Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing inspects preservation of Lawka Tharaphu Pagoda MaungO brick road in ancient city, Inwa, Mandalay Region
NAY PYI TAW February 7
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, SAC Joint Secre[1]tary General Ye Win Oo, SAC members, union ministers and wives, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and wives, the Mandalay Region chief minister, the Central Command commander and officials, inspected preservation of Lawka Tharaphu Pagoda and MaungO brick road in ancient city, Inwa, Mandalay Region this afternoon.
The Senior General and wife and party arrived at Lawka Tharaphu Pagoda and paid homage to Lawka Tharaphu Buddha Image in the brick chamber and offered flowers, water, lights. Afterwards, they paid homage to Maha Lawka Thingyit Pagoda clockwise. The pagoda is located at the back of the brick chamber where the Image is placed. The Senior General and party then inspected the preservation of religious buildings in the pagoda compound. Officials reported on the brief history of Lawka Tharaphu Pagoda and Maha Lawka Thingyit Pagoda and renovation activities along the past successive periods.
In response, the Senior General said glass mosaics on the interior walls of the pagoda are deteriorating because of their old age, and they should be restored in their original style. Systematic research must be done for leveling the pagoda platform, proper drainage and sustainability. Ancient religious buildings need systematic protection and preservation. Meal offering passages also need restoration and renovation according to their original designs. Ancient works and designs and ancient culture and customs must be preserved continuously. Arrangements will be made to install solar power at the pagoda and religious buildings for offering lights round the clock. He also looked into other requirements.
The Senior General signed the visitor’s book of the pagoda. The Senior General and wife made cash donations for multiple sectors of the pagoda. Members of the Pagoda Board of Trustees accepted the donations and presented Dhamma gifts to the donors.
King Hsinbyushin Taninganway, the ninth king of Nyaungyan dynasty of second Inwa period built the Lawka Tharaphu Pagoda in AD 1730 (1092 ME). As the king passed way before the completion of the pagoda, his son, King Maha Dhamma Razadipati Kyathapatay King Hanthawadyyauk continued the pagoda project. The Lawka Tharaphu Buddha Image was built from a single marble bounder. It is 27 feet nine inches tall. Its crossleg sitting part is 18 feet and nine inches wide, and its weight is 490.36 tons. Maha Lawka Thingyit Pagoda was bult at the back of the brick chamber in which Lawka Tharaphu Buddha Image is placed. King Sintgu of Konboung dynasty built the pagoda in 1140ME. King Hanthawady, son of King Mindon and King Bagan renovated the pagoda. Maha Lawka Thingyit Pagoda and the brick chamber collapsed due to an earthquake in 1200ME. King Mindon repaired the building but he could not finish the work. Dipa Ayemya Gyaung Sayadaw U Nandathiri of Sagaing mountain range renovated the buildings to the present situation in 1342ME.
Officials also renovated and preserved them throughout the successive eras.
The Senior General and party inspected the moat and wall of ancient Inwa and spoke of the need to continuously protect and preserve the ancient town and walls and restore the moat.
They then inspected the Maha Zeyapahta-MaungO bridge and road on the TadaU-Inwa road section. In response to the reports of officials, instructions were given to conduct research on the pros and cons of restoring the bridge according to the original design and the original brick road. After looking into the requirements, they observed the road in a motorcade.