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Destination
Pyay
An ancient 'Pyu' Capital lies 8 km south-east of Pyay
(Prome), which is located about 178 mile north-west of
Yangon. Archaeological discoveries indicate that the
city attained its height of prosperity between the 5th
and 9th centuries. Pyay is one of the famous cities in
Myanmar and located in Bago Division, near the bank of
Ayeyarwaddy River, the biggest and the largest river in
Myanmar and also an economic artery. When you look at on
each side of the river, will see many pleasant sceneries
with the mountain ranges.
The remains at Thi-ri-khit-taya are palace site, the
prototype of Bagan vaulted temple such as Lemyethna and
East Zegu, the cylinder-shaped Bawbawgyi Pagoda, Payagyi
and Payama stupas each with a high conical dome and the
Archaeological Museum. Places of interest in Pyay are
Shwesandaw Pagoda, a gigantic sitting Buddha Statue of
Hsehtatkyi Pagoda, Shwe Phone Pwint Library, the
beautiful scenery of majestic Ayeyarwaddy River and
Akauk Taung.
Pyay was formerly known as Prome. Pyay is an
important commercial center for trade between the
Ayeyarwady Delta, Central and Upper Myanmar and the
Rakhine (Arakan) State. Pyay is only 161 km north of
Yangon travelling along a well-maintained highway by
car. You can see green paddy fields along the side of
the highway. Several trains run daily from Yangon on the
first railway line built in Myanmar in 1877. In the last
few years the railway branch lines have been extended
north towards Bagan. It is a city halfway between Yangon
and Bagan. Visitors can stop over in Pyay and travel on
to Bagan and Mandalay. Pyay is situated on the eastern
bank of the Ayeyarwady River on a lovely location.
Pyay was anglicized as Prome after the Second
Anglo-Myanmar war and in ancient times was known as
Thaye-khittra (Srikshetra). Srikshetra, the ancient Pyu
capital about five miles to the east, is interesting
place to visit because of their historical importance
and archaeological sites
Shwesandaw Pagoda
The
Shwesandaw Pagoda is well known in Pyay. Shwesandaw
meaning the Golden Hair Relics. The Pagoda is situated
on the eastern bank of Ayeyarwaddy river and Myanmar’s
most venerated structure stands here. The former name of
the pagoda was known to be Mya Thi Htin. It has a height
of 127 feet high and standing on the plinth making a
total measurement of 290 feet from the base. There are
64 surrounding smaller pagodas around the main one.
There is a chamber in the southern sector of the
platform housing a duplicate of the Buddha's tooth relic
of Kandy. Having been placed beside the original
tooth-relic of Kandy for a time it is believed to have
absorbed the aura of the original and become just as
potent. The tooth-relic from the Shwesandaw Pagoda is
customarily taken out from its chamber in the month of
Dazaungmone (November-December) every year and
ceremoniously taken on a tour of the city once every
three years so that worshippers might pay homage to it
and revere it with their own eyes.
Bawbawgyi Paya and Bebe Paya
South
of the museum, outside the city walls, are cylindrical
Bawbawgyi Paya and cube-shaped Bebe Paya. Standing over
45 meters high, the brick and plaster of Bawbawgyi Paya
is the oldest stupa in the area. Other cube-shaped
pagodas in the area include one thought to have been
used by a hermit, featuring eight Buddha reliefs along
the lower half of the interior wall and a vaulted
ceiling of brick. Accessible by car. Only about 6 hours
drive from Yangon. There are also express buses carrying
passengers everyday. |
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