Ponya Shin Pagoda
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Soon U Ponya Shin
Pagoda
  We left Mingun and headed
to Sagaing Hill, twenty kilometres south west of
Mandalay. Sagaing was the capital
of Sagaing Kingdom (1315–1364), one of the minor kingdoms that rose up after the
fall of the Pagan Dynasty, where one of Thihathu’s sons, Athinkhaya, established
himself. During the Ava Period (1364–1555), the city was the common fief
(an estate of land,
especially one held on condition of feudal service) of the crown prince or senior princes. The city briefly became the
royal capital between 1760 and 1763 in the reign of King Naungdawgyi.
Sagaing was the site of demonstrations
which resulted in three hundred civilians being killed on the 8th of August
1988.
  The Soon Oo Ponya Shin Pagoda, built in 1312 by Minister Pon Nya, is one of the oldest temples on Sagaing Hill. Gautama Buddha, resplendent in his golden robe.
Buddha’s food offerings, Buddha’s face and some of his faithful.
We bimble the muted tiled floor, subtle compared to other pagodas.
The main stupa stands ninety-six feet four inches, the umbrella is twenty-five feet seven inches high. We went to look at the side pagoda.
This Buddha image has a disco halo.
Bear checks on the bronze frog donation box. The hill resembles a frog and hence it was known as Nga-Pha Hill. Bear finds another frog, this time in white marble.
This monk was keen to pose with Bear, he made sure not to give the camera a toothy grin as everything in his mouth was bright red with the betel chewing habit he has clearly had for many years.
A very ornate bell.
The next chapel we entered had stunning mosaic wall in tiny pieces of mirror.
Hope the next chap likes bananas.
Looking out over the covered walkway up to the pagoda – two hundred and forty metres of it.
A completely golden Buddha and one behind a fence with his own pond.
Looking over toward the Irrawaddy River and other pagodas.
A final look around.
Bear poses with a hare donation box.
Outside, we opted for a strawberry ice cream as opposed to something fried that could have been bird, we think......
ALL IN ALL BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED VERY COLOURFUL |
