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Official name     :  Republic of the Union of MyanmarArea                  :  676 600 km² Population         :  61 millions Capital              :  Nay Pyi Daw since 2005Biggest city       :  Yangon (Almost 6 millions inhabitants)

Sharing a common border with India, China, Bangladesh, Laos, and Thailand, Myanmar is about the size France and England together, one of the largest countries in Southeast Asia. Its length is about 2.000 km from the Tenasseri Peninsula in the south to the north of Himalaya mountain ranges which border Yunnan, Tibet and India

People and ethnic groups:  Out of the 135 different ethnic groups, 68% are Burmese, 9% Shan, 7% KarenOfficial language:  Burmese (Sino–tibetan)Religion:  Theravada Bouddhism (87%),

Christians (5%), Islam (4%)

The Nagayon, built by King Kyansittha (1084-1113)

Bagan (or Pagan) is an ancient city that was the capital of the first Burmese empire. As the heart of Burma during ancient times, Bagan serves as home to temples and buildings built from the 11th century to the 13th century. There are more than 2,000 pagodas and temples to be found, most of which were built by the ancient kings and leaders of Burma.

The kingdom grew out of a small 9th-century settlement at Pagan (Bagan) by the Mranma (Burmans), who had recently entered the Irrawaddy valley from the Kingdom of Nanzhao. Over the next two hundred years, the small principality gradually grew to absorb its surrounding regions until the 1050s and 1060s when King Anawrahta founded the Pagan Empire, for the first time unifying under one polity the Irrawaddy valley and its periphery.

The Nagayon, built by King Kyansittha (1084-1113), foreshadows his crowning achievement, the Ananda. There are the same sloping roofs, the same terraces, the same corner stupas, the same spire and the same stupa finial. But they are here used in a much more subdued manner than in the Ananda. Of Môn style, it resembles the Indian temples of the area of Orissa.

Bagan has been one of the most tourist affected areas and there will be people selling paintings, bronze and jewelry in almost every temple you visit.

Yoke thé is the Burmese name for marionette puppetry. Nowadays, marionettes are very common in tourist attractions and also amongst the populace, as they resume their role of relatively safer political satire and popular discontent.

One penetrates by the principal entry which is located at North in a rather dark hall. The déambulatoire even is enlightened for him only by 5 windows with stucturées openings and limiting itself to some rays of light.

The déambulatoire is equipped with many niches where were images of Buddhas - alas empty the majority today.

In fact of the niches for the 27 Buddhas

which preceded the

historical Buddha

Gautama, the 28.

At the entry the vault of Nagayon shelters a great Buddha (2 times natural size) upright (the favorite position under Kyansitthar) protected by Naga, and surrounded by two smaller Buddhas

The large Buddha image in the inner shrine is protected by a hooded Naga.

The walls of the corridor have niches holding stone sculptures depicting the Buddhas previous to Gotama, as well as paintings showing scenes from the Jatakas and the Final Life of Gotama Buddha, with legends in Mon and Paii. According to tradition, the name of the temple-Nagayon, meaning '"Protected by the Naga Serpent'-derives from an incident in Kyansittha's life.

Once, when he was fleeing from the wrath of his predecessor, King Sawlu (1077-1084), he was watched over by a young naga while he slept. The place then became the site of the Nagavon. The naga, a serpent, sometimes human in form, is a part of the Buddhist tradition, a notable instance being the protection given to the Buddha by the Naga king Mucalinda during the seven days of a violent storm.

Myanmar tradition also abounds with such accounts

as a Naga taking part in the

foundation of Thayekhittaya, a Naga princess becoming the

queen of Pyusawhti and a

Naga image made and

worshipped by King Sawrahan. An inscription

also records that Kyansittha made an offering to the

Naga in the building of his

palace.

Just across the Nagayon Temple is the Abeyadana temple, built during A.D 1102-1103. The history of this temple says while Kyanzittha sheltered at Nagayon during his flight from Sawlu. his wife Abeyadana waited for him a short distance away. At that site he subsequently built this temple which is similar in plan to the Nagayon. The name of the temple was given after King Kyanzittha's first queen "Abeyadana” whom he married while he was still a young warrior

The temple is located at the north of the royal palace of King Kyanzittha. It is a temple of classical architecture. bases square and large porch in north where there lies a central pillar and then a great sitting Buddha. Paintings are the true treasure of this temple and they are rich of teaching on the atmosphere of Bagan of the ancient time.

Abeyadana meaning the "abandoned jewel" was a follower of Mahayana Buddhism since the frescoes on the outer walls can be seen with images of the Hindus Gods like Indra, Shiva and Vishnu. The inner shrine contains a large brick-built seated Buddha but the fine frescoes are the main interest here.

It is one of those monuments famous for their fine frescos. The striking feature of its frescos is that the pictures on the inner wall depict Mahayana. Theravada Buddhist and Brahmanic episodes. Devas and their vehicles were also presented in the pictures.

Of the many Buddha niches lining the walls most are empty. Some contain bodhisattvas and Hindu showing a Mahayana influence accredited to the tastes of Kyanzittha's Bengali bride.

It is one of those monuments famous for their fine frescos. The striking feature of its frescos is that the pictures on the inner wall depict Mahayana, Theravada Buddhist and Brahmanic episodes. Devas and their vehicles were also presented in the pictures.

Text: InternetPictures: Sanda Foişoreanu & InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu www.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Burma Traditional Music