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Bagan founded as early as in 849 on the banks of the
Ayeyarwaddy river about 500 km north of Yangon. Bagan was
the capital of today Myanmar, whose area of dominance had
roughly the extent of the present Burmese state. The 10th
century archaeological site is considered one of the richest
and most amazing site in Asia, comparable to the sites of
worldwide importance such as Jerusalem, and Rome etc. Remain
virtually un-known. this once splendid and glorious capital
of the First Myanmar Empire, is now a 42 square km area
dotted with thousands of ancient pagodas, stupas, shrines,
ordination halls and monuments. It is one of the richest
archaeological site in Southeast Asia with more than 13,000
temples once stood and there are some 2200 monuments still
standing and some 2000 in ruins. Time, man and nature,
particularly earthquakes, have taken their toll but the most
important monuments have been restored to their original
grandeur. Some were destroyed by invaders, others by
earthquake and decay. Bagan's peak time coincided with
Myanmar's architectural peak time in 1044 with King
Anawratha's ascension to the throne.
Only one year after King Anawratha's conversion to Buddhism
in 1056 by a Mon monk, Shin Arahan, he went to war against
the Mon town of Thaton to gain possession of holy Buddhist
scripts, the Tripitaka. The holy Buddhist scripts were not
the only trophies gained from the war the Burmese army took
some 30,000 Mons prisoners of war to Bagan, among them
numerous craftsmen and artisans, who in following decades
not only enriched, but even determined, Bagan's culture. The
Pagodas of the following period were almost exclusively
built in Mon style. In 1287 hordes of Mongolian horsemen
under Kublai Khan conquered Bagan. The towns, at least the
wooden, secular buildings, were mostly burnt down. Soon
after, the realm of Bagan disintegrated into many, smaller
kingdoms and fiefdoms. In 1975 a strong earthquake damaged
and destroyed many smaller temples and even a number of
large and massively built temples and pagodas were harmed.
Bagan is accessible by air from Yangon, Mandalay or Heho
(Taunggyi) in an hour or less, can also be reached by road
from Yangon, a distance of around 683 km. From Mandalay and
Taunggyi, distances of around 320 km in other cases, travel
by road takes approximately 7 hour. From Mandalay the 12-14
hour cruise down the Ayeyarwady is very pleasant and
rewarding. Apart from these normal transport there are more
luxury cruise service like Road to Mandalay and the RV Pan
Daw ply regularly between these two ancient capitals,
Mandalay and Bagan.
 MOUNT.
POPA
A half-day trip from Bagan, the symmetrical cone of Mount
Popa is the centre of worshiping the "nat", typical Myanmar
Saints in Buddhism. The high rising mountain cone was
created by a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago and
offers a panoramic view of the dusty Bagan Plains. Shrines
along the staircase with 777 steps to the top of the
mountain are dedicated to these nats.
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NAT (SPIRIT)
Although Buddhism has been the established religion in
Burma, spirit worship or animism is also practiced. Ghosts
and demons have never really been seen but that is no reason
not to believe! The Burmese spirit world has thirty-seven
Nats, many of them are the spirits of those heroes who have
been killed. There are Nats of the house, the river, the air
and the jungle. Ritual dancing assisted by drinking a
locally made, high alcohol content spirit, leads to a
trance-like state, when contact can be made with the
supernatural. The lady in the yellow dress has just reached
this stage. Offerings to the Nats include fruit, an
arrangement typically of a fresh green coconut and some
bananas, and flowers. Though this is 21st century, people
still refer to various Nats over advantage of being good
luck in business, health and so fourth.
PAKKOKU
Lies on the western bank of the Ayeyarwady across Bagan.
This port city set just south of the Chindwin confluence and
commands an agriculturally rich hinterland between the two
great rivers. Economically significant and well known for
it's first quality tobacco production. From Bagan, which is
the most renowned tourist attraction of Myanmar, Pakokku is
accessible within about 45 minutes by ferryboat. One can
make a tour by local bus which is a fun way of seeing the
real life of this busy place and then travel outside the
town to the little know archaeological site of Pakhangyi. We
see the walls, visit the museum and a spectacular 19th
century wood carved monastery. The historic Pontaung and
Ponnyar mountain ranges where recent excavation determined
of in Pakokku District. It is a gate way to the scenic Mt.
Victoria and southern Chin State.
 SALAY
Today salay is known as an important centre of Buddhism with
many working monasteries. But throughout its past, Salay
created its own unique style of Bagan era architecture which
still exists today. Highlights include Payathonzu, Hkinkyiza
Kyaung, Yokesone Kyaung.
YÉHSALÈ and KONHSALÈ
There are over 20 temples and stupas and they are smaller
than the temples of Bagan, built in about 13th Century.
Temples are spread between the two villages Yésalè and
Konhsalè village. The villages are typical Myanmar Style
villages and beautiful. The most interesting temples are at
the Phopant Gone, between the two villages.
How
to get there …
It takes about three and half hour from Bagan by car.
Best time to visit …
The best time to visit is from the month of November to
April when the weather is fine and pleasant. In the rainy
season the Pin Creek is flooded and overflowed.
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