Htukkanthein Buddhist Temple- Myanmar (Burma)

Address

Htukkanthein Buddhist Temple- Mrauk-U, Myanmar (Burma)

Diety

Buddha

Introduction

Htukkanthein is one of the most famous Buddist temples in the ancient Arakanese city of Mrauk U, in Rakhine State, Western Myanmar. The name means “Cross-Beam Ordination Hall”. Like most of Mrauk U’s Buddhist temples, it is designed as a dual purpose ‘fortress-temple’. Although it is a ‘thein’ (ordination hall), it is one of the most militaristic buildings in Mrauk U, built on raised ground, with a single entrance and small windows.

Puranic Significance

The temple enshrining the statues of Buddha was built in 1571 by King Min Phalaung. It is located on a small hill a stone’s throw away from the Shite-thaung Temple. At the centre of the temple is a dome topped with a mushroom shaped crown, surrounded by four smaller stupas at the corners. At the facade base of the central dome is a square window designed in such a manner that, the sun’s rays shine directly onto the main Buddha image inside the central vault. At the west side of the temple is a small meditation chamber, accessible only via the main temple. The temple is constructed of brick and stone. The Htukkanthein has three chambers, rotating clockwise inwards. The entire temple has a total of 180 Buddha images in niches (179 smaller ones along the corridors, and 1 at the central vaulted chamber). On each side of the niches are sculpted male and a female figures said to represent the donors who made the construction of the temple possible. The temple has been claimed to be an inspiration of the ruins founded in Sanhok map.