By Maung Tha (Archaeology)
VISITORS to Bagan, the cultural zone of Myanmar, will notice the three large Buddha images that are placed in cramped chambers in a temple at Myingaba. The Buddha image at the centre is 14 metres (46 feet) high and is flanked by two Buddha images, each with the height of 10 Metres (33 feet).
There is also a huge reclining Buddha image 27.4 metres (90 feet) long in an adjoining chamber at the back, with the head pointing to the north. The religious edifice is renowned as the Manuha Temple or Manuha Pagoda built by King Manuha of Thaton. Some say that King Manuha purposely put the images in such cramped positions to denote his feelings under detention in Bagan. But it is just a legend, without any firm historical proof. The truth may be that the king wanted something special in building the temple and the Buddha images. Not only the images are large, the bowls in front of them are also big.
Manuha of the history According to historical treatises, King Anawrahta of Bagan sent a clever minister, together with royal gifts, to Thaton to ask the Three Pitaka from King Manuha. But Manuha was inhospitable, and did not give him the Pitaka. So, Anwrahta marched to Thaton with his army in 416 Myanmar Era (1056 CE) and brought back 30 sets of Pitaka treatises and other scared objects to Bagan.
Anawratha also took King Manuha and his family to Bagan. The glass palace history says that Manuha was accommodated at Myingaba together with his servents in Bagan; that whenever Manuha spoke, something like an aurora appeared in his mouth; that as Anawrahta was afraid of Manuha he plotted something mischievous that stopped Manuha’s magical power. But writer Paragu, an expert in history, said that the story was invented to discredit King Anawrahta, portraying him as a cruel and a repressive monarch. Normally past historians depicted any powerful person as the person who produced aurora from the mouth.
Ancient historians also said aurora also appeared from the mouth pf Kyansittha, who King Anawrahta was also afraid of. Some historical records say that Anawrahta donated Manuha to the Buddha as a slave of religion. But the story cannot be true as King Alungsithu, a grandson of Kyansittha, gave her daughter’s hand to Naga Thaman, a great grandson of Manuha. No king would let his daughter married a descendent of a slave.
Manuha Temple Manuha Temple is the largest and most famous religious edifice in Myintgaba, Bagan. According to No.9 stone inscription in the repository of Mandalay Palace, Manuha built the temple, three sitting Buddha statues and one reclining Buddha statue in just six months and six days. It was built on 15 August 1067 CE and completed on 12 March 1068 CE, according to historical records.
The temple was built at Thirizeyabon ward in the north-east of old Lawkananda jetty. It is a square-shape double storey temple. The upper floor is smaller than the ground floor. There are also 37 mini ceties. All the three siting Buddha images are placed in a tight chamber. If a pilgrim climbs up the stairways at the back of the temple, he can view the face of the sitting Buddha image closely from a higher position. The Manuha Temple has a large bowl that can hold 17 baskets of rice.
During the earthquake in 1978, the temple roof collapsed and the largest sitting Buddha image was hit by falling debris. People living in Shwechan, Shwelae and Seingon wards sponsor the annual pagoda festival at the designated venue. Paper toy folding fair is the most interesting event for both the local and foreign visitors of the festivals. Nanphaya Beside the Manuha Temple is the charming brick-andmud mortar Nanphaya Temple.
This was King Manuha’ residence, and later became a temple. Inside, the central plinth is empty, but on the four central pillars are beautiful stone carvings of Brahma, the Mon patron saint. At certain times of the day of light comes through the perforated windows, illuminating sections of the carving (but take a flashlight along).
The outer walls are crenellated, and some of the sandstone friezes remain intact. A modern concrete path surrounds the temple; make sure not to leave it, as the rough ground harbours some pricky briars. The temple is adjacent to the Manuha Temple and was built by captive Thaton Kingdom King Makuta.[1]:150 It was built using mud mortar, stone, and brick, and was used as the residence of Manuha. The temple contains intricate carvings of Brahma, and also contains depictions of other Hindu gods. Also, because Manuha was a Mon, there are many figures and symbols of the Mon within the temple, including hinthas (figures of a mythical bird).
There is also another story saying that the shrine was originally Hindu. Supposedly his captors thought that using it as a prison would be easier than converting it to a Buddhist temple. But also some say that the temple was built by Manuha’s grand-nephew known as Prince Naga Thaman in the late 11th century.
(Translated by Tin Maung Than)
