Myanmar: Construction Of Mrauk-U Replica In Thandwe Twsp Over 50% Complete
By DMG
Construction of numerous replicas of ancient Mrauk-U structures on Mya Yadanar Hill in Thandwe Township, Arakan State, is more than 50% complete, according to a local pagoda board of trustees.
Construction of the pagodas began in December 2017, and 117 replicas have been completed to date.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and political instability, construction of Mrauk-U’s Lay Myethna Pagoda replica was delayed, said U Nyi Phru, a member of the pagoda construction committee.
He added that construction of the Mrauk-U replicas in Thandwe Township was aimed at ensuring that ethnic Burmese, including tourists visiting Ngapali Beach, could see and experience an approximation of the ancient Mrauk-U cultural relics.
“Our main purpose is to promote the tourism industry in Thandwe Township,” said Ko Zeyar Lin, a local resident. “Many local and foreign visitors to Ngapali Beach may have never been to Mrauk-U. Looking at the pagodas here, they may wonder if there are such pagodas in Mrauk-U. They will want to go to Mrauk-U to pay homage to the ancient pagodas.”
The replica of Mrauk-U’s Lay Myethna Pagoda, also known as the four-faced pagoda, is 60 feet tall and 40 feet in diameter, and is estimated to cost more than K200 million. U Nyi Phru urged people to make charitable donations for the pagoda’s ongoing construction.
Construction of the Mrauk-U replica was led by the late Mya Pyin Sayadaw, a Buddhist monk.
