Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
There are two outside terraces, reached by narrow stairs, with superb views.
Pyathada Paya
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
MAP
Dating from the 13th century, during the latter period of temple building at Bagan, this
huge, impressive pagoda is a superb sunset-viewing spot, with a giant open terrace
(Bagan's largest) atop the steps, and another small deck further up. The tour groups have
discovered it so you're unlikely to have the place to yourself. It is about half a mile
southeast of Sulamani, reached by dirt roads that sometimes get obscured in goat fields.
Pyathada's interior arches are still partly open to view. The architects used an inner re-
lieving arch and a second upper arch to support the huge chambers, illustrating the point
that temple styles changed in Bagan because the builders improved at arch construction.
Note how the top stupa isn't centred on the top platform.
KEYHOLDERS & SOUVENIR HAWKERS
Major temples that remain active places of worship such as Ananda Pahto and Sh-
wezigon Paya are always open during the day. At many others to get inside it is first
necessary to find the 'keyholder' whose job it is to act as the caretaker of the site.
Often they (or their kids) will find you first and open the gate for you. A bit of 'tea
money' (say K500) is appreciated. We're told that the keyholders are assigned by
the archaeology department.
The other constant of Bagan temples - even relatively remote ones - are
souvenir hawkers, often selling (and sometimes creating) colourful sand paintings.
Some of these replicate parts of the murals from inside the temples and are quite
skilful, with prices starting at as little as K1000 for the smaller canvases, but rising
sharply for more detailed and larger works; other images are pretty generic and
found across all temple sites. Although some hawkers can be persistent, if you're
not interested in buying, most will leave you alone.
We're told that official souvenir hawkers at the temples pay a sizeable fee for a li-
cence, but it's likely that there are many more unofficial vendors given the potential
for relatively easy money. 'Even if they only sell a few trinkets a week, it's an easy
job,' said one frequent visitor to Bagan, 'as the alternative is a farm job which pays
far less a day.' A guide also bemoaned that children in Bagan are starting to quit
school in order to work as hawkers.
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