Bagan is a plain in the middle of Myanmar,
covering a tract of country measuring about 16 square miles along
the east bank of the Ayeyarwaddy. The monuments which are now in all
stages of decay were erected mostly from the 11th to 13th centuries
A.D., when Bagan was the seat of the Myanmar dynasty. Tradition
carried by the local chronicles, has it that a long line of
fifty-five kings ruled over this kingdom during the twelve
centuries.
King Pyinbya was the builder of the present-day Bagan city wall.
King Pyinbya was the 34th king of the dynasty, who in 874 A.D.
transferred the capital from Tampawaddy, now known as Pwasato. The
latter was built by Thaiktaing, the 12th king, and there were two
other capitals, namely, Thiripyitsaya' built by Thelegyaung, the 7th
king and Paukkan built by Thamudrit, the founder of the dynasty in
108 A.D.
But the authentic history of the dynasty as supported by epigraphic
evidence begins only with, the reign of Anawrahta (1044-77 A.D.). In
1057 Anawrahta conquered Thaton and brought back to his capital the
Theravada scriptures in Pali, a large number of Buddhist monks, and
artists and craftsmen of every description. From the Mon monks the
Bagan people received their alphabet, religion and scriptures. It
was from this momentous date that there began the extraordinary
architectural and artistic activity which, in a little more than two
centuries, covered the city and its environs with thousands of
splendid monuments of every shape and size, the inner walls of most
of which are decorated with incredible frescoes.
The square temples dominated by Mon influence are distinguished by
their dark corridors which are dimly lighted by perforated windows
and the bright frescoes of variegated colour with Mon writing on the
walls. The typical Bagan Style temples are bright and airy within,
with imposing plan and height. But there are also some temples with
intermediate forms.
The end of the thirteenth century witnessed the fall of the Bagan
dynasty. Thousands of pagodas were despoiled by the invaders and
vandals and the king, who fled from the Chinese, is believed to have
dismantled a considerable number of the monuments to collect
materials for building forts. Since then the great mass of the
religious edifices were left to decay and ruin and today we see no
more than a hundred splendid monuments which attract and retain
attention and since their foundation, have remained as places of
worship.
For more information about Bagan History,
click here to see the Kings of Bagan.
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