Bagan

Bagan , in the past spelled Pagan , is a city of the North-West of the Burma. Founded in 849 by the meeting of 19 villages, it is the old capital of the Royaume of Pagan, destroyed by the Mongolian in 1287. Hundreds of Pagoda S and Stûpa S of stuccoed brick extend in the plain, at the edge of the Irrawaddy.

This extraordinary site, of width comparable with Angkor, was several times devastated by earthquakes. Inappropriate tourist installations (highway, golf course, turn of observation) did not allow its inscription the World heritage of humanity.

Today, Pagan offers temples and pagodas as far as the eye can see. At the time of its splendor (1044 - 1287), the capital of the first Burmese empire counted at least a half-million inhabitants, of Buddhist religion. All civil constructions, which were out of wood, disappeared.

History

Monuments

Built essentially between Xère and XIIIères, they present very varied types and styles, which always do not follow one another in the chronological order. The indianist Louis Frederic distinguishes three principal periods:

before 1047: influences various (Sri Lankaises, Indian, Tibetans arakanaises, mônes, Pyu, etc)
between 1047 and 1160: dominating mônes influences, development of a Burmese style
as from 1160: properly Burmese style

; Principal monuments, by order of construction

before 1047:

Sharabhâ, carries Is, remains enclosure of the king Pyinbya (reign of 846 with 878).
Bupaya, Stûpa of IXère century, demolished by the earthquake of 1975, rebuilt since.
Nat Hlaung Kyaung, only temple hindouist of Pagan, built by Nyaung-U Sawrahan († 964).

as from 1047:

Temple of Manuha, high with its expenses by the king my Manuha prisoner as from 1057.
Temple of Nanpaya, perhaps another construction of Manuha, and perhaps its first place of residence in Pagan.
Pagoda Shwesandaw, of style my, built by Anawrahta starting from 1057.
Lawkananda, stûpa builds by Anawrahta in 1059.
Pagoda Shwezigon, started with Anawrahta in 1059, completed by his/her son Kyanzittha.
Temple of the Nagayon, built by Kyanzittha starting from 1084.
Temple of Ananda, built by Kyanzittha in 1091.
Shwegûgyi, temple built by Alaungsithu in 1131, and where he died.
Thatbyinnyu, the most sanctuary, built by Alaungsithu in 1144.

after 1160:

Dhammayangyi, enormous temple started about 1167, either by Alaungsithu or by his/her son Narathu, remained unfinished.
Sulamani, temple built by Narapatisithu in 1183.
circular Dhammayanzika, stûpa built in 1196-98 by Narapatisithu.
triple sanctuary of the Payathonzu, perhaps about 1200.
Gawdawpalin, temple started with Narapatisithu († 1211) and completed by his/her son Htilominlo, very damaged in 1975 and restored.
Temple of Htilominlo, built by this one in 1218.
Temple of Mahabodhi, a small counterpart of the Temple of Mahabodhi of Bodh-Gaya, built about 1218.
Mingalazedi, stûpa builds by Narathihapati between 1268 and 1284.

The Inscription of Myazedi, gone back to 1113 approximately, is described like the Pierre de Rosette of Burma : it carries texts in 4 languages: Pyu, My, Burmese old and Faded. It is dedicated to the temple of Gubyaukgyi by prince Rajakumar, wire of the king Kyanzittha.

Bagan today

Early the morning, of faithful food for the bonzes in black vases placed for this purpose front the statues of the Buddha deposit, broods in the walls of the Pagan old man. Others prefer that the monks come to seek the offerings on their premises.

In the archaeological zone, the old capital of Burma is nothing any more but one calm village. The high place of Buddhist art is devoted above all to the traditional activities.

Buddhism making good household with the Animism which preceded it, one finds in Burma this symbiosis in popular holidays. Thus one can see on the place of Pagan a dancer disguised in Nat, beneficial genius, entreat the spirits malefic which come to disturb the mortals. In the same way, the puppeteers traverse the country by telling fantastic legends of very a deep past.

See too

Kingdom of Pagan

References

Louis Frederic, the Art of India and the Southeast Asia , Flammarion, 1994.

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