By U Win Sein
The kingdom of Pagan is pronounced as Bagan, Pagan Period, also known as Pagan Dynasty and the Pagan Empire, and the Bagan Dynasty or Bagan Empire. It was the first Burmese kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern-day Myanmar. Pagan’s 250-year rule over the Irrawaddy Valley and its periphery laid the foundation for the ascent of the Burmese language, and the growth of Theravada Buddhism
Bagan was the capital city of the Pagan Kingdom, the first Burmese kingdom, from 1044 until 1297. Today the area is a religious site for more than 2,500 Buddhist stupas and monasteries, the largest and the densely concentration of Buddhist monuments in the world, but at the kingdom’s heydays there were over 10,000.
The Bagan Dynasty, the first dynasty in the history of Myanmar, flourished from the 11th to the 13th centuries and built the foundation of Myanmar culture, and Buddhism was introduced throughout the coastal regions, people endeavoured to build pagodas in order to perform religious deeds. Bagan also prospered as a great kingdom for water management. Many pagodas were maintained by successive kings, even today Bagan is loved by many people both at home and abroad as the birthplace of Myanmar’s culture and heritage and enormous efforts for the conservation of water.
It is said that the Bagan dynasty was founded under King Anawrahta in the middle of the 11th century. The core of the kingdom was built in the area that is now called “. Old Bagan is located on the banks of Irrawaddy River, part of the palace was lost due to erosion, but in the past, the palace walls surrounded the palace. The Royal palace was placed in the centre, with large pagodas built by the king himself on the inside and outside of the palace. The power of the kingdom spread throughout the Ayeyawady River, which is the main source of water transport and has sustained with the support of its flourishing grain-producing regions. The influence of the Bagan Dynasty extended to the coastal areas and various cultures were spread throughout the country by the Mon people, who inherited advanced cultures from India as a result of maritime intercourse. The introduction of Buddhism and scriptures by the famous monk Shin Arahan represents the growth of Buddhism in Burma.
Monuments of the early Bagan era, such as inscriptions of the Mon language, Manuha Temple, which was built by the captive Mon king in 1067, according to King Manuha’s inscriptions and pagodas characterized by the style of the Pyu culture that flourished before Bagan were the best example of cultural exchange of the time.
Development of the culture of building pagodas, in the 12th century, has even carried out further into the future. Buddhism was accepted by a great population, not only the king but also the ministers and officials who actively participated in the construction were gradually expanded to inland areas even as far away from the palace. The use of Burmese scripts had also spread and the pagodas to convey information to future generations. The names and titles of the builders, the details of the land areas and items donated together with the pagodas were all written. The inscriptions were valuable clues to make people understand the noble and religiously simple people of Bagan.
At its peak, Toungoo exercised suzerainty from Manipur to the Cambodian marches and from the borders of Arakan to Yunnan and was referred to as “probably the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia”, and also the “adventurous and military successful dynasty” but in Burmese history it was the shortest that lived.
The First Toungoo Empire (Toungoo era) is also known as the First Toungoo Dynasty. The Second Burmese Empire or simply Toungoo Empire) was the dominant power in mainland Southeast Asia in the second half of the 16th century.
The first great Burmese Kingdom was established by King Anawrahta in 1057 with the capital in Bagan. The empire encompassed most of present-day Myanmar as well as the Menam Valley in Thailand. It lasted for two centuries until Kublai Khan invaded it. From the time it was established on the eastern bank of the Ayeyawady River, Bagan was already a sizeable metropolis in the 9th century, when it was inhabited by the Burmese tribe who had migrated into the area proceeding many centuries from China and Tibet. Pagan’s 250-year rule over the Irrawaddy Valley and its periphery laid the foundation for the ascent of the Burmese language and culture, the spread of the Bama ethnicity in Upper Myanmar and the growth of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar and mainland Southeast Asia.
Bagan formerly is an ancient city and from the 11th to 13th century, more than 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed in the Bagan plain alone, of which the remains of over 2,200 temples and pagodas have survived up to today. Bagan is famous for its thousands of temples that were built from the 9th to 11th century, the city was the capital of the Bagan Empire and was the cultural and political centre of Myanmar during that time. There are over 1,400 pagodas in Myanmar over 27 feet (8.2 metres) and most of them are Buddhist.
Buddhism is the main religion practised in Myanmar, with the Theravada Buddhist schools being the form of Buddhism. Mostly widespread across the country. This form of Buddhism initially spread from India through Sri Lanka and then across Southeast Asia. Other religions including Mahayana, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Animism are also practised in Myanmar. It’s even common to see a mixture of religions practised together at Buddhist religious sites in the country made apparent with the statues of local Animist spirits known as Nats and Hindu gods and goddesses situated alongside statues of the Buddha.
Buddhist religious structures have features that physically show elements of Buddhist belief. Common designs include pointed spires, towers or domes that were intended to symbolize Mount, Meru, the centre of the Hindu and later Buddhist universe, where a central point is surrounded by four others. Arranged in circles to represent the origin or structure of the universe. The Mandala and what it represents was so important that the layout of Bagan itself was in that shape.
However, in the 13th century, the glory and dynamics of the dynasty started to disappear. It is said that the enthusiasm for constructing the pagodas was excessive enough to tilt the national strength and wreak havoc on the nation. As a result, pagodas constructed towards the end of the dynasty tended to be more compact compared to those built before them.
The kingdom of Pagan is pronounced as Bagan, Pagan Period, also known as Pagan Dynasty and the Pagan Empire, and the Bagan Dynasty or Bagan Empire. It was the first Burmese kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern-day Myanmar. Pagan’s 250-year rule over the Irrawaddy Valley and its periphery laid the foundation for the ascent of the Burmese language, and the growth of Theravada Buddhism
Bagan was the capital city of the Pagan Kingdom, the first Burmese kingdom, from 1044 until 1297. Today the area is a religious site for more than 2,500 Buddhist stupas and monasteries, the largest and the densely concentration of Buddhist monuments in the world, but at the kingdom’s heydays there were over 10,000.
The Bagan Dynasty, the first dynasty in the history of Myanmar, flourished from the 11th to the 13th centuries and built the foundation of Myanmar culture, and Buddhism was introduced throughout the coastal regions, people endeavoured to build pagodas in order to perform religious deeds. Bagan also prospered as a great kingdom for water management. Many pagodas were maintained by successive kings, even today Bagan is loved by many people both at home and abroad as the birthplace of Myanmar’s culture and heritage and enormous efforts for the conservation of water.
It is said that the Bagan dynasty was founded under King Anawrahta in the middle of the 11th century. The core of the kingdom was built in the area that is now called “. Old Bagan is located on the banks of Irrawaddy River, part of the palace was lost due to erosion, but in the past, the palace walls surrounded the palace. The Royal palace was placed in the centre, with large pagodas built by the king himself on the inside and outside of the palace. The power of the kingdom spread throughout the Ayeyawady River, which is the main source of water transport and has sustained with the support of its flourishing grain-producing regions. The influence of the Bagan Dynasty extended to the coastal areas and various cultures were spread throughout the country by the Mon people, who inherited advanced cultures from India as a result of maritime intercourse. The introduction of Buddhism and scriptures by the famous monk Shin Arahan represents the growth of Buddhism in Burma.
Monuments of the early Bagan era, such as inscriptions of the Mon language, Manuha Temple, which was built by the captive Mon king in 1067, according to King Manuha’s inscriptions and pagodas characterized by the style of the Pyu culture that flourished before Bagan were the best example of cultural exchange of the time.
Development of the culture of building pagodas, in the 12th century, has even carried out further into the future. Buddhism was accepted by a great population, not only the king but also the ministers and officials who actively participated in the construction were gradually expanded to inland areas even as far away from the palace. The use of Burmese scripts had also spread and the pagodas to convey information to future generations. The names and titles of the builders, the details of the land areas and items donated together with the pagodas were all written. The inscriptions were valuable clues to make people understand the noble and religiously simple people of Bagan.
At its peak, Toungoo exercised suzerainty from Manipur to the Cambodian marches and from the borders of Arakan to Yunnan and was referred to as “probably the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia”, and also the “adventurous and military successful dynasty” but in Burmese history it was the shortest that lived.
The First Toungoo Empire (Toungoo era) is also known as the First Toungoo Dynasty. The Second Burmese Empire or simply Toungoo Empire) was the dominant power in mainland Southeast Asia in the second half of the 16th century.
The first great Burmese Kingdom was established by King Anawrahta in 1057 with the capital in Bagan. The empire encompassed most of present-day Myanmar as well as the Menam Valley in Thailand. It lasted for two centuries until Kublai Khan invaded it. From the time it was established on the eastern bank of the Ayeyawady River, Bagan was already a sizeable metropolis in the 9th century, when it was inhabited by the Burmese tribe who had migrated into the area proceeding many centuries from China and Tibet. Pagan’s 250-year rule over the Irrawaddy Valley and its periphery laid the foundation for the ascent of the Burmese language and culture, the spread of the Bama ethnicity in Upper Myanmar and the growth of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar and mainland Southeast Asia.
Bagan formerly is an ancient city and from the 11th to 13th century, more than 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed in the Bagan plain alone, of which the remains of over 2,200 temples and pagodas have survived up to today. Bagan is famous for its thousands of temples that were built from the 9th to 11th century, the city was the capital of the Bagan Empire and was the cultural and political centre of Myanmar during that time. There are over 1,400 pagodas in Myanmar over 27 feet (8.2 metres) and most of them are Buddhist.
Buddhism is the main religion practised in Myanmar, with the Theravada Buddhist schools being the form of Buddhism. Mostly widespread across the country. This form of Buddhism initially spread from India through Sri Lanka and then across Southeast Asia. Other religions including Mahayana, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Animism are also practised in Myanmar. It’s even common to see a mixture of religions practised together at Buddhist religious sites in the country made apparent with the statues of local Animist spirits known as Nats and Hindu gods and goddesses situated alongside statues of the Buddha.
Buddhist religious structures have features that physically show elements of Buddhist belief. Common designs include pointed spires, towers or domes that were intended to symbolize Mount, Meru, the centre of the Hindu and later Buddhist universe, where a central point is surrounded by four others. Arranged in circles to represent the origin or structure of the universe. The Mandala and what it represents was so important that the layout of Bagan itself was in that shape.
However, in the 13th century, the glory and dynamics of the dynasty started to disappear. It is said that the enthusiasm for constructing the pagodas was excessive enough to tilt the national strength and wreak havoc on the nation. As a result, pagodas constructed towards the end of the dynasty tended to be more compact compared to those built before them.
