Bagan
 After
the fall of Pyay (the capital of Pyu), its people migrated
to Bagan, merged with the local tribes and thereafter they
were known as the Myanmars. Bagan, a cluster of nineteen
villages developed into a town which became the capital of
Myanmars from the eleventh to thirteenth century. Because of
the confluence of the Chindwin and Ayerwaddy rivers, the
situation of Bagan is good. And it was probably here that a
trade road from the Shan states joined one from Yunnan on
the way to Assam. Riverine islands doubtlessly yielded
fertile crops and there are reasons to believe that the
climate of the upper Myanmar is dry zone which is humid and
fertile.
 The
farmer became the King Nyaung Oo Sawrahan (831 – 864 A.D)
who was great in glory and power. He built five pagodas
namely; Pahto-gyi , Pahto-Nge, Pahtothamya, Thinlinpahto and
Seitipahto. In them he set up what were neither spirit
images nor images of Lord Buddha. He worshipped them with
offerings of rice, curry and fermented drinks in night and
morning everyday.
The teaching of the ‘Ari’ at Thamahti village was
generally adopted and under the reign of King Sawrahan, the
whole country held that teaching. Thamahti village still
exists not far from a few miles southeast of Bagan. When
King Pyinpya succeeded Bagan at the time of (849 AD), he
enclosed it in the wall of which remains still exist in the
‘Sarabha Gate’.
 In
1044 AD, Anawrahta became the king of Bagan Kingdom. As he
wished Bagan to be a strong capital of the whole country, he
gathered his best men. He built the Bawrithat pagoda on the
eastern hill and founded the Shwezigon pagoda in Bagan. He
constructed the irrigation system which still enriches
Kyaukse and then he build the four weirs (Kinda, Ngalaingzin,
Pyaungbya, Kume) on the Panlaung River. The three weirs (Nwadet,
Kunhse, Nga Pyaund) were constructed on the Zawgyi River.
But he couldn’t afford to build a dam on the northern river
named Myitnge though he was to try it. Under Shin Arahan,
the Buddhist monk’s teaching, he founded firmly the pure
Buddhism or Theravada Buddhism.
 King
Kyansittha (1084-1112 AD) constructed the Ananda temple in
1090 AD in Bagan. The Ananda with its dazzling garb of white
and its gilt spire glittering in the morning sun is one of
the wonders of Bagan. The statues of Shin Arahan and King
Kyansittha still exist in the Ananda temple. Setting up the
inscribed stone post, the son of King Kyansittha, prince
Yazakumar constructed Myazadi pagoda south of Bagan. Bearing
on each of its four faces are the same matter in a different
language-Pali, Mon, Pyu and Myanmar. It has enabled as to
decipher Pyu.
King Alaungsithu (1112 – 1167 A.D) constructed the noble
Thatbyinu temple in 1144 AD, which dominates all others at
Bagan in majesty of line. Nearby is the Shwegu temple in
which he was destined to die. It was built in seven months
and on its walls can still be seen the inscription
containing his great prayer in Pali verse.
The last king of Bagan is King Narathihapate. He was
killed by his son, (Thihathu), by forcing to have a
poisonous meal in 1287 A.D. He built the Mingalarzedi pagoda
and set up inscription near Bagan.
Dhamayangyi temple built by King Narathu is the largest
pile in Bagan and its brickwork is among the finest in Bagan.
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