Famous pagoda in Myanmar severely damaged after earthquake

Photos posted on the BBC Burmese fanpage and shared by many world news agencies on March 29 show the main tower of the pagoda almost completely collapsed. The surrounding stairs are damaged.

Hsinbyume Pagoda, or Myatheindan Pagoda, is located north of Mingun in the Sagaing region of Myanmar, about 10 km northwest of Mandalay city. The pagoda is painted white and resembles a sacred Buddhist mountain. It is one of the most famous pagodas in Myanmar, an iconic landmark of Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city, next to the Ubein wooden bridge. The pagoda is often featured on local tourism posters and is considered "one of the most photogenic pagodas".

The pagoda consists of seven concentric terraces, representing the seven mountains surrounding the sacred Mount Meru - the mythical center of the universe according to Buddhism. The winding lines around the pagoda are described by local guides as resembling the bodies of hundreds of dragons.

The pagoda is a testament to the love story of Prince Bagydaw and his wife Hsinbyume. Hsinbyume unfortunately passed away while giving birth. Prince Bagydaw spent some time grieving and in 1816, he built the Hsinbyume Pagoda in memory of his wife. In 1836, the pagoda was severely damaged by an earthquake. In 1874, King Mindon ordered its restoration.

On social networks X, Instagram or TikTok , many news sites around the world and communities re-shared images with the titles "The iconic white pagoda of Myanmar was damaged", "The magnificent Hsinbyume in Myanmar, a symbol of cultural heritage, was destroyed in the earthquake".

Le Thi Huong Giang, a photographer living in Hanoi, visited Myanmar in 2014 and visited the pagoda. She was introduced to the place by a local photographer and travel agent. Giang said the pagoda is a popular destination for both tourists and locals.

"The temple is beautiful, with a unique architecture, unlike the temples with many statues in Bagan. I was very impressed and took a lot of photos here. Seeing the photos of the collapsed temple is heartbreaking," said Ms. Giang.

Ms. Giang added that she was only able to contact one friend in Myanmar after the earthquake on March 28, and the other friends have not responded yet. The friend said that the hospital is currently overloaded, without electricity, water, or Internet. "The situation is very bad," a Myanmar friend shared with the Vietnamese female guest.

TH (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/chua-noi-tieng-o-myanmar-bi-pha-huy-nang-sau-dong-dat-408396.html