Dhammayazika Paya: After having breakfast at the hotel, we met our driver and guide for a second day of sightseeing in Bagan. Our first stop for the day was at Dhammayazika Paya. Built in 1196, this pagoda is unusual in that it has a five-sided pentagonal base, rather than the typical four-sided square base. Above the three red-brick, pentagonal terraces sits the circular top. Covered in cloth, it is painted red and then adorned with gold leaf. Embedded within the base of the pagoda structure are the same type of green glazed tiles depicting scenes from the jataka we observed at Ananda Paya. Very few of the originals remain, while some have been replaced and still others are missing. Surrounding the pagoda are five temples, each with a statue of Buddha.
Minnanthu Village: We next went to observe the daily life of a local family in Minnanthu Village. We walked into the village and arrived at one house where the family living there demonstrated some of their daily chores, such as spinning yarn, weaving on their loom, preparing feed for their cattle, etc. We also toured inside the house and attached kitchen. We continued through the village where we saw other houses and observed women transporting goods balanced on their heads or carrying water from a nearby water source.
Tayok Pye Temple: Left unfinished by King Narathihapate in the 13th century as he fled from Mongol invaders, the name of this temple literally translates to "he who fled". As with some of the other temples we visited on our trip, the Buddha statues inside are not original, but rather reproductions placed there after the originals were either plundered or destroyed in an earthquake. Although very dark inside, we were able to make out the paintings on the inner walls of this temple.
Thambula Paya: A short walk down the road from Tayok Pye Temple brought us to Thambula Paya. This temple was built by Queen Thambula, wife of King Uzana, in 1255. Along with the usual scenes of the jataka, a painting of a secular boat race can also be seen within the temple. A remarkably well-preserved sample of ancient text can be found here, as well. From atop the building, we can see our previous stop, Tayok Pye Temple, as well as the three pagodas of our next destination, Payathonzu Temple.
Payathonzu Temple: We descended back down the inner stairway of Thambulla Paya and walked over to Payathonzu Temple, which, depending on the source, means "three pagodas" or "temple of three Buddhas". As the name implies, this temple consists of three pagodas connected by narrow passageways, making it unique among Bagan's temples. Built sometime around 1200, the frescoes on the interior are some of the best preserved paintings of all the temples. However, pictures inside were not allowed.
Laymyathna Paya & Monastery: A short drive later, we came upon Laymyathna Pagoda, a whitewashed structure very near the three temples we just visited. This temple is regularly maintained and the Buddha statues sitting against the inner central column, facing out in each of the four ordinal directions, were well preserved. While visiting this temple, we heard loud music coming from speakers in the monastery next door. We thought there might be a festival occurring there, so we followed our guide through a door in the wall separating the two to have a look.
We quickly realized that there wasn't a festival, but subsequently learned the monks and villagers were preparing for one the next day. Many village men were taking turns tending two large cauldrons with open fires underneath, situated under a large tree in an effort to shield themselves from the scorching sun. Others were preparing food and one of the monks, finishing up a dish he had been preparing, offered us a taste.
Our guide spoke with another of the monks, who unlocked the top floor of the monastery for us to see. It was a large, open, sparsely decorated space with an altar containing a Buddha image in a small nook. On shelves lining one of the walls sat some of the meager possessions of the monks studying there, including a stereo and loudspeaker aimed out a nearby window - the source of the music we heard at the pagoda. Before leaving, we were invited back the next day to join in the celebrations, which we were unable to accept.
Mid-day Break: Just as we had the day before, we took a mid-day break to eat lunch at a local restaurant and then go back to the hotel for a couple hours to rest and stay out of the mid-day sun. We again were picked up by our guide at three o'clock and headed back out for our final half day of sightseeing in Bagan.
Myazedi Paya: After our rest, we headed right for the Myazedi Pagoda. Myazedi, the "Jade Stupa", was constructed by Prince Rajakumar in the twelfth century. Standing between this pagoda and Gobyaukgyi Temple, the next stop on our tour, is a four-sided pillar containing the story of Prince Rajakumar and King Kyansittha, written in four languages: Burmese, Pyu, Mon, and Pali. This pillar is not only significant in that it is the oldest surviving Burmese inscription, but more so in that it made translation of the written Pyu language possible.
Gubyaukgyi Temple: Also built by the son of King Kyansittha, Prince Rahakumar, this temple was constucted in 1113 following the King's death. It contains detailed stucco work on its exterior and jataka paintings on the walls of its interior shrine and antechamber. Temples in Myanmar contain either open windows, allowing light to pour in, or windows with elaborate latticework, resulting in a dimly lit interior. Gubyaukgyi Temple falls into the latter category. No photographes of the interior were allowed.
Bu Paya: In Burmese, bu means "gourd", so this is also know as the Gourd Pagoda. It sits on the bank of the Irrawaddy River, and, according to legend, was originally built by the third king of Pagan, Pyusawdi, in 162, making it the oldest pagoda in Bagan. However, the original structure was completely destroyed and fell into the river in the 1975 earthquake. It was entirely rebuilt in 1978 as a hollow, reinforced concrete structure, unlike the original solid brick one, and embelished with gold leaf.
Mahabodhi Temple: The last temple we visited while in Bagan was the Mahabodhi Temple. Modeled after the Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar, India, it was built in 1215 during the reign of King Nantaungmya. It is distinctive in that it contains 465 Buddha images located in niches built into the walls of the temple.
Thanakha Makeup: Upon arrival in Myanamr, we immediatley noticed the face painting present on nearly all the women we met. This makeup is known as thanakha makeup and is made from the bark of the thanakha tree. In markets throughout the country, pieces of thanakha branches are sold. The bark is then ground on a flat stone with a few drops of water. This forms a thin paste that is applied to the face, sometimes in very elaborate designs, which dries to a yellowish hue. The odor of the makeup is very light. It acts as a sunblock as well as a beauty product, and can be seen on children and even some men as well.
While at the Mahabodhi, Peep met a souvenier vendor who offered to put some of the makeup on her. At first a little reluctent to try, I convinced her to go ahead. We waited as the lady ground up a batch of the makeup and then applied it to Peep's face. The vendor was selling traditional dress and, since Peep had been brave enough to try the makeup, I agreed to don a longji, a traditional male skirt still commonly worn by myanmar men, for pictures.
Irrawaddy River Cruise: The Irrawaddy River is the largest and most important waterway in Myanmar. It is a vital transportation route for goods and people between the mountainous north and the Irrawaddy Delta. A large network of irrigation canals are fed from the river, sustaining production of rice in the Irrawaddy Delta region.
Peep and I, along with our guide, rented a river boat to motor us up the river a short distance before cutting its engine and allowing us to float back down. We were served tea and a variety of tradional Myanmar snacks as we took in the surrounding views and breathtaking sunset. After finishing the boat ride, we made one final stop to catch the final rays of light on camera, with palm trees and temples in the background, before being dropped off at our hotel.