The beautiful, densely clustered whitewashed stupas are almost blinding in the brilliant summer sun of Mandalay. Each stupa contains a stele, or stone tablet, one of 1,774 such tablets inscribed with a commentary on the Buddhist canon, known as the Tripitaka. A hand lettered sign in both Burmese and English describe these tablets as “Teachings of Buddha consisting of Sutta, Vinaya.Abhidhama, commentaries and sub-commentaries”. These slabs were errected in 1913 by Ukan Ti, a Buddhis monk known as “The Hermit”. This exceptional library, serving as an extention to the Kuthodaw Paya, is built on the grounds of Nan Myey Bon Tha, the provisional palace that housed King Mindon during the construction of the Golden Palace, c. 1857-60. King Mindon had come to power after a successful revolt against King Pagan Min in 1853,  assisted by his  half-brother, Prince Kanaung Mindon, who was King Mindon’s confidante and statesman, attending to the more secular details of governance. Two of King Mindon’s sons, Prince Myingun and Prince Myin Kon Taing, who had been excluded from succession, revolted against their father in 1866, assassinating  Crown Prince Kanaung, plus three other princes: Prince Malun, Prince Saku, and Prince Pyinsi. The princes were all buried where they died. The following year, the royal palace was moved to the Golden Palace in the walled Royal City. King Mindon built Sandamuni in 1874, named after the Buddha image cast by King Bodawpaya. This paya was built as a memorial to Crown Prince Kanaung Mindon and other members of the royal family who lost their lives in the attempted coup. 

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. A sea of stupas surrounded by a covered walkway. 2. Detail of the interior of one stupa: an inscribed tablet containing commentary on the Buddhist canon, the Tripitaki, is installed in each of the stupa. 3. Slender spires of the whitewashed stupa at Sandamuni Paya. 4. Detail: the stupa. Center, Top: Detail: Buddha Sandamani cast in 1802. by King Bodawpaya (1782-1819. King Mindon brough this image from Amarapura to Sandamani Pagoda and shrine in 1874. Center, Bottom: The space between the stupa. Right Column: 1. The entry to Sandamuni Paya. A covered walkway leads through hundreds of stupa to the Buddha image enshrined in the paya. 2. An impressive row of stupa. 3. Detail: façade of one stupa. 4. A view of the vast number of stupa at Sandamuni Paya.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                        BACK TO MAP  PAGE