Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi Pagoda is noted for a variety of artworks which ornamented it.

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Ashlee Clarke
5 years ago
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This Pagoda stands close to the western side of the Mya Zedi Pagoda near Myin Kaba village. It was built in A. D. 1113 by Prince Yaza Kumaya.

1 This Pagoda stands close to the western side of the Mya Zedi Pagoda near Myin Kaba village. It was built in A. D by Prince Yaza Kumaya. Lines 30 to 32 of the Pali inscription of Mya Zedi stone pillar tell us that Yaza Kumaya was the Prince as well as Amat Kyi (High Official) and that he built a cave pagoda with a gold finial and cast a gold image of Buddha. Since Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi Pagoda is the only cave pagoda in the neighbourhood of the Mya zedi stone pillar, it is safe to assume that it was the very cave pagoda which Prince Yaza Kumaya built and in which he enshrined the gold image of Buddha. Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi Pagoda is noted for a variety of artworks which ornamented it. Architecturally it belonged to the early period of Bagan. Being a cave pagoda of early time, it allows but little light into it. So it is gloomy inside. Mural paintings on its walls are little effected by light. The base is in the shape of Kalatha pot. The roof is curvilinear and the dormer window lets in the light to fall directly upon the big images. Such are the peculiar architectural features of early period of Bagan. {tab=architecture} 1 / 8

2 The vertical view from the southern side of Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi The vertical view from the western side of Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi 2 / 8

The cross-section of Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi {tab=stuccos} Above the stone windows are zedis with terraces and small Buddha statues on the altars and ornamental backdrops with intricate floral designs.

3 The cross-section of Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi {tab=stuccos} Above the stone windows are zedis with terraces and small Buddha statues on the altars and ornamental backdrops with intricate floral designs. There are embossed concentric rings and figures of ogres holding in the mouths festoons, at the structure. These are all plaster works of artistic excellence. {tab=stone Sculpture} In the 34 niches there used to be 34 stone images of Buddha. But due to vandalism only 19 are left. The perfo-rated stone windows are of different designs in the shape of a leaf, a Banyan leaf, swastika, etc. There are eleven windows, nine in the walls of the main building, and two in the devotional hall. {tab=mural Painting} 3 / 8

4 Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi Pagoda is one of the Temples (cave pagodas) which has many frescos. For the preserva-tion of the frescoes of Bagan monuments the UNDP/ UNESCO pilot project was launched in Foreign experts on fresco preservation were invited to give practical training to the local conservationists in Bagan. In 1991 the training was completed and the paintings on the walls of the Pagoda were scientifically preserved. The mural paintings were cleaned by chemicals, and those coming off from the wall were neatly glued and strengthened. Besides edging and injection to kill insects were carried out. Projector, spotlight, and other electric equipments had been installed in the vaulted corridor. After cleaning and chemical treatment, pictures depicting the 16 dreams of King Kosala have been recovered. There are only two Pagodas which have the pictures depicting Kosala's dreams. On the upper face of northern wall are a series of paint-ings in which the first Buddhist Council, the second Buddhist Council and the third Buddhist Council were depicted in large pictures. These pictures of Buddhist Councils were the only ones of the kind found in this Pagoda. On the western wall of the north-west corner window are the paintings depicting the King of the Ceylon who ruled justly by hanging a bell of justice in front of his palace, so anyone who wished to make a complaint to the king could strike it. 550 Jataka stories of the Lord Buddha were painted on the walls of the main structure. Each picture measures one foot 5 inches by one foot 5 inches. There are also pictures which present King Asoka, King Devanan piyatitha of Ceylon and Shin Mahinda, the Lord Buddha preaching Vinnaya to the monks, King Bimisara building the city of Rajagaraha, the Lord Buddha eating mango fruit, the Lord Buddha showing great miracle to the sectarian opponents, the sectarian opponents showing their supernatural powers, the Lord Buddha descending from Tavatimsa, the Lord Buddha preaching Abidhamma to Sariputara in the grove of Sandaku trees, Shin Sariputara expounding Abhidhamma to his 500 pupil monks, the Lord Buddha giving sermon at the city gate of Sankassa King Kosala having a sumptuous meal, the Lord Buddha defeating Mara and his warriors, musical instruments, dancer dancing with two swords, drumer and dancer. On the inner wail of the northern devotional hall are pictures.depicting the episodes from Vimana Jataka and Peta Jataka, on either side of the entrance of the image house is the picture of a deva with 14 hands holding different weapons. Also on either side of the archway are the pictures of standing deva with 10 hands and Brahma above it. After cleaning the walls with chemicals, these pictures appear in their original colours. {tab=gallery} 4 / 8

5 Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi (A.D. 1113) Myin Kaba Gupyauk-Gyi viewed from the southern face. (A.D. 1113) 5 / 8

Relief figures of ogre clutching floral festoons,

6 The windows with different designs and decorated with plaster works of floral motifs found on th Relief figures of ogre clutching floral festoons, relief floral design and floral ornamental backrop 6 / 8

7 7 / 8

8 Plaster wall (A.D of 1113) moulding Myin Kaba at Gupyauk-Gyi the south-east corner {/tabs} floral Gupyauk-Gyi.The stone pierced of a window cave design. pieced into pagoda on them.above together with window south and plaster it side has little is a moulding of two small holes Myin slabs structure were Kaba of 8 / 8

Nan Paya Temple, A.D. 11th century

Nan Paya Temple, A.D. 11th century This pagoda lies south of Manuha Image. It is one of four Bagan monuments built of sandstones. The other three are Shwezigon, Kyauk Ku Umin and Set Ku Taik (which was a library at the foot of the Tuyin