A Burmese wonderland; a tale of travel in Lower and ... - Khamkoo

fO
A BURMESE WONDERLAND.
examine the ground carefully with a torch for possible
reptiles. On entering, one is immediately impressed
with the perfect ventilation which ensures
of fresh air.
a free passage
The central chamber is roofed with very fine bricks.
A colossal Buddha is seated on the throne. The
exterior of this remarkable building is now a shapeless
mass of ruin. It was once covered with Buddha images
from which the shrine derived its name. Since this
monument is subject to 250 inches of rain in some
years, it is not surprising that, after all these centuries,
water has penetrated. Many of the interior carvings
are badly water-worn. In the vicinity is an inscribed
pillar : also a soUd stone stupa in which Min Ba,
the royal founder of this unique pagoda, is buried.
So far, nothing has been done to preserve any of
the shrines of this type. Their conservation is indeed
beyond the financial capacity of villagers, and steps are
now being taken to prepare proper estimates. The
uprooting of jungle growth, and the thorough
cementing
of the exterior, would greatly prolong the life of these
monuments. The Dukhan Thein, or '' Shrine of Sorrow,"
is also a fortified pagcda similar in type to those already
mentioned, yet sufficiently different to merit separate
description.
The slope of the outer walls, and the loopholes
with which they are provided, denote plainly
the defensive nature of the pagoda, which was, in fact,
a refuge for monks, just as the Shittaung was a refuge