Bagan Manuha-hpaya Temple, Myanmar

Address

Bagan Manuha-hpaya Temple, Myanmar

Myin Ka Bar, Myinkaba village

Old Bagan,

Myanmar (Burma)

Moolavar

Buddha

Introduction

Manuha-hpaya is a medium-sized, two storey temple located in Myinkaba village, immediately east of the main north-south road. It is popularly believed to have been built by Manuha (r. 1030s-1057), a Mon prince held captive by King Anawrahta after the conquest of Thaton in the year 1057. The temple features three large seated Buddhas facing east toward the road and a single long reclining image in an extension at the rear of the building.

Puranic Significance

It is popularly believed to have been built by Manuha (r. 1030s-1057), a Mon prince held captive by King Anawrahta after the conquest of Thaton in the year 1057. That the ground plan is different than any other surviving Bagan-era temples. The proportions of the three seated Buddha images are oversized for their chambers, and the hall housing the reclining Buddha image seems to have been added at a later date. Reclining Buddha images are also not typically found in ancient Pagan temples, though one may be seen at the Shin-bin-thalyaung hall to the west of the Shwe-san-daw Pagoda, which may also be a late addition. Finally, the kirtimukhaornaments found on the building’s cornice follow Konbaung-era models. Instead of the typical rows of faces interspersed with decorative pendants, the kirtimukha seen here are spaced widely with huge muscular arms.

Putting the age of the building aside, the temple remains of great interest to the visitor. As noted above, reclining Buddha images at Pagan are rare, and this is the only temple where one is combined with multiple large seated images. There are also a handful of interesting modern-day features such as the large stone bowl under the canopy, where visitors offer money. Another atypical feature is the huge pillar on the southeast side of the compound that pays homage to the eight days of the Buddhist week (Wednesday is counted twice, as it is divided into two parts).