Bagan – the fallen empire
Civilizations have fallen because despite their tremendous strides they didn’t develop the art of defending themselves. There were many that thrived in ancient ages by sheer dedication of the people who solely focused on their goal unmindful of adversity in the form of human intervention. They excelled in the fields of philosophy, religion, arts and culture, education, and development of humankind. But the lost civilizations missed on the very important point of defending their achievements. They simply couldn’t take to the sword and face the marauders. They perished and the history is replete with instances.
Bagan or Pagan was an ancient civilization in Burma that is one such case in point. The Pagan kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD and prospered for the next 12 centuries. Their main areas of excellence were a vibrant trade and renowned centres of learning. The civilization was at its zenith between 11 & 13 AD before the Mongol invaders annexed the kingdom in 1287. Bagan was abandoned.
In their heyday, the Pagan people built about ten thousand pagodas and temples of which about 2200 – 3000 are standing today in various conditions from good to dilapidated. Besides the marauders and vandals, earthquakes have also caused damage to these wonderful structures of yesteryears.
A visit to Bagan is a fulfilling experience particularly for those travel enthusiasts who are interested in culture and history. Tourists do Bagan as per their itineraries, some doing it just in one day. However, I feel one ought to have three full days to roam the Bagan archaeological area to see the maximum number of those wonderful structures. There are 15 – 20 main pagodas and temples which hold much attraction. My trip lasted three days.
While visiting Bagan it is natural to remember Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Even a point of comparison would arise in a traveller’s mind. Siem Reap is home to the wats of erstwhile Khmer kingdom which symbolizes a thriving Hindu culture of yore not only in Khmer but all over the SE Asia. It extended from Bali through the whole of Jawa in Indonesia to the parts of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and of course, Burma.
The wats of Siem Reap have a history of an enchanting and thriving existence from the 9th to the 15th century AD. Of the many, today about 1000 survive. Having visited both the sites I can say that the magnificence of the wats is incomparable and the Bagan structures come only second to the wats which appear more mythical and otherworldly.
Some photographs
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| The Sulamani Phaya |
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The Bupaya Pagoda on the banks of Irawadi
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| The Abeyadana Phaya |
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| The Gawdapalin Phaya |
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| The Thatbyinnyu Phaya (the tallest in Bagan) |
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| The Ananda Temple (the most beautiful in Bagan) |
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| The Hatilominlo Temple |
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| The Shwezigon Pagoda |
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| The Dhammayangi Temple (the biggest in Bagan) |
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| The Dhammayazaka Pagoda |
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| The Sulamani Temple |
(I visited Bagan in Aug 2018)
Bagan or Pagan was an ancient civilization in Burma that is one such case in point. The Pagan kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD and prospered for the next 12 centuries. Their main areas of excellence were a vibrant trade and renowned centres of learning. The civilization was at its zenith between 11 & 13 AD before the Mongol invaders annexed the kingdom in 1287. Bagan was abandoned.
In their heyday, the Pagan people built about ten thousand pagodas and temples of which about 2200 – 3000 are standing today in various conditions from good to dilapidated. Besides the marauders and vandals, earthquakes have also caused damage to these wonderful structures of yesteryears.
A visit to Bagan is a fulfilling experience particularly for those travel enthusiasts who are interested in culture and history. Tourists do Bagan as per their itineraries, some doing it just in one day. However, I feel one ought to have three full days to roam the Bagan archaeological area to see the maximum number of those wonderful structures. There are 15 – 20 main pagodas and temples which hold much attraction. My trip lasted three days.
While visiting Bagan it is natural to remember Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Even a point of comparison would arise in a traveller’s mind. Siem Reap is home to the wats of erstwhile Khmer kingdom which symbolizes a thriving Hindu culture of yore not only in Khmer but all over the SE Asia. It extended from Bali through the whole of Jawa in Indonesia to the parts of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and of course, Burma.
The wats of Siem Reap have a history of an enchanting and thriving existence from the 9th to the 15th century AD. Of the many, today about 1000 survive. Having visited both the sites I can say that the magnificence of the wats is incomparable and the Bagan structures come only second to the wats which appear more mythical and otherworldly.
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