Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
judgementmayhavebeenflawed,however,sinceHtilominloturnedouttobeoneofBagan's
less effectual rulers, more interested in temple-building than in overseeing affairs of the
realm.
His temple is undeniably impressive, even so, built in the characteristic double-cube struc-
ture reminiscent of the Sulamani and Thatbyinnyu temples (even if the entire inner courtyard
has been transformed into a miniature tourist bazaar packed with assorted shops and stalls).
The exterior is notable for its exceptionally fine stucco carvings, featuring dozens of fe-
rocious
kirtimukha
arranged around the cornice, spewing upside-down lotuses out of their
gaping, fang-filled mouths. Four large gilded Buddhas sit inside, with extensive geometrical
murals covering the walls.
Upali Thein
Next to main road, 250m west of the Htilominlo Paya • Daily 8am-6pm
ErectedduringthereignofKingKyazwa(ruled1235-50),thesmallbutstriking
UpaliThein
is one of Bagan's few surviving ordination halls (
thein
). The building looks unlike any oth-
er in Bagan - its steeply ridged roof and lean-to aisles possibly modelled after now-van-
ished wooden buildings of the period, with two tiers of quaint lozenge-shaped battlements
(an eighteenth-century addition) and a tiny spire on the top.
A steel frame supports the lopsided
interior
, damaged during the 1975 earthquake, with a
single Buddha statue at the end. The walls are decorated with intricately detailed murals de-
picting various Jataka scenes in pale greens, dark reds and whites. These are not original,
however, having been added in the eighteenth century, and the figures are much larger than
those in traditional Bagan paintings.
Alotawpyi-gu-hpaya
About halfway between Nyaung U and Old Bagan, right next to Anawrahta Rd • Daily 7am-9pm
The eye-catching
Alotawpyi-gu-hpaya
is one of the few temples between Nyaung U and
Old Bagan still in daily use, normally busy with locals (although relatively few tourists stop
by) and offering a lively contrast to the time-warped monuments surrounding it on all sides.
Built in the twelfth century by King Kyansittha, the ancient shrine with latticed brick win-
dows is pure early-period in style, while the incongruously glitzy gilded stupa above has a
distinct touch of Hollywood about it, giving the building the air of a very elderly lady in
an outrageously loud hat. The modern tiled
interior
is very much that of a working temple
rather than an archeological monument, its walls decorated with crude but colourful orange
and brown murals of identikit Buddhas lined up in rows. A large stupa stands directly behind
the temple, with traces of green glazed tiles still visible on its bell.
Ananda Paya
Daily 8am-6pm
