Exploring Burma’s ancient city of Bagan

When most people think of ancient ruins in Southeast Asia, they think of Angkor in Cambodia – but there’s actually another site that rivals Angkor in scale and scope and is, perhaps, even more impressive.

There are literally thousands of temples in Bagan, an ancient city in Myanmar (aka Burma), set in a vast plain along the Irrawaddy River. It has yet to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, however, since the ruling militia junta has done a crappy job of restoration work.

Traveling to Myanmar is a controversial issue and will be the topic of a future blog. Unfortunately, when we hear about Myanmar these days, we hear about political unrest and human rights abuses. This, ironically, is set against a backdrop of some of the world’s most beautiful temple complexes and ancient ruins. I once read that Myanmar is a heavenly place run by devils. In this blog, I’ll focus on the heavenly part.

Bagan (formerly called Pagan) was the ancient capital of Myanmar, and most of the buildings were constructed during the 1000s to 1200s. It became a centre of Theravada Buddhism, attracting monks from as far as India, Sri Lanka and the Khmer kingdom (modern-day Cambodia). It fell into decline after being sacked by the Mongols. Today, it’s a rural community, where you’ll find more ox-carts and bicycles than cars.

Here are a few highlights:

-Climb Sulamani Temple in the morning or Gawdawpalin Temple later in the day for amazing views as the sun rises/sets.

-Ananda is one of the site’s most significant temples, at 51 metres high, modeled after the Nanadamula cave in the Himalayas.

-Mahabodhi is a replica of the Bodhi temple in Bodh Gaya, India, where the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.

-Schwezigon is the most important religious site in Bagan, combining elements of Nat (animistic spirits) and Buddhist themes.

-Get a map, rent a bicycle and spend a few days exploring some of the smaller sites, where typically you’ll be the only person around for miles.

One of the most pleasant ways to get here is by riverboat ferry from Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city and cultural centre (about 145 km). To enter the Bagan Archaeological Zone, you’ll have to buy a permit for US$10 when you get off the ferry (you can’t miss it). It’s worth staying at least a few days – and the village of Nyuang U is a great place to chill out.

Photo Credit @ 2010 VH Media