Mingun Pahtodawgyi
Encyclopedia
The Mingun Pahtodawgyi is a monumental incompleted stupa in Mingun
, approximately 10 kilometers northwest of Mandalay
in Sagaing Region in central Burma (Myanmar). The ruins are the remains of a massive construction project begun by King Bodawpaya
in 1790 which was intentionally left unfinished. The pahtodawgyi is seen as the physical manifestations of the well known eccentricities of Bodawpaya. He set up an observation post on an island off Mingun to personally supervise the construction of the temple.
A variation states that king would die once the project was completed. Thus, construction was slowed down to prevent the prophesy's realisation and when the king died, the project was completely halted.
A model pagoda nearby, typical of many large pagoda projects like the Shwedagon Pagoda and Thatbyinnyu Temple
, offers a small scale of what would have been a 150m tall temple.
However, it holds the record of being the largest pile of bricks in the world.
An earthquake on the 23rd of March 1839 caused huge cracks to appear on the face of the remaining structure.
The temple serves more as an attraction than a religious site. However, a small shrine with a Buddha
image still serves its purpose as a place of worship and meditation. Pondaw paya or a working model of the stupa can be seen nearby.
cast to go with his huge stupa. The Mingun Bell, weighing at 90 tons, is today the second largest ringing bell in the world. The weight of the bell in Burmese measurement, is 55,555 viss or peiktha (1 viss = 1.63 kg), handed down as a mnemonic "Min Hpyu Hman Hman Pyaw", with the consonants representing the number 5 in Burmese astronomy and numerology
.
Mingun
Mingun is a town in Sagaing Region, northwest Myanmar , located 11 km up the Ayeyarwady River on the west bank from Mandalay. Its main attraction is the ruined Mingun Pahtodawgyi.-Mingun Pahtodawgyi:...
, approximately 10 kilometers northwest of Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
in Sagaing Region in central Burma (Myanmar). The ruins are the remains of a massive construction project begun by King Bodawpaya
Bodawpaya
Bodawpaya was the sixth king of the Konbaung Dynasty of Burma. Born Maung Shwe Waing and later Badon Min, he was the fourth son of Alaungpaya, founder of the dynasty and the Third Burmese Empire. He was proclaimed king after deposing his nephew Phaungkaza Maung Maung, son of his oldest brother...
in 1790 which was intentionally left unfinished. The pahtodawgyi is seen as the physical manifestations of the well known eccentricities of Bodawpaya. He set up an observation post on an island off Mingun to personally supervise the construction of the temple.
Incompletion
Bodawpaya had thousands of prisoners of war from his expansionist campaigns and slaves working on the construction of the stupa. The construction was also seen as having a heavy toll over the people and the state, thus a prophesy was allegedly created, to stop the project. The approach in conveying the dissatisfaction was allegedly to utilize the King's deep superstition. The prophesy went "as soon as the building of the pagoda was over, the country would also be gone".A variation states that king would die once the project was completed. Thus, construction was slowed down to prevent the prophesy's realisation and when the king died, the project was completely halted.
A model pagoda nearby, typical of many large pagoda projects like the Shwedagon Pagoda and Thatbyinnyu Temple
Thatbyinnyu Temple
Thatbyinnyu Temple is a famous temple located in Bagan , built in the mid-12th century during the reign of King Alaungsithu. It is adjacent to Ananda Temple. Thatbyinnyu Temple is shaped like a cross, but is not symmetrical. The temple has two primary storeys, with the seated Buddha image located...
, offers a small scale of what would have been a 150m tall temple.
However, it holds the record of being the largest pile of bricks in the world.
Current Condition
By the time the construction project was abandoned, the pagoda had attained a height of 50 meters, one third of the intended height.An earthquake on the 23rd of March 1839 caused huge cracks to appear on the face of the remaining structure.
The temple serves more as an attraction than a religious site. However, a small shrine with a Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
image still serves its purpose as a place of worship and meditation. Pondaw paya or a working model of the stupa can be seen nearby.
Mingun Bell
King Bodawpaya also had a gigantic bellBell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
cast to go with his huge stupa. The Mingun Bell, weighing at 90 tons, is today the second largest ringing bell in the world. The weight of the bell in Burmese measurement, is 55,555 viss or peiktha (1 viss = 1.63 kg), handed down as a mnemonic "Min Hpyu Hman Hman Pyaw", with the consonants representing the number 5 in Burmese astronomy and numerology
Numerology
Numerology is any study of the purported mystical relationship between a count or measurement and life. It has many systems and traditions and beliefs...
.