Dhammayangyi Temple, A Majestic Unfinished Legacy

Dhamma yan gyi Pahto, Anawratha Road, Wetkyi In, Nyaung U Township, Nyaung U District, Mandalay, 100500, Myanmar

Temple interior murals

4.4

Introduction

The Dhammayangyi Temple is one of the most notable pagodas in Bagan, built by King Narathu in 1170. This brick-red tower is one of the largest pagodas in Bagan, with a square base and a height of 48.8 meters, and a length of 90 meters on each side. There is a passage inside the tower leading to the top. The tower has a fascinating appearance, resembling an Egyptian pyramid. However, the top of the tower was never completed because the king was assassinated during its construction, so the locals call it the "Temple of Misfortune." There are various legends about the reasons for the king's assassination. One is that Narathu murdered his own wife, who was the daughter of the king of Patekkaya in India. Therefore, the Indian king sent assassins to retaliate. Another legend suggests that Narathu was killed by assassins from Sri Lanka. Regardless of the legend, the pagoda symbolizes the history and fascinating legends of Bagan. The temple adopts a design of corridors and double-layered windows that allow natural light to fully illuminate the inside of the pagoda and ventilate it. The inner circle has been closed since the earthquake and is no longer open to visitors. Inside the western gate of the temple, there are two seated Buddha statues; one is Gautama Buddha and the other is Maitreya Buddha, representing Narathu and his father. Behind the pagoda, there is also a small reclining Buddha statue. The entire building is very exquisite; if there were any cracks between the bricks, the workers would be severely punished, and the instruments of punishment remain in the temple to this day. Therefore, in the earthquake of 1975, while other pagodas suffered varying degrees of damage, the Dhammayangyi Temple remained unscathed.