lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

PAMELA GUTMANAn Honorary Associate in the Department of Art History at the University of Sydney, and authorof Burma’s Lost Kingdoms: Splendours of Arakan, Pamela Gutman has been travellingto Myanmar since the early 1970s when she began work on her PhD on Rakhaing’s ancientart, architecture and inscriptions. The following are her top temple picks in Mrauk U:» Shittaung Paya (p 281 ) Regarded as the repository of Rakhaing national identity.» Dukkanthein Paya (p 282 ) For its mysterious buddha-lined passageways.» Andaw Paya (p 282 ) For its remarkable collection of sculptures.» Mahabodhi Shwegu (p 282 ) An example of the early style of Buddhist sculpture atMrauk U and for its representation of the Buddhist heaven, earth and hell. If you lookcarefully you can spot some erotic carvings on the buddha’s throne – very naughty fora Buddhist temple!283EAST GROUPThis area stretches a mile or so east of thepalace walls.Kothaung PayaBUDDHIST TEMPLEkui"eo;='".urC"One of Mrauk U’s highlights, this restoredtemple is a mile or so east of the palace. At230ft by 250ft, it’s Mrauk U’s largest temple.Built in 1553 by King Minbin’s son, KingMintaikkha, to outdo his pop’s Shittaung by10,000 images (‘Kothaung’ means ‘Shrineof 90,000 Images’), much of it was foundin fragments. Legends vary – that lightningor an earthquake in 1776 destroyed it, jewelseekersoverturned walls, or that it was builtwith inferior stones by a superstitious kingbent on beating a six-month timeline.The outer passageway is lined with thousandsof bas reliefs on the walls and buddhaimages (some headless). Stairways lead upto a top terrace, once dotted with 108 stupas.Get here either on the winding road toSakyamanaung (just north of Moe Cherry),veering right at one fork, or from the east–west road from the market, veering left beforethe bridge.Sakyamanaung PayaBUDDHIST TEMPLEskYmCn'eaC='.urC"Roughly half a mile northeast of the palacewalls, and behind Shwegudaung hill, thisgraceful Mon-influenced zedi was erected in1629 by King Thirithudhammaraza. At thislater stage, stupas were built more verticallyand ornately than before.The lower half of the well-preserved 280ftzedi features a multitiered octagonal shapeas at Laungbanpyauk Paya, but beyond thisthe bells revert to a layered circular shapemounted by a decorative hti (umbrella-liketop). You’ll see brightly painted, half-kneelinggiants at the west gate.Looking over Shwegudaung hill (back tothe west) Ratanamanaung offers fine views.From the path off the road, villagers will probablywalk with you towards Ratanamanaung.Peisi Daung PayaBUDDHIST TEMPLEpicietC='.ur;"On a hill immediately south of Kothaung,sits this unrestored four-door pagoda, housingfour sandstone buddha images. Pushyour way past the rubble and cobwebs forthe wondrous views from the top. It’s upto you whether you believe the locals whoclaim that it has the honour of keeping testiclerelics of the Buddha.Returning to town you’ll pass thePhraouk Paya, another hilltop pagoda.PALACE SITE & AROUNDJust east of the main strip of Mrauk U village,the one-time royal palace of Mrauk Unow is mostly crumbling walls (though theouter walls still stand 11.5ft high).According to the legend, King Minbin’sastrologers advised a move here in 1429after the palace at Launggret had been invadedby ‘poisonous snakes and evil birds’.His representatives witnessed some strangethings at this spot – an old guy playing aflute pointed to a cat-chasing rat and then asnake-biting frog – apparently suggesting itssoil as being worthy of a king. Constructionbegan in 1430 (though some sources say itdidn’t start until 1553).Palace MuseumMUSEUM(admission $5; h9am-4pm Mon-Fri) Just insidethe palace’s western walls is the Departmentof Archaeology’s museum, which housesRAKHAING WESTERN MYANMAR STATE SIGHTS SIGHTS MRAUK U (MYOHAUNG)