Myanmar 22 Bagan Shwezigon Pagoda3

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Bagan
Myanmar!
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According to the Burmese chronicles, Bagan was
founded in the second century CE, and fortified
in 849 CE. From 1044 to 1287, Bagan was the
capital as well as the political, economic and
cultural nerve center of the Pagan Empire.
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The Shwezigon Pagoda or Shwezigon Paya is a
circular gold leaf-gilded stupa surrounded by
smaller temples and shrines. Construction of the
Shwezigon Pagoda began during the reign of King
Anawrahta and was completed in 1102 AD, during
the reign of King Kyansittha of the Pagan
Dynasty.
Shwezigon Pagoda
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Hti is the name of the finial ornament that tops
almost all pagodas in Myanmar. Hti is also a
Burmese language word meaning umbrella. In
pre-colonial Burma, the hti was an indicator of
social status and used exclusively by those who
were granted express permission to do so. The
white umbrella or hti byu was one of the five
articles of coronation regalia.
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Use and possession of a white umbrella was
limited exclusively to the Burmese king and his
chief queen, while the highest officials and
royal princes (including the Crown Prince or
Uparaja) possessed golden umbrellas and
lower-level officials possessed red umbrellas, if
any.
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The white umbrella was a sign of sovereignty.
Indeed, use of a white umbrella by any persons
other than the king and his chief queen was
regarded as a declaration of rebellion,
punishable with immediate execution
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At the death of the king, the white umbrellas in
his possession were broken
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The white umbrella was also permitted for
religious usage. For instance, The Mahamuni
Buddha was formerly shaded by a white umbrella.
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The umbrellas were embellished inside and out
with pictures of sylphs and fairies in gold, thin
gold plates shaped like banyan leaves fastened to
the top, and handles of gold adorned with pearls,
diamonds, rubies, emeralds, corals and with
spangles.
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The umbrella used by the king when riding an
elephant or travelling by carriage was called a
yin hti.
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The number of umbrellas in one's possession was
also an indication of social status, as they were
showcased during public processions and put up in
prominent places at home.
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The king was allotted 9 white umbrellas, the
Crown Prince 8 golden ones, distinguished
statesmen and military generals several golden
ones, and the other royal personages had numbers
corresponding to achievements or the king's
regard to them. The royal white elephants
(hsinphyudaw) were also granted 6 umbrellas, 2
white and 4 golden
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The hti can be said as the main distinctive
feature of Burmese pagodas, as they are more
prominent than their Sri Lankan counterparts,
while the Laotian and Thai pagodas do not have
any. The tip of the hti, which is studded with
precious stones, is called the seinhpudaw (lit.
"esteemed diamond bud").
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The hti is considered the most important part of
the pagoda. A special ceremony being held for the
placing of the hti on the pagoda is called hti
tin pwe.
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The hti is placed on the top of a pagoda and hung
with a multitude of bells. The hti of prominent
pagodas are often made entirely of gold or
silver. The bells are used to attract the
attention of good spirits in Tavati?sa and other
abodes of the devas of Mount Meru.
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The htis of the temples of Bagan are all made of
stone, while the htis of the pagodas there and
elsewhere around Myanmar are made of metal
(usually iron or steel), coated with gold. The
hti is then decorated with golden or gold-plated
brass and bronze bells and at jewelry donated by
devotees
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The number of umbrellas in one's possession was
also an indication of social status, as they were
showcased during public processions and put up in
prominent places at home.
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The king was allotted 9 white umbrellas, the
Crown Prince 8 golden ones, distinguished
statesmen and military generals several golden
ones, and the other royal personages had numbers
corresponding to achievements or the king's
regard to them. The royal white elephants
(hsinphyudaw) were also granted 6 umbrellas, 2
white and 4 golden
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King Anawrahta of Bagan (10441077) designated an
official pantheon of 37 Nats, after he had failed
to enforce a ban on nat worship. His stratagem of
incorporation by bringing the nats to his
Shwezigon Pagoda in positions of worshipping the
Buddha, and by enlisting Thagya Min at the head
of the pantheon above the Mahagiri nats,
eventually succeeded.
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Presentation Sanda Foisoreanu
2013
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