Mahazedi Pagoda
History
The pagoda was built by King Bayinnaung to house a gold and jewel-encrusted tooth relic of the Buddha. The tooth relic was a replica from Dharmapala of Kotte, the king of the Kingdom of Kotte, who gifted the tooth, along with an alms bowl and his daughter. The construction of the pagoda began in November 1559, and was completed six months later in May 1560. The footprint of the pagoda was 100 taung (45.72 m (150 ft)) in diameter, and the height was 150 taung (68.58 m (225 ft)), without the hti ("umbrella spire"). The hti spire was raised atop the pagoda for the first time on 2 January 1561.
The relics arrived in 1576. In 1599, King Anaukpetlun conquered Bago and removed the relics to Taungoo. In 1636, King Thalun removed the relics to Inwa, enshrining them at the Kaunghmudaw Pagoda in Sagaing. Throughout its history, the pagoda has been destroyed by several earthquakes on the Sagaing Fault, on 13 September 1564, 1583, and 8 October 1888, and completely leveled in 1930. Mahazedi Pagoda was rebuilt in the 1950s.
Notes
- ^ The relic chamber was dedicated on Wednesday, 2nd waning of Nadaw 921 ME (Wednesday, 15 November 1599).
- ^ The construction of the pagoda was completed in May 1560 (six months after the relic chamber dedication ceremony). The hti umbrella raising ceremony was held on 2nd waning of Pyatho 922 ME (Thursday, 2 January 1561).
References
- ^ Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 254
- ^ Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 259
- ^ Guides, Insight (2015). Insight Guide: Myanmar (Burma). Apa Publications (UK) Limited. ISBN 9781780058849.
- ^ Thabrew, W. Vivian De (2014-03-11). Buddhist Monuments And Temples Of Myanmar And Thailand. AuthorHouse. ISBN 9781491896228.
- ^ DK (2016). DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Myanmar (Burma). Penguin. ISBN 9781465459824.
- ^ Wojciehowski, Hannah Chapelle (2011-08-22). Group Identity in the Renaissance World. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107003606.
- ^ Thein, Maung (2009). "EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI HAZARD IN MYANMAR". Journal of Earthquake and Tsunami. 3 (2): 43–57. doi:10.1142/S1793431109000482.
Bibliography
- Kala, U (2006) [1724]. Maha Yazawin (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3 (4th printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.
- Maha Sithu (2012) [1798]. Kyaw Win; Thein Hlaing (eds.). Yazawin Thit (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3 (2nd ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.
- Royal Historical Commission of Burma (2003) [1832]. Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3. Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar.
