To get information about Mrauk U, Especially for the Travellers.
07/09/2022
The S**tethaung is the most spectacular of Kinh Mong B**g's massive temples in Mrauk U. It is located on the west levelled side of Pokhaung Hill, about half a mile north of the Palace site.The first terrace is 40ft high.Its walls are built with stone blocks.On the first terrace, One may see the Sunraise and Sunset temples in their maniature sizes. It is said that these two signify the power of the doner-builder of the temple King Mong B**g ( King Mong Ba Gree) in the sense that the sun never sets in his territory.
On the upper platform, there are stone walls 9ft thick and about 12ft high on the west and south sides. Along the north and south walls are brick pagodas, the gaps beyween them being bridged with stone slabs sculptured on both sides. The side of the slab facing the temple usually represcents a Buddha, the outer side Ogre , Naga , Birds and Beasts.A wooden hall is built in the inner temple court east of the shrine.
The main shrine has a gallery around the structure.Another passages inside lead to inner chambers. The main image sanctum is at the center of the shrine, accessible through passage opening from the east.
The Shrine is said to encase 84,000 holy relics of Blessed One and is dedicated to the 84,000 future Buddhas.
After rounding off the number, the shrine in the time came to be called the Temple of Eighty Thounsand Images.The temple was built by King Mong Ba Gree to commemorate the victory Bengal ( Bungyagri Province) ang the Portuguese marauders who came to make assault on the capital. For this reason the temple is also called the " Temple of Victory " ( Ran Aung Zeya). King Mong Ba Gree built this temple in 1535 AD using one thousand artisans.
The Temple is cave hall surmounted by a main stupa and twenty-six smaller stupas surrounding it. The main stupa resemblesthe maniature stone stupas of Vesali. Inside the bowl or relic chamber there are enshrined relics, a variety of the Buddha and his disciples. The size of the temple is 160ft in length, 124ft in breadth, and 86ft in hight. The relic chamber of the temple can also be reached directly from the prayer site. In it is housed a stone image Bhumisparsa mudra like Mahamuni posture, 9ft high.
The inner wall is made of huge blocks of sand stone and is curved with the six tiers of figures in bas-relief. On the shelves of the 312ft long passage-way there are 1104 small bowl-shaped indentations once used as oil-lamps. The lowest tier shows men in native costume in the acts of wrestlinh, boxing, dancing and gymnastic feats.
Tiers two to five depict th animals or persons that Gautama Buddha lived in his five hundred and fifty previous existences. At the first and second tire, the 136 lives that the Buddha was born in the '' higher animal plane'' are depicted in the forms of crane, hamsa duck, pigeon, Peacock, and so on. The third tire can be seen with two woodpeckers from Gandakala Jakata, Figures from other jatakas, acts of dancing, martial arts, wrestling, acrobatic performances, elephant-catching, the thankful tortose ( turtle) , the unfaithful lion ( Sakuna Jataka) , Mahajanaka, Javana the Golden Hamsa King, Giant Bird clawing Queen Kaysani, Young Sinjava bitten by the tiger, Kinnara Jakata scences. There are total of more than one thousand figures in relief. As it houses scence from the Buddhist literature, Rakhine chronicles and legends - this monument may be considered as the Rakhine culture Museum.
More than two hands of figures that protrude from the corner symbolise the power and authority of the possessors. They usually represent the thunderbolt weapon of Kakkra, ( the eye-weapon of the Yama, Ruler of Death) , the 'gada' club of the Vassavanna deva-king, Alavaka the Ogre's ''raiment'' weapon, conch, ''Vak-tall fan'' ect. The figure protruding from the north-east corner is that of Sakra riding an elephant, the one at the south-east corner is that of Gahatikars Arahat Brahma attended by the queen of Sakra namely Sucitta, Sunsnda, Sumala and Supava; the one at the north-west is Catulokapala deva ( Guardian deities of four) , the one at the south-west is that of Mong Ba Gree with his Queens. The six hands of the king signify the royal power and duties of a monarch . The costume used by Queens indicate as to how the prevalling fashion at that period was.
Photo... Arrakh@
