Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of time it took to construct. Seated on three circular terraces with a diminutive gilded
hti
on
top (a later addition), the sheer size of the thing is impressive, although its rudimentary con-
ical shape (made slightly lopsided by the ravages of time) is a world away from the elegant
designs of Bagan and later. The slight remains of some discoloured original plaster can still
be seen clinging to its sides.
Payamar Stupa
A second huge stupa, the
Payamar
, lies about 100m past the entrance to the archeological
site, off on the left-hand side of the road, attractively situated among paddy fields. Also at-
tributed to King Duttabaung, it's very similar in size, shape and date of construction to the
Payagyi stupa, although in slightly worse condition, its brickwork now sprouting small tufts
of vegetation.
The museum
Tues-Sun 9.30am-4.30pm • $5
The small and expensive
museum
at the entrance to the site isn't really worth the money -
many finds have been carted off to the National Museum in Yangon, which has extensive
displays on the ancient city. Exhibits that remain
in situ
include a few old Pyu inscriptions
and burial urns, silver coins and assorted beads, plus statues of a couple of Hindu deities and
other Indian-influenced figures - proof of the strong cultural contact between Sri Ksetra and
the subcontinent.
The archeological park
Immediately beyond the museum lie the extensive, carefully reconstructed walls of the
former
palace
area, more or less in the middle of the old city. A ten-minute cart ride southw-
est brings you to the
Rahanda
(or “Yahanda”)
Gate
. The actual gate has pretty much disap-
peared, although you can still see the collapsed, earth-covered remains of the original brick
city walls
on either side. Just past the gate, outside the walls, is the narrow
Rahanda Cave
Pagoda
, with a triangular, brick-vaulted roof and eight small seated Buddhas looking back
towards the city inside the walls.
Continuing southeast around the outside of the walls brings you to the (probably) fifth-cen-
tury
BawbawgyiStupa
,themostimpressiveofThayekhittaya'sthreegiantstupasandoneof
theoldest Buddhist monuments inthecountry-andindeed anywhere else inSoutheast Asia.
Standing 46m tall with almost sheer sides and a flattish top, it looks quite unlike any other
such structure in Myanmar, although it bears a passing resemblance to the famous Dhamek
Stupa at Sarnath in India, from where inspiration for this prototypical Burmese stupa may
have come.
A couple of minutes further east is the quaint tenth-century
Bei Bei Pagoda
. Dating from
the twilight years of Sri Ksetra, this diminutive square brick shrine shows clear evidence of
the emerging Bagan style, with characteristic flamed-shaped doorpediments and the remains
