Have you ever wondered what it felt like to live in the heart of an ancient kingdom? Today we are standing before the ruins of what was once building number 1002 in Bagan. This ancient city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom. This was the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later become Myanmar.
From the 9th to 13th centuries, Bagan was the political and cultural hub of the Bagan Empire. Imagine this plain teeming with life. From 1044 to 1287, rulers and wealthy subjects constructed over 10,000 religious monuments. These monuments included temples and monasteries. Over 2200 temples and pagodas still survive today.
Bagan’s culture was deeply rooted in religion. Theravada Buddhism gained prominence through royal patronage. Other traditions like Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism also thrived. By the late 11th century, Bagan’s layout began to take shape. A strip extended 9 km along the Irrawaddy’s east bank. The walled core known as Old Bagan was in the middle.
The peak of monument building occurred between 1150 and 1200. Most of Bagan’s largest buildings were constructed then. Construction clustered around Old Bagan. By the 13th century, new clusters emerged to the east. These clusters included monastic areas. Smaller monuments and monasteries increased.
Bagan was not just a religious center. It was a cosmopolitan hub for religious and secular studies. Monks and students came from India, Sri Lanka, and the Khmer Empire. The city specialized in Pali scholarship. Studies included grammar and philosophical-psychological aspects. Works spanned prosody, phonology, astrology, and medicine.
Both Bagan and the countryside offered many employment opportunities. Temple building stimulated professions. These professions included brickmaking, masonry, gold working, and carpentry. Temples needed maintenance boosting demand for artisans and laborers. Accountants and scribes managed temple properties. Workers were paid well. People of many backgrounds lived and worked in Bagan.
Bagan’s rise coincided with decline in nearby regions. Immigrants from Dvaravati, Srivijaya, and the Chola Empire moved to Bagan. The Pagan Empire collapsed in 1287 due to Mongol invasions. Provincial governors became the new power elite. Bagan declined to a small town. It never regained its preeminence.
Bagan survived as a pilgrimage destination. New religious monuments were constructed until the mid-15th century. Afterward, temple constructions slowed. The old capital remained a pilgrimage site. Pilgrims focused on prominent temples. Thousands of less famous temples fell into disrepair.
The temples received regular upkeep. Architectural additions were donated. Many temples were repainted. New frescoes covered original Pagan-era ones. State-sponsored renovations occurred in the Konbaung period. These renovations weren’t always true to the original designs. Some interiors were whitewashed.
Bagan is in an active earthquake zone. It suffered from many earthquakes. A major earthquake in 1975 damaged many temples. Today, 2229 temples and pagodas remain. Restorations in the 1990s drew condemnation. Critics said that restorations ignored original styles. They also said that modern materials were used.
In 2019, Bagan was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, Bagan is a main tourist destination. Its economy relies mainly on tourism. The city has international standard hotels and family-run guesthouses. Bagan is also the center of the Burmese lacquerware industry. This industry depends on tourist demand.
Bagan, with its thousands of monuments, offers a glimpse into a rich and complex past. The fact that building 1002 is in ruins today is a testament to the relentless passing of time. Yet, these ruins also remind us of the ingenuity, artistry, and deep spiritual beliefs of those who once called Bagan home. Let us carry this story with us. Let it be a reminder of the impermanence of even the grandest empires.