Enchanting Bagan

Ah Bagan!

One can never fully appreciate the charm and grandeur of Bagan until surrounded by its temples, stupas and pagodas.

The four hour bus ride from Mandalay gives enough time to say goodbye to modern structures and warm welcome to the past.  Considered as one of the biggest archeological sites in Asia, Bagan is located in central Burma.  It was the capital of the Bagan Kingdom from the 9th – 13th century.  The kingdom unified that area to what is now called Myanmar. When King Anawrahta was converted to Theravada Buddhism, thousands of Buddhist temples and pagodas were built during his rule to  spread Buddhism.  The Kingdom fell to the Mongols and was never able to recover its glory.

Visiting Bagan, the choice of accommodations is divided into three: the Old Bagan, New Bagan and Nyaung U.  The New Bagan caters more to group tours and the young.  Accommodations are mostly new and social gatherings are organised.  The Old Bagan is more upmarket and night activities are limited to the hotel’s  area.  A quiet and relaxing atmosphere is what you will find should you choose Nyaung U, in addition to a more reasonable rate.

One of the things to enjoy in Myanmar aside from the breathtaking temples is the food.  A budget hostel provides breakfast made up of the street food called E-Kyar Kway or Youtiao (the Chinese Fried dough) with honey for dipping, a small plate full of mixed fruits and coffee – forget the cup- a small kettle of steaming black coffee is all yours to savour.

A choice between a bicycle, electric bicycle and a scooter can be used to go around and explore the enormous site.  Grab a bike and start pedalling.  I did. Expect two week’s worth of leg exercises for a full day’s tour around the Bagan and its temples.  Be sure to put sunblock as the rays of the sun get too much especially at midday.  If you happen to be visiting, yo can always go tot the museum for a break from the heat- but not on a Monday.  That was my mistake, so I stayed hidden from the sun in one of the temples and started drawing.

As you leave Nyaung U and enter the area, a horse-drawn cart will occasionally pass you by.  These carts, along with cars and tour buses will serve as your beacon on where to go and which temple to visit.  As you pedal along, stop and have a look at the temples surrounded by parked cars and buses.  Information regarding the temple are strategically placed near the entrance area.  Vendors, young and old, offer their wares but never rude if you do not buy.  The young vendors are the friendliest, practicing their English with questions such as:

“Where are you from?”

“Ah (name of country)! That’s a beautiful place.”

“Do you want to buy postcards?”

“Do you want to buy paintings? I made this.”

Smile and reply to their questions or better still, ask them back.  They are quite excited to answer your queries.

Some of the ancient and breathtaking temples are not seen from the main road.  As I mentioned, when you see a horse-drawn cart mysteriously trampling on a stretch of unmade path, follow it.  The next unseen turn promises a piece of history that will leave you in awe.

Each stupa, pagoda and temple can be explored – at times meeting locals who stay to watch over and sell their goods.  They even offer tips on the best place to go to avoid the crowd and watch the sunset, sometimes offering to accompany you.  A few kyats to show appreciation goes a long way for them.  Be wary of those selling paintings and claiming it as their own to make it appealing.  There are good paintings, buy from them but please do not haggle too low.  They also need to make a living.

The architecture and the length of time most of the structures have stood strong and proud merit a few minutes of respect.  The monarchy whose vision and fervour pushed for the construction of these wonders deserve appreciation as we witness a piece of history and hopefully learn from it.