Mrauk U.
Ancient capital of the powerful Mrauk U empire
(The Last Dynasty of an ancient buddhist Rakhine Kingdom)
You still can see all Buddhist stupas and pagodas wherever you go!
Mrauk U is a little known archeological site in Western Burma. In the beautiful hilly landscape of the Rakhine state hundreds of ancient temples and pagodas, many of which are well preserved remain of the powerful empire that once flourished here.
The site used to be the capital of the Mrauk U Kingdom, a powerful empire that existed from 1430 until 1785.
Today Mrauk U is a small town where the centuries old monuments form the backdrop for every day life of local people. Goat herders tend to their animals, farmers work their fields and women fetch water from the wells between the ancient temples and pagodas. Often the area is foggy, especially during the early morning hours, which creates a mystical atmosphere.
Mrauk U is a site that receives very few visitors compared to sites as Angkor in Cambodia or Ayutthaya in Thailand. Recently the Rakhine area has been the scene of unrest and the area has been temporarily closed to foreign visitors. Before travelling to the area, make sure there are no travel restrictions. Information can be obtained from the Burmese embassy in your home country.
Mrauk U archeological zone
Centered around the town of Mrauk U is the Mrauk U archeological zone, an area of 7 km2 where hundreds of temples and pagodas were built between the 15th and 18th century. The capital of the Kingdom was protected by 35 kilometer long walls and moats; at the center of the city was the Royal Palace. While practically nothing remains of the palace, some remnants of the walls and city gates can still be seen today.
Impressive bunker like temples like the Htukkanthein and the Shite-Thaung built from stone and brick and surrounded by thick solid walls were constructed. As these temples were often built on top of hills, allowing people good views of the surrounding area and possible approaching enemies, they probably served as places of refuge during times of war.
In 1996 excavations and restoration works started. While a number of monuments have been restored to their original glory, many are still buried under soil and thick vegetation. Visitors to the zone are required to buy a Mrauk U archeological zone pass at US$ 10. The fee as well as a 3,000 Kyat light fee is collected at several places including the Shite-Thaung temple.
History of Mrauk U
The Mrauk U Kingdom was founded in 1430 by King Min Saw Mon. At the height of its power the Kingdom ruled over much of present day Bangladesh and Burma, for a large part thanks to its large naval fleet. The Mrauk U Kings would have Japanese samurai fighters as body guards.
Mrauk U was well protected by a defense system consisting of defensive walls and the clever use of waterways. A system of moats, canals and man made lakes allowed them to flood the area in case of invasion. As the empire grew more wealthy, the King and rich inhabitants built temples and pagodas to gain religious merit.
Mrauk U was an important port in the 16th and 17th centuries. Ships from many countries frequented the city to do trade. Although about 70 kilometers from the sea, Mrauk U could at the time be reached by the largest sea going ships from the Bay of Bengal.
In 1785 the Mrauk U Kingdom was besieged by King Bodawpaya of the Konbaung dynasty. Burma’s most highly revered Buddha image, the Mahamuni image which was cast in Dhanyawadi near Mrauk U was seized by Bodawpaya and taken back to Amarapura. The image is now enshrined in the Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay.
Royal Palace
The remains of the Royal Palace are found in the center of town, just East of the market. Very little is left of the teak wood building that once stood here; only parts of the walls remain. Located on the grounds is the Archeology Museum which opens from 9 am until 4.30 pm, admission is US$ 5 per person.
Temples and pagodas of Mrauk U
Over a period of more than 350 years countless temples and pagodas were built. Some of the best known are:
◾Htukkanthein temple
◾Koe-Thaung temple (shrine of the 90,000 images of the Buddha)
◾Le-myet-hna temple (four faced pagoda)
◾Ratana-Pon Pagoda
◾Shite-Thaung temple (temple of the 80,000 images of the Buddha)
◾Laungbanpyauk pagoda (colored tile pagoda)
◾Mahabodhi Shwegu temple
How to get to Mrauk U
Mrauk U is located between the Kaladan and Lay Myo rivers in Rakhine state in the Western part of Burma, near the Bay of Bengal. The journey to Mrauk U is an adventure and attraction in itself. The only way to get there is a combination of flight and river boat.
In 1433, King Min Saw Mon established Mrauk U as the capital of the last unified Arakanese Kingdom. The city eventually reached a size of 160,000 in the early seventeenth century.[8] Mrauk U served as the capital of the Mrauk U kingdom and its 49 kings till the conquest of the kingdom by the Burmese Konbaung Dynasty in 1784.
During British colonial rule, Mrauk U was known as Myohaung.
Trading city
Due to its proximity to the Bay of Bengal, Mrauk U developed into an important regional trade hub, acting as both a back door to the Burmese hinterland and also as an important port along the eastern shore of the Bay of Bengal. It became a transit point for goods such as rice, ivory, elephants, tree sap and deer hide from Ava in Myanmar, and of cotton, slaves, horses, cowrie, spices and textiles from Bengal, India, Persia and Arabia. Alongside Pegu and later Syriam, it was one of the most important ports in Myanmar up until the eighteenth century.
The city also traded with non-Asian powers such as Portugal and then the Dutch East India Company of the Netherlands. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) established trading relations with the Arakanese in 1608 after the Portuguese fell in favour due to the lack of loyalty of Portuguese mercenaries, such as Filipe de Brito e Nicote in the service of the Arakanese king. The VOC established a permanent factory in Mrauk U in 1635, and operated in Arakan till 1665.[9]
At its zenith, Mrauk U was the centre of a kingdom which stretched from the shores of the Ganges river to the western reaches of the Ayeyarwaddy River. According to popular Arakanese legend, there were 12 'cities of the Ganges' which constitute roughly half of modern-day Bangladesh which were governed by Mrauk U, including Dhaka and Chittagong. During that period, its kings minted coins inscribed in Arakanese, Kufic and Bengali.
Much of Mrauk U's historical description is drawn from the writings of Friar Sebastian Manrique, a Portuguese Augustinian monk who resided in Mrauk U from 1630 to 1635.
Religious centre
As Mrauk U and her kingdom prospered, the kings, ministers and peasants built many pagodas and temples around the town to reflect their faith. Thus, Mrauk U houses a rich collection of temples and pagodas second only to the Central Burmese town of Bagan, in Myanmar. Most of Mrauk U's temples were constructed of hewn stone bricks, unlike the mud and clay bricks of Bagan.
The most notable temples in Mrauk U are the Shite-thaung Temple (Temple of 80,000 Images or Temple of Victory), Htukkanthein Temple (Htukkan Ordination Hall), the Koe-thaung Temple (Temple of 90,000 Images) and the Five Mahn pagodas.
In 2017, an international commission urged Myanmar to nominate Mrauk U for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The proposal is backed by Kofi Annan and archaeologists are now cataloguing and protecting the city's many sites in preparation for nomination.
Temples in Mrauk U
The following are some of the famous and noteworthy religious buildings in and around the town.
Shite-thaung Temple
Htukkanthein Temple
Koe-thaung Temple
Andaw-thein Ordination Hall
Le-myet-hna Temple
Ratana-pon
Five Man Pagodas Mingala Man Aung Pagoda
Ratana Man Aung Pagoda
Sakya Man Aung Pagoda
Lawka Man Aung Pagoda
Zina Man Aung Pagoda
Sanda Muni Temple
Bandula Kyaung Monastery
Ref: https://maptia.com/jmhullot/stories/mrauk-u-former-capital-of-the-kingdom-of-arakan
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