Author U Shwe Zan is a native of Rakhine Slate Myanmar Naingngan. He passed B.Sc. from University of Yangon in 1952. Joined Burma (Myanmar) Civil Service (Sr.Br.) in 1954. Served as a Senior Branch Officer, Selection Grade Officer and Senior Administrative Officer in different posts at different places in the Union of Myanmar for 24 years. Elected as a member of Rakhine State Peoples' Council in 1978 and served as Secretary of State Council for two successive terms and Chairman of the State Judges Committee for the third term. During tenure of his Slate Committee Service he look the responsibility of editorship and publisher of the Rakhine Stale Magazine issued in commemoration of the lOlh an-niversary of the Rakhine Stale and served as Chairman of the Publishing Committee of Mrauk-U Lan Hnyun(n guide to Mrauk-U) in 1988. Acted also as Chairman of the Compilation Committee of Rakiiine State Gazetteer comprising (5) volumes (unpublished). THE GOLDEN MRAUK-U , ...

Buraoat pagoda is situated on the hill which is 50 feet high and half a mile away from the palace site. As the country was in chaos, after Htoakkanthein pagoda had been built, king Min Pha Laung built Buraoat pagoda as a monument in AD 1571 in order not to disintegrate the country. After the upper part of the pagoda had already ruined, one terrace only remained.

Bawdishwegu pagoda is situated on the spur of Haymawan hill in the eastern part of Linpanpyauk pagoda. The pagoda was built by king Ba Saw Phyu in AD 1470. The base of the pagoda is octagonal in shape and the pagoda looks like a truncated pagoda. There are god figures associated with the planets at the corners of the pagoda. The pagoda is 30 feet high and 106 feet in circumference. The whole pagoda was made of blocks of stone. There is a cave opening in the east to enter the pagoda.

Andawthein pagoda stands 100 feet away from the northern part of Chitthaung pagoda. The pagoda and the prayer hall are fenced with the wall which is made of brick. The hillock on which the pagoda stands, is the spur of Phoekhaung mountain and it is eight feet high. Before Andawthein was built, king Min Hla Ra Zar Saw Mon, the twelfth king of Mraukoo dynasty, built the prayer hall and Buddha image at the present place of Andawthein in AD 1521. By the time king Min Bar was the governor of Thandwe, the monks from Rakhine had to go to Srilanka for the missionary work because Theravada Buddhism was on decline in Srilanka. The mission of Samgha was led by Ashin Tay Zar Ra Tha from Thandwe and Ashin Dha Ma Vi La Tha from Mraukoo. When they got back from Srilanka. Ashin Tay Zar Ra Tha gave the molar relic of Buddha to Ba Saw Yee, the governor of Thandwe. The crown prince Ba Saw Yee built a pagoda enshrining the molar relic of Buddha in it on Warthura mountain of Thandwe near ...

The pagoda lies on Nandaw mountain which is in the left river bank of Thandwe river and one mile far away from the north of Thandwe. This pagoda is also a prophetic pagoda of lord Buddha. The lord Buddha prophesied Anan Da, “Dear Anan Da, the pagoda will be called Nandaw pagoda enshrining my rib relic after I had attained Parinibbanna since I had ever been a king of partridge in a previous life of mine.” The governor Min Pyar of the city of Dawrawaddy built the pagoda in 763 AD in accordance with Buddha’s prophecy. Rakhine successive kings: king Maha Soe, king Ra Zar Gyi and king San Da Thu Dham Ma, renovated the pagoda in 1323 AD. 1626 AD and 1676 AD respectively. Townspeople of Thandwe renovated it twice in 1849 AD and 1878 AD respectively. The original height of the pagoda is 6 feet, but the pagoda was encased by the donors, therefore, in the present, it measures 40 feet high and 110 feet in circumference. The pagoda is octagonal in shape at the base and the upper p...

While Buddha was resting on the top of Tanttawmu mountain, he prophesied, “Dear Anan Da, I had ever been the kings of human beings and the kings of animals many times in my previous lives in the city of Dawrawaddy. Among them, I had ever been a king of rattlesnake in a previous live of mine in Pathura mountain where is in the north-east of this mountain I stand, therefore, the pagoda called Andaw, will be built enshrining my molar relic after I had attained Parinibbanna.” This pagoda is situated on the top of Andaw mountain where is in the left river bank of Thandwe river and one mile far from Thandwe. The governor Za Choke of the city of Dawrawaddy, built the pagoda enshrining the molar relic in 762 AD according to Buddha’s porphecy. Rakhine successive kings such as king Maha Soe, king Ra Zar Gyi and king San Da Thu Dham Ma, renovated it. The residents of Thandwe and Andaw villagers renovated the pagoda again in 1870 AD. The form of Andaw pagoda is octagonal in shape at the base. ...

The pagoda is located on the steep mountain which is in the left river bank of Thandwe river and one mile fur from Thandwe. This pagoda is also a prophetic pagoda of Buddha. Buddha prophesied Anan Da, “Dear Anan Da, the pagoda called Sandaw will be built enshrining my hair relic after I had gained Parinibbanna as I had ever been a king of the bird of paradise in Manikaytha mountain in a previous life of mine.” The governor Min Nyo Khin of the city of Dawrawaddy built the pagoda in AD 784 according to Buddha’s prophecy. Rakhine successive kings such as king Maha Soe, king Ra Zar Gyi and king San Da Thu Dham Ma renovated it. The residents of Thandwe renovated it again in 1849 AD and 1876 AD respectively. The form of the pagoda is octagonal in shape. It measures 65 feet in height and 180 feet in circumference at the base. The upper part of the bell-shaped dome, is conical and there are no decorations, caves and porches. The pagoda court is enclosed with the octagonal-shaped wall. ...

King Athor Ka of Padalipoat kingdom excavated seven Sarwat at Buddha relics king Azar Ta That buried in Razargyo kingdom. Sarwat is a container (the unit of measurement). In accordance with the advice of monk Shin Maha Mauk Ga Li Poat Tiek Tha, he sent the Buddha relics to the Buddha’s prophetic places for building the pagodas. King Thu Ri Ya Sak Ka of Dynyawaddy kingdom and king Athor Ka, were simultaneous kings. King Athor Ka ruled his country from BC 326 to BC 286. King Thu Ri Ya Sak Ka ruled Dynyawaddy from BC 316 to BC 272. King Athor Ka sent monk Shin Bar Ku La and monk Shin Maha Teik Tha bringing Buddha relics to king Thu Ri Ya Sak Ka to build the pagodas in the prophetic places of Buddha in Dynyawaddy. The two monks gave him the Buddha relics and the replica of Sandamuni Buddha image which Buddha cast by himself while he was alive. According to the two monk’s instruciton, he built 248 pagodas int he prophetic places of Buddha who visited Rakhine. The pagodas wer...

King Maha Tine San Dra founded the capital of Vesali in AD 327. The name of Maha Taing San Dra was written as the name of Dwe San Dra in Anandachandra stone inscription pillar. The chief queen of king Maha Tine San Dra was Thu Pa Bar Day Wi, the descendant of Tharkiwan clan of Kapilawat kingdom. The chief queen spoke to the king humbly that she wanted to worship Thakkyamuni Buddha image worshipped by descendants of Tharkiwon clan in Kapilawat kingdom. The king sent the ministers and the high officers to Kapilawant kingdom to covery Thakkyamuni Buddha image. They conveyed the Buddha image in the sailing ship. When they reached Theinseetauntwaykhanaung, the Buddha image fell into the water as the ship wrecked due to breaking out of the storm there. Although they looked for it in the water, they didn’t find it because the water was very deep. When the ministers and the high officers got back to the palace, they spoke to the king humbly that the Buddha image had fallen into the w...

King Kheik Ta Thin, the nephew of king Su La San Dra, founded Pyinsa after fall of Vesali. In those days, Arahat Thit Sa Van Da Wa practised meditation in the cave near the city of Pyinsa during three months of lent. That cave still can be seen unitl now. The cave is called Ngetkhaung. That Arahat Thit Sa Van Da Wa practised meditation in the cave at the base of Lamaded mountain as well. Lastly, he practised meditation dwelling in Thamoatdawiri of present Sittwe. The word “Bandawagu” gradually became changed to Bandawgu, and in finally, Badawmaw at the present time. Those names are called regarding Arahat Thit Sa Van Da Wa. He attained Parinibbanna in Thiripatpada mountain of Sanga mountain ranges. King Kheik Ta Thin cremated the cropse by himself. He built a pagoda on Thiripatpada mountain enshrining relics of Thit Sa Van Da Wa and others in AD 818. The pagoda is octagonal in shape at the base and it is surrounded by eight spherical pagodas which face eight directions. T...

Laymyo period had four capitals. Pyinsama was the first capital of Laymyo period and it last 285 years from AD 818 to AD 1103. Purain was the second capital of Laymyo period and it last 57 years from AD 1103 to AD 1160. Nayrinesara was the third capital of Laymyo period and it last 86 years from AD 1160 to AD 1246. Laungkyat was the fourth capital of Laymyo period and it last 184 years from AD 1246 to 1430 AD. Those four cities were situated along Izananadi river, thus, those periods are called Laymyo period in reference to those four cities. The river is also called Laymyo river in reference to those four cities. The fifth descendant of king Lat Kya Min Nan, the founder of Purain city in Lyamyo period, was king Kaw Li Ya. He did Athaditha donation. The stone inscription written with two inches-sized words on the large natural rock of Kawliya mountain, can still be seen until now. Although the rock layers had detached from the large rock, the inscription on the rock can orig...

Peesitaung pagoda is situated on the hill which is 100 feet high and one furlong away from the south of Koethaung pagoda. King Thu Ri Ya Sak Ka, the ruler of Dynyawaddy kingdom, enshrined the left peesi relic of Buddha in the pagoda. The future Gaw Ta Ma Buddha lived in the mountain as a king boar in a previous life of his when he was fulfilling his minor perfection. The name of the mountain is Thilagiripatpata. King Kaw Li Ya secondly renovated the pagoda in Parain period in AD 1163. King Min Pha Laung of Mraukoo period thirdly repaired it. Such king rebuilt the pagoda in the form of substructure by making the cave tunnel below the stone Buddha image. Four Buddha images back on the wall at the center, are facing four directions in the cave tunnel. Each Buddha image has an entrance porch. One can go around the passage from every porch. In the present, the cave is damaging.

Among the rulers of Laungkyat city, king Nan Kya was the sixth king of Laungkyat dynasty. The citizens were discontended with the king because he collected more taxes, extorted the virgin daughters of others and behaved the conducts of the foolish persons. So, they were eager to revolt against the king if the opportunity appeared. In such time, the two able men named Seik Ta Ra and Na Ra Da appeared. They were proficient in the worldly art which can create various forms. Seik Ta Ra disguished himself as king Nan Kya and entered the queen chamber of the palace every day. When king Nan Kya came to the queen chamber, she asked him why he came to her chamber many times. And then, the king replied that he didn’t often come to her chamber and he came to hers only that day. And, the queen said that there would be a disguised person as the king if the king didn’t come to her chamber every day. And then, the king said that he wouldn’t come to her chamber duing the week and the per...

King Min Saw Mon built five city-settlement pagodas and eight Nat figures simultaneously when he founded the city of Mraukoo. By naming the mountains inside and outside the city, he erected many pagodas on such mountains. The city was founded in the form of Galone bird incubated spreading his wings. By building the pagoda in the place of Galone bird’s head, it was called Myotookhaung pagoda. The pagoda stands on the spur of Pinay mountain which is half a mile away from the north-west of the palace site. In other words, the pagoda was called Myotoohnauk pagoda because it was built enshrining the brain relics of Buddha and the relics of Arahats in it. After the city-settlement pagodas had been built, this pagoda was built as the subsidiary city-settlement pagoda in AD 1430. In the past, it was a cave pagoda, and the stone Buddha image which is eight fee high and worn the lotus robe, was in the cave. The throne on which Buddha image sits, has a variety of flowers and figures. ...

Shwetaung pagoda is located on the hill which is 300 feet high and half a mile away from the east of the palace site. The pagoda is the solid conical structure. The future Gaw Ta Ma Buddha lived in the mountain as a king peacock in a previous life of his to fulfill his minor perfection. The name of the mountain is Gandagiripatpada. King Thu Ri Ya Sak Ka in Dynyawaddy period, built a pagoda enshrining the head relic of Buddha in the pagoda according to the prophecy of Buddha. After fall of Laungkyat, king Min Saw Mon looked for a place to found the new city. When he was looking for it, the earth deity pointed out the place of the new city from Shwetaung mountain by wearing the white clothes. When king Min Saw Mon founded Mraukoo, he renovated Shwetaung pagoda as well as five city-settlement pagodas. In the regime of king Min Bar, a yogi called Zawgyi made the soil of Shwetaung to be gold by blowing bellows it. King Min Pha Laung donated the whole pagoda the golden robe by embellish...

Laymyatnar pagoda stands 150 feet far away from the northern part of Htoakkanthein pagoda. The pagoda built by king Min Saw Mon in 1430 AD, is one of the first five pagodas in Mraukoo. The pagoda is called Laymyatnar pagoda because the four entrances of the pagoda face the four directions. The pagoda was built in the form of arising of the great pagoda amidst the four surrounding pagodas. Dadugatba and the inverted golden bowl are above the bell-shaped dome. The pagoda is enclosed with the stone wall in four directions. There is the entrance at each of the eastern and the western stone walls. There are five Buddha images in the niches of the wall between the two entrances. There are eight stone Buddha images facing eight directions at the center of the cave tunnel. The total number of Buddha images are twenty eight depending on the verse of Thanboatday. The pagoda built by Na Ra Nu in AD 1433 who was a younger brother of king Min Saw Mon, is in the northern part of Laymyatnar pago...

The mountain is called Barkula mountain because Ashin Bar Ku La stopped for awhile on the mountain when he came to Dynyawaddy taking Buddha relics from king Athor Ka of Patalipoat kingdom. On the other hand, it is also called Burpu mountain as Bur Pu ogre lived. Future Gaw Da Ma Buddha lived in the mountain as a barking deer in a previous life of his while he was fulfilling the minor perfection. The name of the mountain is Nithapatpada. King Thu Ri Ya Sak Ka of Dynyawaddy kingdom erected a pagoda enshrining Thiri relic of Buddha in it after Buddha had gained Parinibbanna. King Min Saw Mon rebuilt the pagoda in AD 1430 as the pagoda fell into ruins. There are still two pagodas built in Mraukoo period and one pagoda built by the townpeople during the British regime.

Moatsatetaw pagoda is situated on the hillock which is 100 feet high and 300 feet far away from the northern part of Myatansaung pagoda. The pagoda was built by king Min Saw Mon as one of the five city-settlement pagodas in AD 1430. The hillock has two levels and the first level was made of stone and it contains a repository for Buddhist scriptures. It is surrounded by the stone wall in four directions. Three stone Buddha images are in the cave. The cave has damaged due to the burglar. Moatsatetaw pagoda is loacted on the topmost level of the hillock. The pagoda was built at the center of the brick substructure called the big terrace which is 100 feet in lenght, 100 feet in breadth and 55 feet in height. The form of the pagoda is that Dadugatba is put over the bell-shaped dome. The pagoda is 50 feet high and 100 feet in circumference. There are four surrounding pagodas at the four corners. A Buddha foorprint was in the east of the pagoda. Nowadays, the trustee of Chitthaung pagoda mo...

Shwegutaung pagoda stands on the hill in the east of the palace site. The pagoda was built in the east of the palace, and the successive kings of Mraukoo worshipped that pagoda as a palace-head pagoda. The pagoda was built by king Min Saw Mon is AD 1430. The pagoda has three levels of the pagoda court in the west of the hill. There is a wall containing eight small caves in the lowest level. The peacock figures exist between every two small cave. In the previous time, the Buddha image cast in nine jewels, was in the cave. In the present, that Buddha image is dwelling in Nyaungpin Market monastery to be worshipped. The pagoda has a cave at the base and in the previous time, the cave had the bell-shaped pagodas. Each of the small pagodas is at the four corners. The small caves adjacent to the wall, are in the south, the north and the west. The British chief commissioner Mr. Aran Hal built a conical pagoda on the cave in AD 1937. The original upper part of the pagoda had been in ruins,...

The eastern Myatasaung pagoda and the western Myatasaung pagoda built by king Min Saw Mon, are situated on the hills which are 41 feet high and 500 feet far away from the north of Laymyatnar pagoda. Those pagodas are the contemporary pagodas of founding Mraukoo. The pagodas were made of stone, and the wall of the surrounding pagoda and the stairway, were made of bricks. Both of the pagodas have the same size and similarity. The stone Buddha image which is 6 feet high, is inside the pagoda. There are four surrounding pagodas which were made of bricks at the four corners within the brick wall. There were monasteries in which the monks lived near the pagoda. That monastery was called Myatansaung monastery. It has been said that the monks from Myatasaung monastery went to Srilanka for their missionary work in the time of king Min Hla Ra Zar and king Min Ra Zar Gyi. Nowadays, the pagodas look collapsed and it is necessary to restore them.