Bagan - the fabulous fairyland

Bagan, the promised "Buddhafield" is a wide plain of approx. 42 square kilometers with formerly more than 4.000 pagodas, temples and monasteries - maybe the most impressive manmade symbol of human longing for redemption. The legend goes that Buddha himslef once stayed in Bagan and predicted that the next Buddha would appear here. So for his followers the area of Bagan is a Buddhafield where you can receive the biggest merits for your reincarnation. Making sacrifices here will give you the multiple credit of doing the same somewhere else. This resulted in one of the biggest collection of pagodas since every king or wealthy person that could afford to build pagodas, did so in this plain.
Also for its decline there is a legend saying there was a prediction for the last king, Nahathihapati, that when he would finish his pagoda - the Mingalazedi Paya - his empire would be extinguished. So he stopped all work.....for a while......but finally did finish it just to see the Mongols at the gates. The king fled in panic, letting down the promised Buddhafield, the holy city of Bagan. For the Burmese a betrayal of their belief, they lost all trust in Bagan as the connection between heaven and earth - and left the place abandoned.
But even today, a long time after its hey-days, the pagodas are still in use and pilgrims come here to pray.

Nearly every pagoda has a story to tell or hides some dark secrets like Dhammayangyi Paya. Take your time to explore this wide area with its mass of amazing buildings. You can get lost for days in this maze of temples and pagodas......

Everybody is talking about Angkor, but Bagan offers the same magnificence WITHOUT the millions of masstourists. Especially now, the people of Burma are in desperate need for (the attentive) visitors. Calls for (tourist)boycotting this country only hits the common people - not the Junta leaders. I mentioned "attentive" tourists, because you have to look carefully where you spend your money. Avoiding all profit for the Generals and their crew might be impossible since visa fees, taxes or also entry fees end up in their pockets, but by all means avoid luxury 5-star hotels, government airlines and all business involved with the Junta and the generals who try to keep all business within their "families".
For Bagan, especially avoid the watchtower - those 10 bucks certainly go to the wrong pockets.
For Burma, I guess individual travelling is the best solution, since you have a better control of your spendings. You can minimize the Juntas profit and maximize the benfit to the common people.

And for security worries, according to my experience, Burma is a very safe country with the nicest people you can imagine.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Burma
• Birma
• Union
• of
• Myanmar
• Bagan
• Pagan

[Horseshack]

If I ever go to Bagan, I'd like to go to the exact location you were at 8:05 into the video. Do you recall the name of where you stood at this specific time in the video?

[popcatepetl2]

If I remember correctly, this was from centrally located Shwesandaw Paya - one of the major pagodas, and the one with the highest accessable terraces during my time (quite some terraces are closed like Sulamani, Mingalazedi etc, but things can change).

[popcatepetl2]

There are some more great outlooks (avoid the Junta watchtower by the way), like:

one of my favourites is Mee Nyein Gone Paya (=Nyein Gon Pagoda), the second pagoda on the right side down the Anawratha Rd., corner Bagan Nyaung U Rd./Old Bagan. A small one, but from this terrace you have them all in one line in front of your camera.

[popcatepetl2]

Or Pyathada Paya since it is one of the furthest in the east with the massive pagoda field in front of it. It also offers the biggest terrace with a smaller one on top. The gate of the stairway was open during my time, though a lock could be there at anytime.

The Dhammayazike also offers a nice area.

Hope this is a help.

[universetechnique]

Remember I was here.Thai 4:21PM 6/15/2011

[motasolo]

Beautifull

[popcatepetl2]

Avoiding all profit for the Generals and their crew might be impossible since visa fees,taxes or also entry fees end up in their pockets,but as an INDIVIDUAL TOURIST you can avoid luxury 5-star hotels,government airlines and all business involved with the Junta and the generals who try to keep all business within their "families".

By avoiding the Junta businesses you maximize the benefit of the common people.

DONT leave Burma in isolation, looking away wont help.

[popcatepetl2]

Right now there are many calls for (tourist)boycotting this country-but this only hits the common people-not the Junta leaders.Especially now,the people of Burma are in desperate need for(the attentive)visitors.I mentioned "attentive",because you have to look carefully where you spend the money.For Burma,I guess individual travelling is the best solution,since you have a better control of your spendings.You can minimize the Juntas profit and maximize the benfit to the common people.

[tubephobia]

Deep impressions.

Thank you very much.