar  is still the hub and center of culture and communication with all what a great city needs, such as hotels, markets, temples and a great Buddhist legacy with countless Buddhist monasteries and pagodas.

Only the road to Mandalay is in real bad condition, potholes and

craters are the normality, cows prefer to walk the street and its very dusty in the center of the country where the city is.

The city is accessible by air via several airlines, rail, river and road travel. A hotel almost always has a Chinese owner and the resorts and restaurants too. A Irrawaddy river cruise should be on every travel plan. Hotels are plenty but only the Sedona Hotel is real top notch.

The second up market, big and expensive is Mandalay Hill Hotel the former Novotel. From the Sedona a breathtaking view over the palace, the moat plus hill is available. Actually the Sedona Hotel is just on the other side of the road running along the moat.

The road to Mandalay Myanmar

was made famous by Kipling and a river cruise on the mighty Ayeyarwady River or Irrawaddy River to Bagan is still a great event with the vessel "Road to Mandalay". There are also short distance boats and ships to Sagaing and Mingun. Larger river ships connect with upper or northern Burma.

Some years ago the new international airport was completed at Myanmar Mandalay. Now flight became more easy, the city has they only international airport beside Yangon airport.

Road to Mandalay Myanmar
Road to Mandalay Photo
Palace
Palace
, Mandalay Images
Mandalay Palace Moat and Wall
Palace Moat and Wall
Mandalay Palace Moat and Wall

Palace
 

Until now only one international flight from Chiang Mai in Thailand to the city is available.

Mandalay Palace

enclosed with a moat and fortification such as the palace wall is probably the most impressive structure in the city beside of Mahamuni Pagoda and Temple. Totally destroyed and burned down after a direct hit by a Japanese bomb from an aircraft during WW2 it took a long time to to rebuild everything according to the old construction plans. It took the combined effort of the local military who convinced the richer crowd of the city to donated money for rebuilding and as we see today it worked, rebuilding was done by the end of the 198X.

The interior is not up to date since too many items and goods where looted and stolen by the British colonialists. The Brits where literally spoken the pain in the ass of Burma, they destroyed virtually everything directly or indirectly, read more. What they left when they run away was a workable train system, some administration, Yangon, which was completely rebuilt by the British and a good education system

Myanmar Mandalay City

still retains its old traditions and is the centre of attractions for its historical heritage, in the center is the fully restored palace.

Mandalay is well-known and famous for the presence of significant monasteries, pagodas, temples and religious edifices and also for the palace right in front of the hill where the last two kings, King Mindon and King Thibaw, resided, a reminder to British colonial time, means travel to see the real thing before it vanish, there is a hotel for every taste and budget to handle this.

Book a tour to visit some oft the most venerated pagodas and temples in the country, such as the Mahamuni Temple and Pagoda complex and countless other sacral buildings and monasteries.

A Irrawaddy River Cruise is one of the best trips around no need to take a long

mandalay
Mahamuni
Mahamuni
Mahamuni
Irrawaddy River Cruise
Irrawaddy River Cruise

long cruise. It only needs to walk to river bank and try to find a sampan for about 2 hours and tell the guy he should move up and downstream and cross the Irrawaddy to Mingun. This old city is a famous one with incredible pagodas, temples and some monasteries, there is plenty to see which give a good insight into the daily life of the people.

The best would be to get a tour guide because they know better what to do and everything goes much faster as if you do it on your own, guides like Lonely Planet etc. are useless for this, read more.

The first daytrip should be to the top of Mandalay hill, its the best view and orientation point in the city, from there the palace and the most interesting monasteries, temple and pagodas can be spotted, a long lens camera should be taken with. The view over the city and the Irrawaddy River (Ayeyarwady) is breathtaking, during monsoon times it looks like a big lake where some white pagodas pop out. Mandalay a fascinating city, but only at the second or third glance. It needs a bit of and explorer 

Daytrip to Sagaing Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda
Mandalay Daytrip to Sagaing

mind to find the the interesting things. It is almost mandatory to take a tour guide, otherwise everyone will miss more than the half of the interesting sites and views. It also makes it more easy to get into a monastery, temple and Pagoda since the people there usually know the guy or the lady, read more.

Another daytrip is to Sagaing having a look around the pagoda and temples which are often close to the banks of the Irrawaddy and the Sagaing Hills behind. At this area its virtually possible to breath Buddhism and Asian history, more
 

 


Mandalay Sagaing including Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda

is a treasure-trove for anyone exploring Asians old culture, Religion and monuments that culminates in Bagan further south. Countless numbers of monuments old and new, dilapidated or maintained are still visible, religious edifices form the majority, to say each of them is a museum by itself is no exaggeration. They all have something to show and tales to tell.

One of the real highlights is the super-size Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda at Sagaing on the other side of the Irrawaddy, with immense dimension and a rather unorthodox design the building is a real visitors magnet.

The structure has a huge dome and is seen already from a far distance. The Sagaing Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda, which literally means "Pagoda of Royal Merit at Sagaing". The official Pali name is "Rajamanicula", built by King Tha Lun (A.D. 1629-1642) of Nyaung Yan Dynasty (A.D. 1599-1752). The pagoda was built in 1636 in commemoration of the reestablishment of Inwa as capital. The Pagoda is a monument of historic importance as well as an object of veneration of Buddhists because it enshrines the Tooth Relic of the Buddha brought from Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

There is a strange tale

relative to the construction of the pagoda, when the royal architects asked King Tha Lun what shape of pagoda he would like to build, the Chief Queen who was present nearby suddenly exposed her rounded breast for model! When and who cooked up this story is unknown but some call it the "breast pagoda"!

Pagodas of such design are quite often in the country as well as in India and Sri Lanka. Sanchi of the first century B.C. in India, Manikyala of the second century A.D. in Punjab, Amaravati of about third century A.D. and Mahaceti of Sri Lanka are the noted Buddhist monuments of the rounded cup shaped design. In Burma itself plain cylindrical undecorated solid pagodas are found at many ancient historical sites - Pyay, Bagan and elsewhere. Bawbaw Gyi, Be Be, Phaya Gyi and Phaya-ma pagodas at Sre Kestra - an old Pyu City State near Pyay, and Bu Phaya, Nga Kywe Nadaung and Lokananda Pagodas at old Bagan are some good samplings of types of pagoda modelled on the early Buddhist stupas of India before the elaborately decorated conical tapering pagodas of later periods emerged.

There is a written record regarding the original model of the pagoda which is found in one of the chronicles named Hinan Nan Yazawun Daw Gyi (The Glass Palace Chronicle) which was compiled by a royal historical commission of learned scholars appointed and assigned by King Bagyidaw (A.D. 1819-1837). In it an account of Tha Lun's pilgrimage to ancient Pyu pagodas at Pyay is given. In his younger days Tha Lun, during his pilgrimage to Sri Kestra made a vow at the Phayama Pagoda (it was called Tharama Pagoda in these days) that if he ever succeeded to the throne he would build a pagoda of similar design.

Historians thus concluded that the shape of Sagaing Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda

is religiously inspired and architecturally motivated by ancient Buddhist Temples of India, Sri Lanka and Burma it is documented in the chronicles.

On the spacious platform of the Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda well-preserved in a masonry shed is a Sagyin marble inscription 81 feet high, in Pali and Bamar recording the detailed account of the construction of the pagoda. Besides, the Pagoda Trustees have published a booklet on the history of the pagoda available for sale at souvenir shops at the entrance gate. There is also a big billboard on the wall of the main devotional hall on which are given in both Bamar and English facts and figures of the pagoda.

King Tha Lun dedicated several acres of land to the Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda at Sagaing. The site for erecting the Pagoda was chosen by a board of learned monks, Brahmins astrologers, historians, geologists, engineers and artisans appointed by the king. In the centre of a spacious precinct surrounded by three successive enclosure walls stands majestically, the principal religious wall, the principal religious Pane of solid brick and mortar.

It is a gigantic dome at Mandalay Sagaing resting on three circular terraces

and rising to a height of 151 feet crowned by an artistic gold plated and jewel studded pinnacle called hti. The circumference of the base measures 400 feet. Figures of celestial beings adorn the base, the entire structure is surrounded by a palisade of stone lamp posts, 812 in total. Each post is 6 feet high and 8 inches in diameter with a cup shaped niche hollowed out of the side at the top so as to contain oil or candle light. Sir Henry Yule who accompanied Sir Arthur Phayre's mission to King Mindon in A.D. 1855 wrote in his account that he saw traces of gilding on the Pagoda when he visited it. So it seems that atone time it must have been a glittering gold dome. Because of its supersize and intact solidity, wonder stories are told. Under the hti of the Pagoda there is enough space for two bullock carts to drive pass each other. The structure of the Pagoda is so massive and solid that a Myanmar Saingwaing (ochestra) being played crescendo on one side of it cannot be heard on the opposite side. But it is a fact that the Pagoda has never been destroyed or damaged by natural disasters, ravages of war or vandalism since the time of its completion. From the marble inscription we learn that in it are enshrined a gold Buddha image of King Tha Lun's own weight, crown jewels and treasures, votive objects of gold, silver, bronze, brass, copper, lead, and alloy dedicated to the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha that Tha Lun's grandfather King Bayint Naung received from King Dhammapala of Ceylon. Many servicemen were assigned for the upkeep of the Pagoda - engineers, masons, carpenters, artisans craftsmen and artists. They were granted paddy land and tax immunity for their service to the Pagoda.

There are three villages of "Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda servicemen"

located a few furlongs to the north, along the highway. They are, Si Tee village, Let Hlote and Swan Chet. Their names tell their assignments. King Tha Lun by royal order dedicated these three villages to his Pagoda. Si Tee (playing drum) village people are assigned to the duty of playing the drum or music at the time of the Pagoda festival. Let Hlote (moving hands) villagers are duty bound to dance or stage performances at the time of Pagoda festival and Swan Chet (cooking rice for offering) villagers have to cook rice to offer to the Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda and monks at the time of the Pagoda festival. For their services Tha Lun granted them 'Land to live on', 'Land to produce their food' and 'Land to cultivate other crops'. Besides they enjoyed tax immunity and exemption from conscription. It is said that the people of these three villages still perform their duties to the Pagoda and enjoy their privileges hereditarily.

At the time of its festival in the cold season when the full moon rises above the silhouetted Sagaing Hill range, this super size grotesque dome, with the little lights from the 812 lamp posts flickering around it, creates an other-worldly spectacle captivating and holding the viewers spellbound. The text within the box is based on an article by Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt

 


There are many great daytrip possibility, beside of Sagaing is Mingun another historical place with several marvelous pagodas. Another sightseeing trip could be done into the Shan hills to
Pyin Oo Lwin or Maymyo the former British hill station with a beautiful botanical garden and a pleasant climate its around thousand meters high which is the usual temperature on the Shan plateau, resulting into production of temperate climate vegetables, fruits and flowers. From to the west the daytrip leads to Monywa with a incredible temple and pagoda scenery, this city in the center of the country is the hub for the central and northern part of the country, before they called this "upper Burma".
 

Mandalay Hill offers a panoramic view over the city,

and over the Irrawaddy show a flat scenery with the Ayeyarwady - Irrawaddy river in between. Legend tells that a ogress after a arguing with Lord Buddha decided to cut off her breasts and presented the same to Buddha. There upon, Buddha solaced her and made a prophesy that the ogress would be reborn as a prince. This prophesy turned out to be when the city was founded by the pious King Mindon who convened the Fifth Buddhist Synod (Council) in 1871.

Mandalay Hill
Mandalay hotel, Mandalay Hill,
Hill and Palace
Hill and Palace

The Hill is the landmark of the city

the last royal city of the Burmese Kings, The view from the hill offers a great panorama over the city the royal palace, Kuthodaw Pagoda, the sleepy town of Sagaing on the bank of ever-flowing mother Irrawaddy or Ayeyarwady, to the west and  the blue ridge of the Shan mountains, to the east. At a tour the Mandalay Myanmar hill should be the first stop since it provides great scenes and beauty that supplements the visual value of the city. Emerald-green Nanda Lake is close to it. The hill is 236 m high and situated just northeast of the city, standing there and enjoying peace and tranquility, joy and

contentment to be in harmony with nature. Two large and majestic Lion statues are guarding the entrance to the hill and will take 1729 steps to the apex. After taking 435 steps, one will reach the observation platform from where one can have bird's eye view of the stunning scenes and sights.

From my own experience I tell you take a car to get up there to climb up the stairs is very exhaustive and get you into serious health trouble if you are not in good fitness conditions. There are a couple of similar situations in Thailand and Cambodia. Legends tell, there is a strong tradition belief that at one times, Buddha and his faithful disciple Ananda happened to visit the hill.

Buddha emphatically prophesied that in the 2400th year of Buddhist Religion (1857), a great metropolis would be founded at his foot. That prediction came into reality during the reign of King Mindon (1853-78) who transferred his royal capital of Amarapura to his newly built city. To commemorate the great event a huge Buddha standing statue is constructed, pointing his right arm to the direction of the city.

Buddha on Mandalay Hill
Buddha on the hill
King Thibaw and British

This statue was originally commissioned by King Mindon and later restored by famous Great Hermit, U Khanti. It is known as Byadeikpay Buddha statue (Foretelling Buddha). Peshawar relics, at this place, one will find a pagoda that shrines relics of Buddha. It is surprising; the Buddha relics came from Peshawar, 2000 years ago. Peshawar is also called Purushapura, well known as the centre of Ghandara Art, the ancient and oldest school of Buddhist Art in the world. The Ruler of Kushana dynasty, in the 2nd century, opened up the stupa of the Great Emperor Asoka and redistributed the contents.

During the 20th century, when the British made archaeological excavations there, they discovered a reliquary containing Buddha' relics, belonging to Kushana Kings. As the Muslims had no idea to deal with those relics, the British had no option but to present the same to the people. Hence, the authentic Buddha relics are to be enshrined in the said pagoda. One of the most beautiful Burmese Buddhist pagoda - temple is in Penang Malaysia.

Because of the population growth and a unhealthy environment the King intended to shift his capital from Amarapura to Mandalay. New foundations were laid about 1856-57, precise square and oblong blocks were planned. The city  started flourishing in the year 1859. The King’s palace was built at the centre of  Myanmar Mandalay covered by moats and city walls, it was almost square.

King Thibaw was the last King of Burma
King Thibaw and Queen Supayalat
King Thibaw and Queen Supayalat

and Queen Supayalat was the last Queen, picture above - the picture is from 1880. He has been the last Burmese ruler. His short reign (1878'85) ended with the occupation of Upper Burma by the British. He was strongly influenced by his wife, Supayalat, and her mother. In an attempt to play the French against the British. King Thibaw's government granted the French economic concessions in exchange for a political help. To cover their interests the British colonial administration in Rangoon, Calcutta, and London started all kind of foul play to King Thibaw of Myanmar Mandalay gain immediate annexation of Upper Burma 

King Mindon
King Mindon
When King Mindon

ascended the throne, the King found a new and flourishing city at the foot of the hill, to be known as Yadanabon. Here, Buddhism will be promoted and perpetuated. King Mindon (1853-1878) was upright, wise and compassionate, he ruled the country efficiently. He made vast and far-reaching reforms in the fields of administration, economy and judiciary. He also sent envoys to Europe for the first time. The first minister who visited the West was distinguished minister, Kinwun Mingyi, eminent administrator and jurist.

King Mindon convened the Fifth Buddhist Synod (Sangayana), engraving the Buddhist scriptures at the Kuthodaw Pagoda at the foot of the hill. The Buddhist Canon of Tripitaka Texts were inscribed on 729 marble slabs and housed in small shrines there. It constitutes the “World’s Biggest Book”. If piled up it will reach the height of 20 storied high rise building. King Thibaw (1878-1885), the last king who ruled the country. Buddhist scriptures at the Kuthodaw Pagoda.

The city probably has together with Amarapura and the Sagaing Hills on the other side of the Irrawaddy the highest concentration of monasteries. Some of them went with modern times and restructured their monasteries into meditation centers.

Some of the most beautiful teak carved monasteries are in Myanmar Mandalay, its amazing to see all this artwork, there is no problem to visit them, the people are very friendly and foreigner oriented, but visit the places together with a guide since you don't know how to handle this in the proper way, a donation would be taken positive before leaving, most monasteries are existing via external contributions.

Mandalay Myanmar is a incredible oriental city on the best historical sense, full with everything which makes the old orient so interesting. At a first glance not much to see and also the flat area in this part of the dry zone shows lots of dust and nothing interesting, but a second and third look is needed to get the old orient unfold.

Among other, there are still the old quarters where arts and crafts are made. Silk weaver, marble sculpture, wood carver, bronze and brass casting, jade carver and so on, have a look at the images. All this work is done mainly in open rooms, sometimes even just at the pavement. Everyone at Mandalay Myanmar is positive when people are watching, this places are also ideal to buy genuine and unique items and souvenirs

teak monastery
teak monastery
Art and Crafts
Art and Crafts

The Mahamuni Temple and Pagoda is probably the most venerated in the city, actually its not only the temple which is very interesting, its the same with they area around the temple which is one of the oldest quarter for arts and crafts in the modern history of the country.

There are woodcarver, artists creating marble Buddha statues creator and everything around this theme, more.

Mahamuni Temple Pagoda
Mahamuni Temple Pagoda
Brief Chronology of the city

11.Sept.1853 a general meeting of monks and other men held at Masoeyane Monastery decided against the move of the capital to a new site.13.Sept.1853 A petition was put up to the king to convey the fact that public opinion was against the
move of capital.
30.Oct.1856 A survey team was sent to inspect site for the new capital.
31.Oct.1856 A plan was drawn for the new capital.
29.Dec.1856 A detailed program was written to carry out the ceremonial and ritualistic side of the construction scheme, care was taken that none of the formalities omitted.
13.Jan.1857 A Royal Order was issued sanctioning the built of a new capital at a site called Mandalay. 2.Feb.1857 Repair of water reservoir around the new site started and finished in two month’s time.
13.Feb.1857 City and Palace plan and fortification plan were marked out and pegged.
25.Feb.1857 Leveling the ground for the Palace.
6.Mar.1857 The earth was ploughed up at the city and Palace sites by gold and silver ploughs.
14.Mar.1857 A camp was put up at the northwest corner within the Palace site to serve as a temporary
abode of the royalty.
7.May.1857 Construction for an arsenal began.
14.May.1857 Coronation; prisoner released; decision to revive the Thathameda tax.
25.June.1857 Exterior decoration put up at the royal palace camp.
2.July.1857 The king moved to the royal Palace camp with the idea to supervise the palace construction himself, monsoon flooding couldn't stop him.
24.July.1857 A stockade put up around the palace site.
26.July.1857 The king inspected the various constructions in the city.
7.Aug.1857 Cutting wood for the Palace began.
July-Aug.1857 New city area was divided into plots for residential and commercial quarters.
1864 With the help of Bishop Bigandet, a steam printing press was set up that could pro
duce Pitaka written on 864 palm leaves by only single impression.
March 1864 Ten homes for the aged poor were put under a German medical man called Merbie.
6.July.1865 King Mindon made six of his sons promise abstinence from drinking liquor.
11.July.1884 Telegram mentioned the Chinese attack of Bhamo; 1670 soldiers dispatched.
17.July.1884 Another 1650 soldiers dispatched; the Chinese surrender after one-month fight.
7.Nov.1885 King Thibaw declared war on the British and ordered the march of troops along three
routes ' 5000 men down the Irrawaddy river, 5000 men along the Taundwingyi route and
5000 men along the Toungoo route.
25.Nov.1885 The British occupied Myingyan, King Thibaw considered evacuation but the queen was sick,
queen mother too old and the royal princesses too young and so abandoned the idea of
leaving the city; decided to give in to all demands made by the British.
1.Mar.1889 386 miles of the railway line to Yangon were completed.
1901 The British Viceroy of India Lord Curzon visited the city; he gave order to move the
British troops out of the Palace immediately and to preserve the palace as a national
museum.
19.Feb.1942 Mandalay Myanmar was bombed by the Japanese for the first time.
1.May.1942 Occupied by the Japanese.
17.Mar.1945 The Palace was destroyed by the Japanese.
11.Mar.1949 Mandalay Myanmar was occupied by Karen rebels, they left on 6.April.
7.July.1967 The Ludu Daily, the only newspaper of Mandalay Myanmar was stopped from publication.

Ref: From DR. THAN TUN books

Mandalay City

This tram or streetcar in the first in Asia, was running in the city during the same time as the Meiji dynasty was on in Japan. During this time the development of Burma was about the same as the development in Japan.

The British colonialists destroyed everything according to the doctrine to keep the country purely as a supplier for raw material. This is one of the reason why there is this mess in the country, the foundation for this was laid by the British and 

Mandalay City
Streetcar Mandalay Myanmar

today (2012) this people in Europe and their neocolonialist friends from the US still do everything they can to make the country miserable, now they call it embargo, before it was war and looting.

 

 

 

 

 


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