Sittwe
This port city of the Rakhine State sits at the mouth of the
Kaladan River where it empties into the Bay of Bangal. Off shore
delta islands form a wide protected channel that has served as
an important harbour for many centuries. The city started as a
trading port around 200 years ago and further developed after
the British occupation of 1826. International trade alone the
coast bloomed during the British era. Two huge cargo steamers a
day plied back and forth between Calcutta and Sittwe. Scottish
short-storywriter and novelist Hector Hugh Munro, known by his
pen name ‘Saki’, was born here in 1870. There is a distinctive
Rakhine twist on standard Myanmar culture that includes the
enjoyment of much spicy food and brighter-coloured clothing.
 Mrauk U. An ancient 15th century capital of the Kingdom of
Rakhine for 355 years. was founded by Rakhine King Min Saw Mun
in 1430A.D.. Mrauk U is known and become growing destination for
its old temples and wall paintings of Indian influence. The
stone pagodas in Mrauk U were built three ad four centuries ago.
Mahamuni Shrine, Shittaung Pagoda, Dukka Thein Pagoda,
Wai-tha-li Ancient City and Mrauk U Palace are some of the
interesting places to visit.
Attraction : Shitthaung Temple
Shitthaung or "temple of the 80,000 Buddhas" located about
half a mile to the north of the palace site was built by one of
the most powerful kings of the Mrauk-U Dynasty, called by the
people, Minbargyi. It is an ancient temple, in Mrauk Oo of
northern Rakhine state, Myanmar.
Htukkanthein Temple
 Htukkan (or Dukkhan), the temple stands on a hill, 30 feet
high, having a flat surface like that of a drum. King
Minphalaung built the pagoda in 1571 A.D. Like the Shitthaung
and the Andaw shrines, Dukkhanthein was built of hewn sandstones
and layers of bricks over the roof. It measures 190 feet from
north to south and 200 feet from east to west. It is reached by
stone stairways, 8' broad, situated on the east and south. These
stairways measuring 106 feet are built of massive stonewalls on
the north, east and south. The west one which is slightly convex
is connected to an oblong chamber.
The pagoda entrance on the east side, closer to the
south-east corner, leads to a long vaulted passage which spirals
up in two tiers till it reaches the central chamber. The
superstructure, a bell-shaped dome on receding terraces, is
similar to the one on Shitthaung, but here a tall square arch is
provided on the east side to admit light into the central
chamber. The inner chambers and passages of the temple are
constructed with well fitting and cemented stones. The pagoda is
well-known for the stone sculptures in the vaulted passages,
especially the figures of seated ladies, with different styles
of coiffure, in the manner of offering lotus buds to the Buddha.
Traditionally it is said that there are sixty-four kinds of
hairstyle and all the figures are of the wives of noblemen.
Besides, on both sides of the entire passage, niches of 1˝ feet
broad, 1 foot deep, and 2 feet high are dug at regular intervals
of 20 feet in the wall and each contains a stone image of the
Buddha in sitting posture. There are one hundred and forty-six
niches along the passage.
Laymyetnha Pagoda
About a distance of 150 feet to the northwest of the
Dukkhanthein Pagoda is the Laymyetnha Pagoda or "the fourfacaded
pagoda". King Minsawmon, the first king of Mrauk-U Dynasty,
built it in 1430 A.D. It is one of the five pagodas built at the
beginning of the establishment of the city. It is a square
structure, with a long protruding portal towards each cardinal
point. The interior room is octagonal. In the center of the
latter there is an octahedral column intended to support the
circular tower erected over the center of the roof. Over each of
the four corners of the terrace a smaller circular stupa was
built. Each side of the square of the shrine measures 55'; the
portals are 13' broad and protrude 17' into the platform.
The central tower is circular and has the shape of a dome,
with a circumference of 80 feet at the base and is 70 feet high.
There are 28 Buddha images as mentioned in the Sambuddha
scripture. |
