Mount Popa, Popa Taung Kalat Temple, Bagan

Mount Popa, located 50 kilometers southwest of Bagan is said to Myanmar's Mount Fuji. With a height of 777 meters above sea level, it can be seen from a very long distance. It is acually a volcanic plug in Pegu ranges, on top of which is built the Taung Kalat temple. Taung is mountain in Burmese.

The name Popa is said to be derived from Sanskrit or Pali word Puppha or pushpa meaning a flower

The region having volcanic soil is also very rich in flora having many medicinal plants and flowers. Me Wunna who was an ogress survived only on flowers and later became a Nat. The place therefore is named Popa.

Taung Kalat temple sits on top of Mount Popa.

Nat worship is a part of Burmese tradition. Nats are spirits of people who met violent death.  King Anawrahta after embracing Buddhism wanted to stop the Nat worship but it became very difficult for him so he formalised the existing Nats in 37 by placing them at Taung Kalat temple.

view of Taung Kalat temple from a distance

temple from road

Shrine of local medicine man, Pomin Gawng just before the climb begin. Traditionally, offerings of  bananas and coconut are made.

As the climb begins, shops are lined on both sides.

Lacquerware on display

the climb is high

One needs to be careful of macaques who are offered peanuts by people visitng the temple. They are always on lookout and are not afraid to grab anything from you be it your glasses or a wallet.

climbing 276 steps is not easy

resting area, providing respite before another stretch of climb

water pots to quench the thirst of devotees

Legends of Taung Kalat temple:

There are two versions regarding the legend. According to one, the brother sister Nats, Maung Tint De or Min Mahagiri, "Lord of the Great Mountains" and Saw Me Ya(Shwe Myet hna), "Golden face" who can be seen on either side of Tharabha Gate were placed here by King Thinligyaung and the Kings of Bagan always made a visit to pay respect to them in the month of October-November for guarding Bagan.

Across the resting area is a pictorial representation of another legend.
Princess Wunna left her palace in Thaton and came to live at Popa where she started meditating.

Me Wunna ordering her followers to return to Thaton

Me Wunna practicing meditation

Me Wunna meets Byatta

Me Wunna met Byatta who used to fetch flowers for King Anawrahta. Both fell in love with each other and had two sons-- Min Gyi and Min Lay.

Me Wunna's two sons, Min Gyi and Min Lay

Me Wunna waits for Ko Byatta to return

King Anawrahta was not pleased with the relation between Me Wunna and Ko Byatta, and got the latter executed. Her sons were also taken away from her.

Me Wunna

Me Wunna was shattered and grief stricken. She died and became a powerful Nat. She is worshipped as the Mother Goddess of Mount Popa.

view of golden temple at top

The temple area has a collection of many temples with Buddha images and Nats.

Nat worship

Monetary offerings according to the day of birth

Buddha images

an image of Buddha in one shrine

bells supported on decorated pillars

Burmese gong and bell

dragons guard outside the temple

entrance to one of the temples

 temple with Buddha images in every niche

 dragon at the base

Nats

beautifully decorated image surrounded by golden wood carvings, mirror work

stupa surrounded by small stupas

Marble tablets with name written of people who have made donations.

a monk and a devotee meditate near the stupa

devotees coming out of a small temple

Nats

Po Min Khaung or Bo Min Gaung

Po Min Khaung is a semi-immortal supernatural figure in Myanmar who used to live near Mount Popa. He spent his life in meditating. The followers are forbidden to eat all 4-legged animals as pork, mutton, lamb, beef.

view from above

a painting at the base of temple, seems macaques have a special place in this temple

It is a good idea to see the souvenirs on your way down.

girl selling medicinal oil and paste to give relief from sore muscles

I tried the yellow herbal remedy and it was very effective for sore muscles :)

Sagawar or Ylang ylang

Ylang ylang is sealed with water in bottles and is offered in front of Buddha image. The region is very fertile and is the only place in Myanmar where ylang ylang grows abundantly. The water does not get bad and stays for a very long time.

I got few bottles for myself.

herbal leaves to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure

The region is home to many medicinal plants like Ashwagandha, giloy. In addition, many fruits and vegetables grow here. Most of the sandalwood in Myanmar is grown here.

I would say it was a worthy visit, I skipped noticing few things and needed more time to look around. But, that is something which happens with me everytime.

Gawdawpalin temple, Bagan

The temple was closest to our hotel so it became our choice to visit it first. Gawdawpalin lies very close to the banks of Irrawady, in the South-west of Old Bagan. It is 55-meter in height and is the second highest temple in Bagan.

entrance to temple

temple at night

Irrawady flows besides our place of stay

History and some facts:

• King Narpathisithu ascended thone in 1174 after dethroning his elder brother, Nartheinkha.
• Gawdawpalin in the second tallest temple in Bagan, Dhammayangyi is the tallest.
• Apart from this temple, the king built several other prominent temples as Dhammayazeka and Sulamani which was built earlier.
• The temple is white in color and looks similar to Thatbinnyu which was built earlier in 1144.
• temple is based on "gu-style" where there is one entrance and an image of Buddha. The area is used for meditation, worship and other rituals.
• The temple was thought to be a three storey one but the earthquake in 1975 revealed a secret passage making it a four-storey one.
• there are 10 Buddha images on the ground floor and 4 images on the first floor.
• tourists are forbidden to go up the first floor now.

Legend of Gawdawpalin:

• It is said that King Narpati Sithu's grandfather King Alaung Sithu had become egoistic and pompous thinking that he was much better than his ancestors.  He soon became blind. Brahmin astrologers advised him to seek forgiveness from his ancestors and place idols of his ancestors on throne.
• The king regained his eye sight soon after his penance. The pagoda was built at the place where throne was placed giving it the name Gaw daw Palin, meaning "the platform to which homage is paid"
• Narpati Sithu started the construction after building Sulamani temple.
• the construction of temple remained incomplete at the time of his death so his son,  Htilominlo completed it in 1227.

The white colored temple closely resembles Thatbinyu, though the latter is definitely bigger.
The temple building has a square plan with entrance on all four sides and a portico but the eastern side portico projects a little more.

Small stupas are build on four corners of upper terraces.

The top of temple is made up of shikhara which is an Indian style tower like structure seen in most Indian temples. The topmost of shikhara has a hti which is an umbrella with small bells and is found in most Burmese temples.

 Chinthe guarding the entrance of temple

entrance to temple

 image of Buddha at entrance on the east side

The images of Buddha sit on a pedestal on all the four sides with an entrance. The original fresco work can still be seen at places behind the image, though have faded a little.

There are four Buddha images on the first floor and it was for the first time in Bagan architecture that a shrine had been built on a floor above. Apparently, after the earthquake in 2016, most of the temples have prohibited visitors going up to higher levels to protect the building.

images in corridor between the outer and inner wall

A corridor runs all around where ten Buddha images are placed. I have put all the images together but later in the post will put separately as well.

ten images of Buddha all around the corridor on the ground floor

Buddha images on four cardinal directions:

Entrances in the four directions are connected with corridor having images of Buddha.

east facing image

image in corridor walking towards south entrance

south entrance image

upper two images in the corridor walking towards the west entrance

main big image in the west entrance

upper two images between west and north entrance

north entrance big image

Some still have the original fresco work

water for devotees and bell post

zedi in the north-east coner of temple

it was built after Bagan period

An octagonal Bagan period pagoda at the south-east corner of temple

bell post near the octagonal pagoda

a small boy makes his way to temple 😊

 A small, almost non-functional temple opposite Gawdawpalin.