Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
South of Monywa
A MYINT
Little visited by foreigners apart from occasional Chindwin cruise groups, A Myint is a
charmingly unspoilt riverside village dominated by a series of 336 higgledy piggledy
an-
cient stupas
in varying stages of collapse. All are compactly arranged around a little
wooden monastery
and a few retain interior murals. Another minor attraction is the
British-era house
(62 Seidan St)
of the former village chief. It's private and still owned
by the charming original family, who might wind up their gramophone for you or show
off their 1920s sepia photos.
A major attraction is the lovely 15-mile (24km) ride through agricultural villages from
Monywa on a lane that's narrow but unusually well asphalted. Around halfway look
northeast for brief, distant views.
AN 11TH-CENTURY LOVE TRIANGLE
In 1056 the King of Bago became a vassal of Bagan's ascendant ruler, Anawrahta,
who later sent his armies to bolster Bago against the Khmers. Among the tribute
gifts that symbolised the relationship was one of four Buddha hair relics sent to
Bagan and now enshrined within Bagan's Shwesandaw pagoda. Another 'gift' was
the King of Bago's beautiful daughter Princess Manisanda (aka Khin U). To collect
these priceless prizes, Anawrahta sent his most trusted commanders, the 'four
paladins', led by his son and foremost general Kyanzittha. But as they returned Ky-
anzittha was overcome by temptation for the future queen, kicking off a classic
love triangle. Once their affair was discovered, Kyanzittha was bound and sen-
tenced to death by his furious father. However, the magic lance that was supposed
to execute him instead broke the ropes that bound him and Kyanzittha made a
fairy-tale escape, grabbing the lance and fleeing in a fishing boat. After a series of
similarly implausible triumphs against Anawrahta's search parties, Kyanzittha
settled in Kaungbyu, before finally returning to Bagan in 1077, only to rekindle the
affair with Manisanda. Today, there is some controversy as to where Kaungbyu
was, but Monywa guides are adamant that it was the delightful little village of A My-
int.
Southeast of Monywa
When travelling by private vehicle between Mandalay and Monywa, the following sites
can be conveniently visited as a short detour en route. However, for those travelling by
