| Type of monument |
: Type I Temple (Gu Paya) |
| Location |
: West of Thabyinnyu |
| Region |
: Old Bagan |
| Built by |
: King Taungthugyi |
| Date |
: A.D 931 |
| Monument Number |
: 1600 |
| Photo Gallery |
:
View 5 Photos |
Nathlaung Kyaung means 'Shrine Confining Nats or Spirits', a
reference to a purported time when King Anawratha tried to banish
Nat worship in Bagan. He is said to have confiscated all
non-Buddhist religious images including indigenous Myanmar nats and
Hindu devas. Then he ordered to have placed them in this shrine as
part of an effort to establish 'pure' Theravada Buddhism during his
reign. The king eventually gave in to the cult and standardized the
current roster of principal Burmese Nats by placing 37 chosen images
at Shwezigon Pagoda.
This temple is situated slightly to the west of the Thatbyinnyu,
this is the only Hindu temple remaining in Bagan. It is said to have
been built in 931 by King Taunghthugyi, more than a century before
Theravada Buddhism came to Bagan, following the conquest of Thaton.
In design it resembles the Pyu Leimyethna or four-sided shrines of
Sri Keshtra.
INSIDE THE TEMPLE
The main hall and superstructure of the Nathlaung Kyaung still stand
fine today but the entrance hall and outer structures have crumbled
and disappeared.
IMAGES OF HINDU GODS INSIDE THE
TEMPLE
The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. The central square
of brick supports the dome and crumbled Sikhara, and once contained
free-standing figures of Vishnu as well as Vishnu reliefs on each of
the four sides. Vishnu's '10 Avatars' were placed around the outside
wall, seven of these survive.
Layout Plan
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