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Myanmar,
Burma, pagoda,
temple, stupa,
pagodas
Myanmar,
Shwedagon
pagoda,
Pagodas temples
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Pagodas and a
Buddhist temple are more or less a
synonym of Myanmar,
“The golden Land” or “The Land of Pagodas“.
Pagodas are present everywhere; in cities
and towns,
villages
and hamlets, on the banks and
sometimes right in rivers and seas. A
oriental pagoda always represents the deep
dedication to Buddhism as you can see at
pagoda pictures below and elsewhere in our
website. Sometimes people create a garden
pagoda but this is mainly for decorative
purposes. In a real authentic Japanese
garden a pagoda is always placed on a
strategic point. The most beautiful Myanmar
style pagoda outside Myanmar is at
Penang Georgetown
in Malaysia, here are the best
pagoda pictures.
Perched
atop hills and mountains,
in forests and glades, beside highways and
byways, gleaming golden or glinting white in
the sunlight and symbolizing the firm faith
in Theravada Buddhism of 80% of its
inhabitants. A Buddhist pagoda is almost
always a golden or yellow pagoda or a white
pagoda.
Buddhist
pagodas are constantly built and renovated
to gain merit and / or it needs a repair, in
particular after the heavy monsoon floods.
Sometimes a pagoda collapses, but this don’t
happen often since the pagoda architecture
is in a way that there is no hollow space
inside. A pagoda or zedi is a solid
structure, this is similar with a big pagoda
and small pagoda.
Pagodas always look more or less in the
same way, it wont matter if it is a
Myanmar or Burmese, a Chinese pagoda,
Japanese pagoda or Thai |
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pagoda
etc. The main difference
is mostly the environ of a pagoda.
Sometimes a
whole small village is built around a pagoda,
as it is with the Shwedagon Pagoda and
sometimes the pagoda is isolated on top of a
hill.
Pagodas are even
built into the river, a example of a pagoda
in the river is the Kyauktan Pagoda on the
way from Yangon to Syriam.
Opposite the northern entrance of the
Shwedagon Pagoda on the banks of a small
lake is the world peace pagoda, a very
idyllic pagoda picture. |
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Shwedagon Pagoda Platform
Yangon Myanmar
Eye catching are also the
other pagodas and temples on the Shwedagon
Pagoda Platform. Take a look at the great scenery
around the Shwedagon Pagoda looking down over
Yangon.
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Pagodas and temples
in Myanmar
or Burma are also called stupa or stupas
when they have pagoda proportions. Pagodas and temples,
Myanmar,
Burma,
Birma, pagoda, temple, stupa, stupas, mount meru,
Mt.Meru, Theravada Buddhism, pagodas of Myanmar,
temples of Myanmar, pagodas of Burma, temples of
Burma, tempel in Birma, pagoden in Birma. |
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Temple Cross Section and
Layout Myanmar - Burma |
The temple layout has its origins in the caves used by
Buddhists of the very early days in
India, the Burmese word is gu, or
cave.
The hollow structure
of a temple allows the visitor to enter. With the
time and the emergence of different
building techniques the layout of
Buddhist temples grew
more sophisticated spreading out
into chambers and passageways.
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Pagoda or Stupa Cross
Section and Layout Myanmar -
Burma |
Pagoda or Stupas are solid
structures, the layout is usually
square or five sided.
Enshrined
in a pagoda are sacred relics or a particular potent image or
figure of the Buddha, scriptures and
/ or precious items.
The
pagoda structure is terraced, three or five times, with a bell
shaped top. The terraces
of pagodas indicate the slopes of the cosmic mountain Mt. Meru, the abode of Hindu gods. The stupa is a
symbol of the Buddha and naturally
functions as a protective structure
for the relicts. |
The zedi is the rudiment of the
original four-square temples.
more about Pagodas
The zedi consists of a pyramidal or polygonal base (panat-chi),
with niches (hlaing-gu) for images of the Buddha.
It is
represented in all stages of its decrement.
Above the base of the pagoda come tapering courses (pyissagan), after
these the bell-shaped body of the upper pagoda (kaunglaung separated by three
mouldings (kyo-waing) from the thabeit-hmauk (inverted
alms-bowl). Then follow seven heavy bead-rolls (pung kun-hnillon)
surmounted by the lotus (kyd-lan, salaung-bon), out of which
issues the bulb (ngapyaw-bu, pein-hne-daung).
Several Buddha sculptures and images are in every
Myanmar pagoda and temple.
The canopy
(umbrella) oft the Myanmar pagoda is a metal construction of graduated bands one
above the other, richly embossed and ornamented. To the
lower edges of these bands small bells are hung, which have
vanes to their clappers to make them tinkle in the wind.
This terminates the
Myanmar pagoda in a long finial bearing a vane (hngemmana)
and at the apex a silver orb studded with, jewels (seimbu).
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On lesser zedi a glass ball or bottle caps the finial.
The tic is always gilt, the cone generally whitewashed. In
wealthy towns the cone of the Paya-dyi is gilt from crown to
platform (tamanthalin).
Unlike the ancient temples with
their stairs and corridors,
the later zedi - pagoda- is a solid mass of brick
and earth, plastered over.
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The summit is
inaccessible, except by means of scaffolding. Zedi arc
commonly spoken of as Paya, in the same way as are the
images of the Buddha, for which the distinctive term is
sindu. kyaung.
In addition to
the zedi,
there are three other classes of
religious edifices the tazaung, wut, and zayat.
All these may be decorated in the palatial style and are
mostly of wood. But a public well or a roadside
water-stand, the portal of a bridge or a wharf, may likewise
be surmounted by the royal pyatthat in virtue of the
religious distinction which attaches to every work dedicated
to public use by private bounty.
The
temple zayat is intended for sojourners in the precincts on
duty days. The wut differs from the zayat in having a dais
for images of the Buddha. The tazaung is only for the
reception of images.
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Myanmar Pagoda and Temple Bagan Sunset Pagoda
Panorama
 
Myanmar Pagoda and Temple Bagan Gubyaukgyi Pagoda
Stone Window
Bagan Pagoda Buddha
 
Myanmar Pagoda and Temple Bagan Thatbyinnyu Temple Bagan
Temples & Pagoda golden Dome
Myanmar Pagoda and Temple Bagan Balloons Panorama
Myanmar Pagoda
and Temple Bagan Ananda Tempel in the Morning Mist
Myanmar Pagoda and Temple Bagan Dhammayangyi
Temple |
Myanmar Pagoda and Temple Bagan Ayeyarwady
River Boat and Pagoda |
Myanmar Pagoda and Temple Bagan Oxcart and
Pagodas |
Myanmar Pagoda and Temple Monk Commuter
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Of the Southeast
Asian nations, Myanmar attracts fewer tourists
than the more 'trendy' spots such as Thailand,
Malaysia and recently Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
But a country that is known by two names evokes its
own cloud of mystery and is sure to pique the
interest of adventure seekers and the more intrepid
traveler.
Burma or today Myanmar was a British colony until independence was
granted in 1948. In 1990 the country's name was
changed to Myanmar (which means all national races)
to better reflect all the diversity of ethnic
groups. It has affectionately been called the 'Land
of Ten Thousand Pagodas' and the 'golden Land': both
names are apt. In some cities temples can be found
on nearly every corner and - while this may not
differ from nearby countries - many of these
highlight the extraordinary relationship that the
Burmese have between their beliefs and the land.
Myanmar has approximately 45 million people who
are divided into over 165 recognized ethnic groups.
It shares its borders with Bangladesh, Laos,
China, Thailand and the Bay of Bengal. The country
is rich in natural resources - it has lovely pearls,
rubies and gems - and its landscape includes
pristine beaches, lowland plains and snow -capped
mountains.
Unlike other neighboring nations, Myanmar has had
little foreign investment: it is one of a
handful of countries that remain unscarred by
globalize food chains. As a result, traveling in
this land induces images of ancient Asia and
provides an opportunity for complete immersion in a
culture untainted by westernization. |
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No trip to Myanmar is complete without visiting
some of the following: Mt Popa, the Pindaya
Caves, Kyaiktiyo, Bagan, The Thanbode Temple,
Mandalay, Inle Lake and the capital Yangon.
Mt Popa in the eastern part of the country is an
amazing geographical and man-made spectacle. The
mountain is an extinct volcano that because of its
sheer-sidedness resembles an inverted bowl; however,
it is the Monastery built on the plateau that
catches the eye. At 1518 meters it can be seen from
all directions and its white walls and golden
trimmings resemble a fairytale castle. |
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Nearby the Pindaya Caves are another example of a
remarkable union between nature and mankind.
Situated behind the main attraction (the Shweu
{golden Cave} pagoda) tunnel-like
limestone caves snake into the mountain. Within this maze,
6000 Buddha images flicker
in the candlelight creating
a surreal effect that will
be sure to leave the
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Pindaya Caves |
visitor more enlightened.
Not to be outdone by these two attractions is the
remarkable
Kyaiktiyo pagoda. It sits upon a
golden rock that balances atop Mt Kyaiktiyo. The
large golden boulder can actually be rocked back and
forth and is said to balance because of a precisely
placed Buddha hair.
The legend is that 2500 years
ago a hermit was given a hair by the Buddha and
sought an appropriate place for such a sacred
object. He found a rock that resembled the Buddha's
head and secured the hair in a pagoda on top. Many
villagers make the pilgrimage to the 1100 meter high
site, which, having survived several earthquakes, is
truly one of the |
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world's wonders. Also on the eastern Shan plateau at 700 meters
above seas level is
Inle Lake, a gentle body of
water bound by reeds and canals. Two hundred
villages surround the lake and many houses rise out
of the water on stilts. The lake is an important
resource of the 150,000 people of the Shan state,
providing for their main activities: fishing and
weaving. It also serves as a marketplace where
canoes are used as stalls and people paddle through
the flotilla browsing and buying all types of wares. |
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Pagodas
and temples,
Myanmar,
Burma, Birma,
pagoda,
temple,
Theravada
Buddhism,
pagodas of
Myanmar,
temples of
Myanmar,
pagodas of
Burma. |
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The
Ayeyarwady or Irrawaddy River splits Myanmar
down the middle, running from the Myanmar
Himalayas close to India to the Bay of Bengal
through Mandalay and alongside the capital Yangon.
Both these cities are dotted with temples and
pagodas, most notable are; the Kuthodaw pagoda in
Mandalay, famous for its marble writings from the
Buddha cannon; and the pristine, 2500 year old
Shwedagon in Yangon with a spire that towers 100
meters. |
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The Mandalay region was the last Kingdom of the
Myanmar dynasty before the English conquered
Myanmar. Now the city remains the cultural
center of Myanmar and offers tourists a trip back in
time........ by the river water buffalo teams can
still be seen bringing in logs! A boat trip up the
Ayeyarwady also reveals an insightful look into
village life and an opportunity to mix with the
hardworking and friendly locals. If you are still
interested in pagodas, they line the banks!
Myanmar is also home to two of the largest pagoda
and temple areas cities in the world: Bagan and
Mrauk U . Bagan, An ancient
capital between 1044 and
1287 AD, Bagan is thought to
be the birthplace of the
Myanmar civilization. Today
it's a very popular tourist
destination; the city is
clean and spacious and
provides a |
Mandalay region at Mingun |
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Thambuddhe Temple |
base to visit the 2000 or so
temples built on the 16 square
kilometer site. In contrast, Mrauk U
is only accessible by a five-hour
boat ride out of the main town in
Myanmar's northwest, Sittwe,
at present many of its temples are being restored.
The giant temple of
Thambuddhe is one temple
that must be visited. Situated just outside of
Monywa it was built between 1939 and 1952 and is
home to 582,257 Buddha images: possibly the largest
single collection of Buddha statues in the world.
Two white elephants, that symbolize fertility and
knowledge, guard the collection.
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The Myanmar people are very friendly, positive,
very deep anchored into Buddhism and almost tribal
in nature. Their family and
friends are extremely important in
their life and they extend this
friendship to foreigners: often
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seeking them out and initiating conversations.
With such a fusion of
cultures this makes for an exceptional
travel experience unlikely to be replicated
elsewhere.
In 1898 Rudyard Kipling wrote, "this is Burma,
and it will be quite unlike any land you will know."
This statement rings true today as Myanmar remains a
rare gem; the people, culture and scenery combining
to make it a unique experience in an ever-shrinking
world.
About the Author Tony Jones
Explore-Myanmar is one of the premier tour companies
operating in Myanmar, guaranteeing all our customers
a truly wonderful holiday experience. For more info
please check out our web site.
http://www.explore-myanmar.com |
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all at e-books
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Myanmar,
Burma, Birma,
pagoda,
temple,
stupa,
stupas,
mount meru,
mt.meru
Theravada
Buddhism,
pagodas of
Myanmar,
Shwedagon
pagoda |
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