Mystical Mandalay

The last royal capital of Myanmar is home to several pagodas and monasteries. No wonder, the city is often referred to as the centre of Myanmarese culture

There's something about Mandalay. Hot, busy and not outwardly beautiful, the second-largest city of Myanmar immediately strikes a chord with those looking for 'inner peace'. For, amid the central grid of lacklustre concrete ordinariness lurk many pagodas, churches, temples and mosques. Some of them are impressive in their architectural style and construction. Some of them inspire royalty. But almost all of them offer tourists a spiritual, if not enlightening, experience.

Myanmar is often called the 'land of pagodas'. That said, Mandalay alone has over 700 pagodas. Myanmar's tryst with pagodas is to be expected, as Theravada Buddhism is the predominant religion in the country, with about 89% of the population practising it. The graceful tapering shape of a pagoda painted white or gilded to a shining gold, is a basic part of any Myanmarese landscape.

Still there's plenty of fascination to be found delving into a range of craft workshops and arts performances. Here's a quick tour of the prominent structures dotting Mandalay as well as places that would fascinate you to visit the place again and again.

* Kuthodaw Pagoda: 

Kuthodaw Pagoda contains the 'world's largest book'. It lies at the foot of Mandalay Hill and was built during the reign of King Mindon. The stupa itself, which is gilded above its terraces, is 188 ft (57 m) high, and is modelled after the Shwezigon Pagoda at Nyaung-U near Bagan. In the grounds of the pagoda are 729 kyauksa gu or stone-inscription caves, each containing a marble slab inscribed on both sides with a page of text from the Tipitaka, the entire Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. Visitors to the pagoda can pay obeisance to the Buddha image, and enjoy sweet recreation beneath the sweet-smelling, cool, shady trees in the premises.

* Shwenandaw Monastery: 

The monastery is known for its teak carvings of Buddhist myths, which adorn its walls and roofs. The monastery is built in the traditional Myanmarese architectural style. Shwenandaw Monastery is the single remaining major original structure of the original Royal Palace today. This is one of the few points in Mandalay that sells and requires a Mandalay Archaeological Zone ticket for $10. It’s required to visit a number of sites in and around Mandalay, including Sagaing, Amarapura and Inwa.

* Moat & Fortress Walls: Viewable only from the outside, a 230-feet-wide moat and well over 4 miles of crenellated 26-feet-high walls form a vast square around the site of the former Mandalay fortress/citadel. Reconstructed in the original 1857 style, the walls are punctuated at regular intervals with gatetowers topped by pyramidal creations of fancifully carved woodwork.

* Royal Palace: 

The last royal palace of the last Myanmarese monarchy, the Royal Palace was constructed between 1857 and 1859 by King Mindon. Much of the palace compound was destroyed during World War II by allied bombing; only the royal mint and the watch tower survived. A replica of the palace was rebuilt in the 1990s with some modern materials. Today, the palace is a primary symbol of Mandalay and a major tourist destination.

* Mandalay Hill: 

Mandalay Hill is known for its abundance of pagodas and monasteries and has been a major pilgrimage site for Burmese Buddhists for nearly two centuries. At the top of the hill is the Sutaungpyei (literally wish-fulfilling) Pagoda. A panoramic view of Mandalay from the top of the hill alone makes it worthwhile to attempt a climb up its stairways.

* Shopping sojourn: 

Taking a break from the touristy destinations, visitors can utilise their time in the city with a variety of shopping options. The new Mandalay Zaycho is the main market place in the city. You can get almost anything from there. Things to shop are acheik (Mandalay silk longyi), cotton clothing, hto moat (greasy cakes), laphet (pickled tea leaves), kadipar slippers (velvet slippers), silverware, lacquerware, jewellery, gems and more.