History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c33.s3.38

v2.c33.s3.38

At a place called Mingûn, about half-way between the former capital of Amarapura and the present one at Mandalay, are two pagodas, which are not without considerable interest for our present purposes; if for no other reason, at least for this—that both were erected about a hundred and twenty years ago, and show that neither the forms nor aspirations of the art were wholly extinguished even in our day. The first, the Sinbyumè pagoda, is circular in form, and was erected in the year 1790, in the reign of King Bodauhpayâ (1781-1819). As will be seen from the woodcut (No. 448), it is practically a dâgaba, with five concentric procession-paths. Each of these is ornamented by a curious serpent-like balustrade, interspersed with niches containing, or intended to contain, statues of Buddha, and is accessible by four flights of steps facing the four cardinal points. The whole is surrounded by a low circular wall 750 ft. in diameter, said to represent the serpent Ananta. Within this is a basement, measuring about 400 ft. across, and this, with the procession-paths and dâgaba on the summit, make up seven storeys, intended, it is said, to symbolise the mythical Mount Meru.¹