The wooden bridge over the ancient Inwa elephant stockade is under authentic restoration, according to Archaeologist Bo Shake (Yadanapura).
As the many-year-old bridge has decayed and deteriorated, the Department of Archaeology is carrying out the preservation activities.
“The elephant stockade is located on the west side of Inwa, beside Ayeyawady river. There is a wooden bridge at the entrance of the stockade. As it is very old, it has decayed over the years, causing inconvenience in crossing. It will be preserved without affecting ancient authenticity. We made hand rails after replacing with teak. The floors were made better. As the stockade was built in Yadanapon era, we maintained its ancient lathe-fashioned style,” he said.
The Inwa stockade is a busy place, and once the bridge restoration is completed, it will be strong enough for convenient crossing of the visitors, he said.
“The stockade is a busy place in Inwa, and it can also be called Inwa’s view point. It is on the bank of the Ayeyawady river, so there are many people who come to relax and watch it. They can see the great Ayeyawady from the stockade, and it is one of the most attractive places in Inwa,” Bo Shake explained.
During the reign of King Mindon in 1236 Myanmar Era (1874 AD), an elephant stockade was built near Inwa, south of the Ayeyawady river. It is a must to visit when a person arrives in ancient Inwa. Since the stockade is located on the bank of the Ayeyawady river, a visitor can enjoy a refreshment by breathing a cool breeze blowing over the river while gazing in a relaxed state at the boats and ships sailing in the river. – MT/ZN
