Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing visits natural disaster hit inundated and damaged pagodas in Bagan archaeological zone and gives guidance
NAY PYI TAW May 16
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, SAC Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo and wife, and his entourage, yesterday evening visited Bagan archaeological zone that faced inundation and destruction triggered by natural disaster and gave guidance.
On arrival at NyaungU airport, the Senior General and party were welcomed by Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Myo Aung, Central Command Commander Maj-Gen Ko Ko Oo and officials. The Senior General looked around the inundated Bagan archeological zone in a motorcade.
Sulamani Pagoda
At Sulamani Pagoda, inundated due to heavy rains, the Senior General and party visited and gave words of encouragement to security forces, departmental personnel and social organization who were pumping out water from the ancient pagoda built by King Narapati Sithu.
Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Ko Ko, and Director General of Department of Archaeology and National Museum U Kyaw Oo Lwin reported on inundation of the pagodas and drainage programs.
In response, the Senior General spoke of the need to conduct ground leveling and earth filling at the pagoda compounds, install a systematic drainage at the pagodas to prevent further floods, carry out exterior and interior repair with great care as the historic Sulamani Pagoda was a valuable heritage, and protect murals with a glass cover for their perpetuation.
He then paid homage to the pagoda.
The Senior General and party also inspected inundation and damage caused by the natural disaster at Ananda, Htilominlo and Shwezigon pagodas in the zone this morning.
Ananda Pagoda
They paid homage to Ananda Pagoda and observed the inundated pagoda floor. Looking into the requirements of officials, the Senior General said the standard of Myanmar architecture was high since ancient times.
Sustainability of invaluable ancient artifacts and crafts must be taken into account in preserving them.
Officials should take preventive measures to protect the pagodas from flooding and damage due to natural disasters.
The Senior General and party inspected preservation of Ananda brick monastery adjacent to the Mahayan Wall in the north of Ananda Pagoda and the disaster hit damaged archway.
The Senior General looked into the requirements reported by officials. He said the walls of the ground floor of the monastery are fully decorated with Konboung period murals that are priceless ancient heritages. Hence, systematic arrangements should be made to protect them fromlikely damage caused by visitors or natural disasters.
After the current repair work, indirect lighting system must be installed for the convenience of visitors. Experts should devise a plan to build a structure that can protect the entire monastery which has a lot of precious heritages. He then looked around the monastery.
Htilominlo Pagoda
At the Htilominlo Pagoda, the Senior General and party inspected its disasterhit interior and exterior parts and upper terrace. In response to reports of officials, the Senior General said preservation and protection of historical pagodas of the zone must be prioritized as they are invaluable heritages. Liquid glue, used as cement in building ancient pagodas,
is a mixture of bale fruit, molasses, lime, redbrick power, and sand. Officials should rediscover the method and ratio of ingredients in making the said liquid glue through research and at the laboratories. If the exact glue making process can be found, it will be much useful in repairing ancient pagodas.
Shwezigon Pagoda
At Shwezigon Pagoda built by kings Anawratha and Kyansittha, the Senior General and party observed inundation caused by natural disaster and called for effective maintenance methods for the pagoda’s perpetuation.
The Senior General then observed the biography of King Kyansittha written on a stone tablet and spoke of the need to preserve the invaluable heritage with more advanced protective gears.
Its Myanmar and English versions written on stone tablets should be displayed for the convenience of local and foreign pilgrims.
Donations for multi purposes
During the inspection of disasterhit pagodas, Ananda, Htilominlo and Shwezigon, the Senior General presented donations for multi purposes and cordially greeted pilgrims.
Shwezigon, Ananda, Dhammayangyi, Sulamani, Dhammarazaka, Hsinphyushin Konpalet, Kheminga, Thabeikhmauk, Htilominlo, and Lemyethna pagodas, Hsinbaung brick monastery the pagoda near Dhammarazaka Pagoda, Baganhmaw, Ywahaunggyi and Shwenanyintaw pagodas in the zone, NyaungU District, Mandalay Region, faced inundation and eight of them also faced minor damages. Plans are underway to repair them in their original design.