MANDALAY

Maha Myat Muni Image

The image is said to have been cast on the life-time of the Gautama Buddha and that the Buddha embraced it 7 times there by bringing it to be alive and refer to it as the Maha Myat Muni Sacred Living Image. The image was brought from Mrohaung in Rakhine as 1784 by King Bodawpaya. The image in sitting posture is 3.8 meters (12 feet and seven inches) high and is coated with layers of gold leaf several centimeters (about 2 inches) thick. A visit to Mandalay is incomplete without a visit to Maha Myat Muni Image.

                                   Kuthodaw Pagoda

Kuthodaw Pagoda lies at the base of Mandalay Hill near the southern approach. It was built by King Mindon in 1853-78 and modeled after Shwezigon Pagoda of Nyaung Oo, near Bagan. This pagoda is surrounding by 729 upright white marble stone slabs on which are inscribed the entire Buddhist Scriptures as edited and approved by the fifth Buddhist Synod. It is popularly known as the " world Biggest Book" for its stone scriptures. It has been estimated that reading for eight hours a day, one person would take 950 days to read the complete "book".

                                   Mandalay Palace

This is the object of interest for the visitors. The fortified ancient palace or city is in the from of square each side of which is 10 furlongs in length. A battlement wall of brick has a total height of 25 feet and is 10 feet thick in the lower portion. There are 12 gates, three can each side, at equal distance from each other. The moat is 225 feet wide and 11 feet deep in average surrounding the city. The whole magnificent palace complex was destroyed by the by the fire during the world-war II. However, the finely built palace walls, the city gates with their crowning wooden pavilions and the surrounding moat still present an impressive scene of the Mandalay Palace.

U Bein Bridge

Named after the town mayor of the time when the bridge was built. It is the oldest bridge in Myanmar, and it is really worth while experience to walk over it. Credit is due to the imagination of bridge builders, and to the strength of world famous teakwood. It is spanned by the 1.2 kilometers long, and it takes about 15 minutes to cross.

Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda:

It lies in the shadow of the Mandalay Hill. This pagoda, built in 1878, contains a large Buddha image carved out of a single block of marble.

Zegyo Market

It located on the west side of the city. Zegyo market is traditionally famed for its honey-tongued, gold-bangled salesgirls. The name Zegyo means either inexpensive market or sweet- market. The old buildings of the market have been replaced with new, grander ones as required by the march of time and booming megapolis, and " new faces " can be seen in many parts of the market. The best offerings of Myanmar arts and crafts are available there. It is the place you must visit to sample all Myanmar delicates for which Mandalay is famous.

Craftsmen's Quarter

In the southern Part of Mandalay especially in the neighbour hood of Maha Muni Image, There is a whole street devoted to stone carving and you can see for yourself the skilled craftsmen at work. The ancient craft of carving stone images of Buddha should be of particular interest to visitors. Not far away from that place are the wood-carvers. Wood-carving has been a particular forte of the Myanmar since early history. Here are can study all sorts of typical Myanmar patterns and designs carved on wood either embossed, engraved or bas-reliefs. In the southwest section of Mandalay, Gold Leaf is produced in many houses. You can see gold leaf being beaten into wafer thin pieces. The craft is extremely old, and the manufacturing process in carried out according to time-honored tradition. In the east of Mandalay, there are the Silk-weavers. Lun-yar-gyaw (woven with a hundred shuttles) fabrics are the most expensive and intricate hand-woven silk in Myanmar. The weaving of the unique pattern is an ancient art, kept alive by specialists in Upper Myanmar

WHAT TO SEE AROUND MANDALAY

Sagaing

It lies 21 km southwest of Mandalay on the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River. Sagaing became a capital of an independent Shan Kingdom around 1315 AD, after fall of Bagan. Sagaing Hills are known as a religious retreat where over 400 monasteries for monks and nuns are located for Buddhistic studies and meditation. About 10km from Sagaing is Kaung-hmu-daw Pagoda an enormous dome-shaped pagoda, built by King Thalun in 1636 on the model of Maha-Ceti Pagoda of SriLanka . The huge egg-shape dome, posed on three circular bases, the pagoda rises from the plain, 46 meters (151 feet) high and 274 meters (900 feet) in circumference. On the road between Sagaing and Kaung-hmu-daw pagoda, there lies the village of Ywahtaung. This is the home of silversmith who still work the precious mineral in much the same way as their forefathers did.

Kaung Mu Daw Pagoda

This pagoda was built by King Thalun of Innwa in 1636. It has rounded shape-perfect hemisphere form built on the mode of the Mahazedi of Ceylon(Sri Lanka). The huge egg-shape dome, posed on three circular bases, the pagoda rises from the plain,46 meters high and 274 meters in circumference. The lowest terrace is decorated with 120 nats and devas. There are 812 moulded stone Pillars used for offering lights.In a cell with the precinct of the pagoda is a very fine engraved marble stone. The lakes lie behind the Kaungmudaw Pagoda.

Ywa-Htaung

On the road between Sagaing and Kaungmudaw Pagoda, there lies the village of Ywa-htaung. This is the home of silversmiths who still work the precious mineral in much the same way as their forefathers did.

                                                       Mingun (Big Bell)

It is about 11km upriver from Mandalay on the opposite bank of the Ayeyarwady and accessible only by river. A 45 minutes boat trip to Mingun lets travelers experience life along the river. Mingun Bell weight 87 tons, stands 3.7 meters high and is 5 meters at its mouth where one can crouch and crawl under and stand in the hollow of the bell inside. This bell cast in 1790 by King Bodawpaya and has become the largest ringing bell in the world. It can also be reached by newly-built road from Sagaing.

                                                       Pyin Oo Lwin ( May Myo)

It is the premier resort town of Myanmar. It also a popular hill-station about 69km away from Mandalay at an altitude of 1070 meters (3510 feet). It is well known for its colonial-style houses with large compound and pine trees, eucalyptus and silver-oak abound in town. It well known sobriquet is Pan-myo-daw, the city of flowers. Delightfully cool and pleasant the whole year round. So, most of the traveler visiting Mandalay, go up to Pyin Oo Lwin for a night stop where they would find a cool night similar to that of the temperate European countries. Places to visit include the National Botanical Garden which has the area of 175 hectare, many species of flora and funa flower beds are similar to those you would find in an English country garden strolling in the garden, you can breath in the cool, crisp air of Pyin Oo Lwin to your heart's content. Pyin Oo Lwin boast a number of beautiful waterfalls. Pwe Kauk Falls is quite a pleasant wooded picnic spot. Peik Chin Myaung Caves are places of interest.

                                                       Monywa

About 136 km to the west of Mandalay is Monywa, the important commercial centre of upper Mandalay. There goods from India are available wholesale, as well as local hand- woven from pure cotton. Places of interest are Than-bok-de pagoda which was built by Abbot Mo-Hnyin Sayadaw in 1929 and has a pagoda complex consisting of pavilions and prayer hall and cave-like chambers, towers, pillars and spires all of them richly decorated with colorful stucco figures. Hill crossing the Chindwin River and taking one hour drive on the west bank about 30 km, there are famous rocky Phowin Hill and Shweba Hill with big riches and huge Buddha images carved out of the single rocky hills. The Buddha images belonging to the 3rd century and worth for visiting.

Than-Bok-De Pagoda

A pagoda complex consisting of pavilions and prayer halls and cave-like chambers, towers and pillars and spires all of them richly decorated with colourful stucco figures. It was built by Abbot Mo-Hnyin Sayadaw on his 37 acre wide monastery grounds in 1929. The main spire of Thanbokde is set on a square base. It has more than 500,000 Buddha images.

Pho-Win-Taung And Shwe-Ba-Taung

Hills crossing the Chindwin river and taking one hour drive on the west bank about 30 km , there are famous rocky Phowin and Shweba hills with big niches and huge Buddha images with fine roundabout steps carved out of the single rocky hills. The Buddha images belonging to the 3rd century and worth for visiting.

Stone-Carving And Wood-Carving

In the southern part of Mandalay especially in the neighbour hood of Mahamuni Pagoda, there is a whole street devoted to stone carving and one can see for himself the skilled craftsmen at work. The ancient craft of carving stone images of Buddha should be of particular interest to the visitors. Not far away that place are the wood-carvers. Wood-carving has been a particular forte of the Myanmar since early history. Here one can study all sorts of typical Myanmar patterns and designs carved on wood either embossed, engraved or bas-reliefs.

Silk-Weaving:

In east of Mandalay there are the silk-weavers. Lun-yar-gyaw (woren with a lundred shuttles) fabrics are the most expensive and intricate hand-woven silk in Myanmar. The weaving of the unique pattern is an ancient art, kept alive by specialists in Upper Myanmar.

Amarapura

Situated about 11 km south of Mandalay. It is an ancient capital of King Bodawpaya of the Konbaung Dynasty in 1783. Today, Amarapura is famous for its cotton and silk weaving industries, practically every house has a loom. It is also noted for its bronze castings of cymbals, gong and Buddha images.

Innwa

The ancient city of Innwa(Ava) was founded in 1364 by King Thadominpya, on the junction of Ayeyarwady River and Dhok-hta-wady(Myitnge)River. It was known as the Kingdom of Innwa during the Second Myanmar Empire.Today, Innwa is a small town south of Amarapura.

Maha-Aung-Mye-Bonzan Monastery

Also known as OKKYAUNG was built in brick structure by Nanmadaw Me Nu(1818),chief queen of Bagyidaw.It is a brick and stucco monastery.In the middle of the monastery is a statute of the Buddha.                                                                                       top