History of Pyay

Much debate surrounds the construction of Sri Ksetra. Maung Htin Aung suggests that Pyu might have been founded in 78 CE, based on the Sanskrit / Pyu Era. D.G.E. Hall and Gordon Luce however claim that civilisation of the Irrawaddy Valley could not have been possible before the 4th century, thus, attributing the founding of Sri Ksetra to 638 CE, from which the current Burmese Kawza Era begins.

Sri Ksetra was the capital of the Pyu dynasty of Vikrama. The city was circular with walls enclosing an around of 46 km² (18 sq mi), making it the largest walled city in Southeast Asia during its peak. The city contained both housing and also farms, as evident from the remains of water ways and tanks which have been discovered. The Chinese pilgrims Xuanzang and I Ching mentioned about Sri Ksetra in their mid 7th century CE accounts. It is not known when precisely the Pyus abandoned Sri Ksetra and moved northward. It is speculated that their decline was due to the growth of the Irrawaddy river delta, cutting it off from coastal trade, and also from Mon and later Tai Shan incursions. Burmese chronicles state that when Anawrahta invaded the southern parts of modern day Myanmar in 1057 CE, he ordered the ruins of Sri Ksetra to be destroyed to prevent rebels from sheltering.The Burmese came to call the old Pyu center Pyi. The extensive ruins have been the subject of intensive archaeological investigation.

Pyay was once the centre of a small kingdom that fell after the conquest of Pegu in 1758 by King Alaungpaya, founder of the Konbaung dynasty. Called Prome by the British, the city became part of British territory after the Second Anglo-Burman War in 1853. The town was taken by the British in 1825 and again in 1852, on both occasions with hardly any opposition. In 1862, it was almost entirely destroyed by fire, and was afterwards relaid out in straight and broad streets. It was erected into a municipality in 1874, and since then great improvements have been made, including waterworks.

To the south and south-east the town is closed in by low pagoda-topped hills, on one of which stands the conspicuous gilded Shwesandaw Pagoda. The Shwesandaw Pagoda, or Shwesandaw Paya (Sunset Pagoda), is a Buddhist pagoda in the center of Pyay. It is the terminus for a railway from Yangon, which runs through the district. The Shwesandaw Pagoda was built by King Anawrahta in 1057 A.D.

Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon: close-up of the base of the golden dome You can see it from almost everywhere in the city, as the golden dome of Shwedagon Pagoda towers above almost anything else in the city, nearly 100 metres above its base. You probably pass it on your way from the airport to the city, and even without knowing anything about it, you feel admiration for this enormous building that imposes itself on the skyline of the city. Not only is it an inevitable sight for visitors, it is also considered the most sacred of Buddhist monuments in the country.
Shwedagon Pagoda at duskThen, almost without planning to, you walk the city, and find yourself drawn to this colossal building. There are several more modest payas or pagodas in the neighbourhood, and then you end up at the base of the giant. When you are up, you realize how many local visitors there are, all devoted, all there with a mission. For many of them, this is not just a visit to an imposing pagoda, but a pilgrimage, a highly sacred place. According to legend, it is some 2500 years old, but in reality it is more likely to date from somewhere between the 6th and 10th century. Much later gilding of the stupa began.
The base of the Shwedagon Pagoda with people prayingThe gold is overwhelming, not just the main stupa is gold, but the surrounding shrines, temples, and small pavillions. Some classical, but behind many a Buddha statue, you can see modern flashing lights to add to the overkill of sensations for your senses. A visit is best early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when the reflection of the light is less bright. Looking up at the stupa, and barely visible for the eye, are the thousands of diamonds that decorate the pinnacle of the impressive building. All around, on the marble floor, behind many of the small corners of this vast complex, you can see Buddhists, praying, admiring, meditating.