Conservation
Maintenance tasks to be carried out to prevent bank erosion of Lawka Nanda Tooth Relic Pagoda
Plans are underway to carry out to prevent bank erosion from the Ayeyawady River at the Lawka Nanda Sacred Tooth Relic Pagoda in Bagan Ancient Cultural Zone in NyaungU Township in Mandalay Region, according to Director Dr Than Htike of the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (Bagan Branch).
“We are taking measures to save the Lawka Nanda Pagoda in cooperation with the Department of Development of Water Resources and River Systems, the Forest Department and Environmental Conservation Department. The Department of Development of Water Resources and River Systems built walls to prevent the bank erosion. We have discussed preventing erosion from about 1,000 metres of land to the southwest of the pagoda,” he said.
Arrangements have been made to implement tasks at the Lawka Nanda wildlife Sanctuary at the pagoda, which suffered bank erosion last year. “We place emphasis on bank erosion to the southwest of the sanctuary and sinking land level in areas to the southwest of the pagoda,” he added.
About 80 feet of land near the pagoda is eroded by the Lawka Nanda whirlpool yearly in the Ayeyawady River. Out of 40 pagodas damaged by heavy rain this year, maintenance tasks have been carried out at 13 pagodas and plans are underway to carry out maintenance tasks in the rest of the pagodas.
There are 2,837 ancient pagodas in Bagan Ancient Cultural Zone including 3,822 pagodas on the east bank and 15 pagodas on the west bank. The Lawka Nanda Pagoda is one of the four sacred tooth relic pagodas in Myanmar.
The pagoda was built in the 11th Century by King Anawrahta and has been designated as the Level-1 ancient cultural heritage.
Saw Yu