Burma Mandalay

 
Burma Mandalay Hill

is the landmark of Mandalay City, the last royal city of the Burma Kings, King Mindon and King Thibaw is the hub and centre of Burma culture, arts and crafts, Burma literature, music and dancing, fine Arts, and besides the core of Buddhist learning and architecture. It is the place where so-called Burma Ten Flowers bloom and flourish.

The City is closely associated with the historic Mandalay Hill, which stands close-by. The Mandalay Hill provides poignant scenes and beauty that supplements the added value of the City. Emerald-green Nanda Lake is close to it. It is 236 m high and situated just northeast of the City. On top of the hill one could behold panoramic view of Mandalay and its environs, enjoying peace and tranquility, joy and contentment and can submerge in harmony with nature.

Two large and majestic Lion statues are guarding the entrance and will take 1729 steps to the apex. After taking 435 steps, one will reach the observation platform from where one can have bird’s eye view of the stunning scenes and sights. You

 Burma Mandalay Hill                                                                        
will see the city, the royal palace, Kuthodaw pagoda and also the blue ridge of the Shan mountains, the sleepy town of Sagaing on the bank of ever-flowing mother Ayeyawady.

LEGEND There is a strong tradition that at one times, Buddha and his faithful disciple ANANDA happened to visit the Mandalay Hill. Buddha emphatically prophesied that in the 2400th year of Buddhist Religion (1857 A.C.), a great metropolis would be founded at his foot. That prediction came into reality during the reign of King Mindon (1853-78) who transferred his royal capital of Amarapura to his newly-built Mandalay City. To commemorate the great event a huge Buddha’s standing image is constructed, pointing his right arm to the direction of the Mandalay City. This statue was originally commissioned by King Mindon and later restored by famous Great Hermit, U Khanti. It is known as Byadeikpay Buddha statue (Foretelling Buddha)

Buddha on Mandalay Hill

PESHAWAR RELICS At this place, one will find a pagoda that shrines relics of Buddha. It is surprising; the Buddha relics came from Peshawar, located in northwestern Peshawar, 2000 years ago. Peshawar is also called Purushapura, well known as the centre of Ghandara Art, the ancient and oldest school of Buddhist Art in the world. The Ruler of Kushana dynasty, in the 2nd century, opened up the stupa of the Great Emperor Asoka and redistributed the contents. During the 20th century, when the British made archaeological excavations there, they discovered a reliquary containing Buddha’ relics, belonging to Kushana Kings. As the Muslims had no idea to deal with those relics, the British had no option but to present the same to the Burma people. Hence, the authentic Buddha relics are to be enshrined in the said pagoda. One of the most beautiful Burmese or Burma Buddhist pagoda - temple is in Penang Malaysia.

More Mandalay Photo - Picture    See the Burma Mandalay Videos

The father of King Thibaw reigned from 1853 to 1878. In 1857 he gave the order to move the capital from Amarapura to a new site. Chosen was a suitable place near the holy mountain, Mandalay Hill. According to the legend Lord Buddah had stood here once with his disciple Ananda.

From there Lord Buddha pointed towards the South-West prophesying that sometime in the future a city of great religious importance would be built there. King Mindon chose this spot and named the new city Mandalay.

After four years building the royal palace was finished in 1859. During his reign he strongly supported culture and religion. He tried hard to make Mandalay a centre of Buddhist learning, convening the Fifth Buddhist Council there in 1871.

Despite of strong conservative opposition, Mindon initiated several reforms. The most important reforms he did on the land tax plus fixed salaries for government employees. He standardized the country’s weights and measures. A program to build roads and a telegraph system was started. He also was the first king to issue coinage.

The British colonialists forced him to sign a treaty to split the country, cut off from
King Mindon the founder of Burma Mandalay
the sea and took some of the best teak forest and rice growing regions under their control.

The king also started industrial reforms, many foreign machinery was imported and set up (about the same time when the Japanese under the Meiji dynasty did the same). Unfortunately the British destroyed all industrial setups when they took control of the whole country.

This was according to their doctrine to force their colonies to function as supplier of raw material only. King Mindon died in a all teak pavilion within the palace city. King Thibaw donated this building to be used as a monastery

Burma Mandalay Palace Wall Moat and Hill

In 1858 the foundations for the Mandalay Palace

wall were laid out and persons selected to be buried alive under each gate and one under each corner of the Mandalay Palace wall. In addition, four were buried under the Mandalay Palace Lion Throne and others at strategic points. All together fifty-two humans, among them a pregnant woman, were buried within the fortress on the advice an assembly of astrologers.

Burma Mandalay Palace Illustration from the 19 Century	Burma Mandalay Palace Illustration from the 19 Century Panorama
Burma Mandalay Palace Moat and Wall Sunset	Burma Mandalay Palace Meditating under the rain tree

Mandalay Palace Building

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The fortified Mandalay Palace City, built in the form of a square with brick and mud-plastered walls, is 8 metres high and 2 kilometres long. It has 12 gates equidistant from each other, 3 on each side, surmounted by tiered roofs. A moat (picture below) 66 metres wide and 3.7 metres deep, surrounds the city with four bridges leading to the doors in he wall.
The king declared this is the centre of the universe and he is receiving the messages directly “from above” through
	the spire (picture left). The Royal Mandalay Palace of traditional Burma wooden architecture was a complex of highly ornamented and gilded buildings and glass mosaic. The original Palace buildings were razed to the ground by fire near the end of World War II but Mandalay Palace the centre of the universenow Myat Nan San Kyaw, the Golden Palace, has been reconstructed according to its original design. The funds were donated from various parties, mainly from the wealthy after some constructive requests by the local military.
Mandalay Palace moat and wall
Burma Mandalay Palace British Soldiers Parade	In the end, the country was finally annexed by the British in 1885. Burma was devastated by the World War II and the British evacuation and the reoccupation of Mandalay and Burma. During the war, many significant buildings of Mandalay were either burnt down or heavily damaged. That included many constructions in Mandalay, including the King’s palace. However, the palace of Mandalay and many buildings were rebuilt on the original ground on old model. Last Burma or Burmese King and Queen in Mandalay

The first Burma Minister who visited the West was distinguished Minister, Kinwun Mingyi, eminent administrator and jurist. King Mindon convened the Fifth Buddhist Synod (Sangayana) at Mandalay, engraving the Buddhist scriptures at the Kuthodaw Pagoda at the foot of the Mandalay hill. Buddhist Canon of Tripitaka Texts were inscribed on 729 marble slabs and housed in small shrines there. It constitutes the “World’s Biggest Book” in Mandalay. If piled up it will reach the height of 20 storied high rise building.King Thibaw (1878-1885), the last king who ruled the country

Buddhist scriptures at the Kuthodaw Pagoda                      out of Mandalay was inefficient, inexperienced and imprudent. During his reign, there were court intrigues in Mandalay and massacre of royal kinsmen.

Mandalay Buddha and ogress

When he ascended the throne, the King would found a new and flourishing city at the foot of the Mandalay hill, to be known as Yadanabon. Here, Buddhism will be promoted and perpetuated.

This prophesy turned out to be true as Mandalay was founded by the pious King Mindon who convened the Fifth Buddhist Synod (Council) in 1871.

Brief Chronology of Mandalay

11.Sept.1853 A general meeting of monks and men held at Masoeyane Monastery decided against
the move of the capital to a new site.

Upon arrival in Mandalay, I visit Maha Muni Pagoda, which enshrines Burma's most sacred Buddha statue. According to legend, the twelve foot, seven inch statue was cast in the 1st century AD after Lord Buddha consented to a replica of his "Living Self." Followers fervently believe that it harbors some of his soul. It was conveyed to Burma in 1784 as a spoil of war from Arakan. It is a mystery how such a large icon was transported over the steep, pathless mountainside, but many attribute the feat to its supernatural powers. As a woman, I am barred from entering the inner sanctum, but with a 200mm zoom lens, I am able to capture the magnificence of this revered icon from the outside.

The statue is greatly distorted from an estimated twelve tons of gold leaf offerings that worshippers have burnished onto the body. Devotees arrive daily starting at 4:00 a.m. to perform the meritorious deeds of washing the face, gilding the revered icon, or simply meditating. They do not pray, per se, but rather refresh their memories of Buddhist principles by repeating the scriptures. However, their recitation seems to me indistinguishable from prayer, and their expressions are those of hopes fulfilled and serenity attained. To look upon the spartan simplicity of the people and their dress against the wealth that devotion has lavished on the venerated image, it seems a more strident contrast is not to be found anywhere in the world.

When their teacher catches on to the disruption, I feign contrition, much to the gleeful amusement of the pupils, and quickly retreat.

Carrying with me the ineffaceable images of the first day's exploration, I am still to behold a wondrous sight.

Set in what seems to be the quietest landscape on earth, the U-Bein Bridge is a sublime merging of nature and man's creation. Extending 3/4 of a mile over Taungthaman Lake, this longest teak bridge in the world seems to stretch

out to infinity.Built in 1784 from 1,086 lofty teak pillars that were salvaged from the Inwa Palace, the impressive footbridge stands just as sturdily today as it did more than two centuries ago.

Among the "rush hour" commuters silhouetted against the persimmon and amethyst sky are monks, fishermen, vendors, and those who come simply to behold the breathtaking sunset.

As an unparalleled beauty gradually unfolds, I begin to understand the allure. I mount my camera on my tripod as everything seems to fall into place in the most agreeable way: subject, exposure, and composition come together to created an image of unity and magic, wonderfully evocative of hard-working people returning home at the end of the day. Dusk falls on the U-Bein Bridge with the gentleness of a calm whisper, and the all-embracing serenity reminds me how everyday cares fade away in the presence of nature's gifts.

This tram or streetcar was running in Mandalay during the same time as the Meiji dynasty was on in Japan.

During this time the development of Burma was about the same as the development in Japan.

The British colonialists destroyed everything according to the doctrine to keep Burma purely as a supplier for raw material.

This is one of the reason why there is this mess in the country this days, the foundation for this was laid by the British.

I reluctantly say goodbye to my new friends. It has been one of those golden chances of fate that comes but seldom in a lifetime.

Among countless memories of Mandalay, this will always stand out because of the quality of friendship that entered into it. Here, as throughout Burma, what I  enjoy most is meeting the gentle people of kind demeanor and gracious manners. I know I will never forget this magical day, and I am reminded of what my friend Joyce says of the people she meets in her travels. "We are still connected, although we may never meet again. I become a part of them and they become a part of me."

Day three begins at the Irrawaddy River, known as "The Road to Mandalay" and made famous by Rudyard Kipling's poem. For centuries, this vital river has been the region's lifeblood and main highway of commerce. Once the route of entourages of ancient kings and early explorers, it is still an essential means of travel and transport. The Kywezun Jetty is a fascinating, dilapidated shantytown on the banks of the Irrawaddy. I slowly explore the animated jetty, stopping to take in every intriguing detail, feeling the tremendous energy of the place.

Smoke from cooking fires hangs in the air, and everything appears monochromatic, as if seen through a reddish-brown sepia tone filter. Scores of riverboats are moored at the water's edge while others jostle for space.

The shore is lined with rows of bullock carts and heaps of merchandise for transport. I've brought my tripod along but quickly abandon it for ease of movement and navigation.

Carpets of earthenware pottery and red chilies are spread in the sun to dry. Women swarm up and down alarmingly narrow, precarious gangplanks, hauling excessively heavy loads of sand from ship to shore.

The cultural richness of Mandalay is manifest in several artistic traditions, but puppetry stands out for its distinctive nature. These marionette performances date back centuries, when they were held in the royal courts. The themes of marionette plays are drawn from the ten great lives of Lord Buddha, from the 550 birth stories of Prince Siddharta, and from historic legend. The elaborately carved wooden puppets, between two and three feet in height, are lavishly dressed in embroidered silk, velvet, sequins and gems.

From the back of the tiny theatre, I position myself with 400 ISO film, an 80-200mm zoom lens, and flash to captue the action as the puppet master expertly manipulates the marionettes to life in roles ranging from serpents to garudas and jesters to kings. Horses gallop against a backdrop of forest.

Monkeys swing through the jungle grasping for bananas. 

On my fourth day in Mandalay, I venture to Ava, which lies twelve miles southwest of Mandalay. To arrive there, I cross the Ayerwaddy River by ferry and explore by the only means of transport available: a cart drawn by a pony in a tasseled harness. Ava was founded by the Shan King Thadominbya in 1364 and remained the longest standing capital of the Shan Dynasty, until 1783. It was abandoned in the 18th century and remains nearly so today except for small villages of inhabitants living in thatch huts. The opulence is now hushed, but the deeper undertones of grandeur remain. The crumbling, ruined temple stands in a melancholy field of overgrown prairie grass, and 16th century Shan style Buddha's are majestic in their desolation. Photographed from their bases, shooting upward with a 20mm lens, they are grand. As I wander through the austere remains, the mystery of this ancient civilization deepens, and I begin to wonder if I am awake or in some strange, wonderful world of dreams.

As my all too brief, magical journey draws to a close, I can't help but reflect on the singular power of this place. To experience Mandalay is to step out of the chaotic whirl of contemporary life, cast off your burdens, and live in the moment. It is to wake before dawn to a pageant of pious monks; to make a new friend; to stand in the warm, magical dusk and listen with gratitude to the calm silence. Enchantment follows enchantment, and there is wonder afoot for anyone willing to notice the simple pleasures that edify the mind and quiet the soul. A journey through Mandalay is also a journey into your innermost heart. It offers a respite from the world ... and a deeper connection with it.

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PSA Journal, Debbie Jefkin-Elnekave