Htilominlo temple, Bagan

North-east of old Bagan is the 46 meter high Htilominlo temple. It is the youngest temple, just 700 years and is made of red brick plastered with white stucco. The remnant of those can still be seen at places.

The temple suffered a heavy damage in 1975 earthquake and again in 2016.

History of temple:
Narpatisithu had five sons and he wanted to chose an heir. He made his sons stand in a circle with a white umbrella standing erect in center. It was decided that whichever direction the umbrella would face after falling down would be declared as the future king. The umbrella pointed towards Nadaungmya or Zeyathein-Kha who was youngest of sibblings. Nadaungmya came to be known as Htilominlo meaning "the one who is wanted by the umbrella and the king".
Htilominlo constructed this temple at the place where he was chosen as the king.

information slab outside temple

Upper part of the slab has information in Burmese while the lower part has it in English

The temple from outside looks Sulamani which was constructed by Narpatisithu almost 30 years back.

There are three receding terraces on the ground floor. The second storey which is smaller also has three receding terraces. The terraces have a stupa in their corners.

The eastern entrance like other temples too projects a little outside.

 Two temple guardians sit outside on either sides of entrance.

Beautiful stuccos adorn the sides.

Buddha image at entrance

Since, umbrella was an important part of Htilominlo's life, each image of Buddha is flanked by umbrella on each side.

There are Buddha images facing the four cardinal directions in the first storey as well.

faded fresco on wall

image at another entrance with beautiful mural behind

standing Buddha

part of arch with murals and frescos

Buddha image

almost faded mural

faded fresco on porch of temple

image at another entrance

image in an alcove

 passage between outer and inner wall

The main porticos are separated by a corridor which have arched alcoves in which are smaller Buddha images.

image in an alcove

another image

gate to temple from other side

Stucco work over brick wall can still be seen inside the temple.

This is the last temple to be built as after Htilominlo(Nadaungmya or Zeyathein-Kha), Bagan Kingdom started declining.

Dhammayazika Stupa, Bagan

Dhammayazika Pagoda is situated in Pwazaw village in south-east of old Bagan.
Most of the pagodas in Bagan have square terraces with four entrances but Dhammayazika differs from other pagoda in having a pentagonal terrace design with five Buddha images at five entrances.
We usually see pagoda and temples with four entrances and four Buddha images on the entrances. But, here we have five entrances around the stupa.

entrance to temple on east

History of pagoda:
Dhammayazika was built by King Narpatisithu in 1196. The inscription records say that the King had recieved holy relics of Buddha from Sri Lanka which he wanted to enshrine. Holy relics are enshrined in the temple here.
Dhammayazika translates to "Pertaining the King of Law"

What's so special of this pagoda?

This is one of the pagodas in Bagan with five entrances with Buddha images on all sides.

The fifth entrance is for the future Buddha, Maitreya, who will reach Nirvana as well.

It is the biggest pentagonal pagoda in Bagan region.

pillar with dharamchakra on top near the entrance to pagoda

one entrance to the five-sided temple

pagoda with pillar on its side

The pagoda is a brick structure topped by a large bell shaped gilded stupa.
It is surrounded by small temples in which reside the images of Buddha.

Fresco on ceiling

fresco and stucco work at entrance

golden Buddha inside the pagoda, guardians on either side of east entrance

Bagan style Buddha 

Buddha, on another entrance

close-up

another image

The receding terraces have golden stupas on its corners.

The gilded stupa has concentric rings. There are kaal mukha(ogre heads) connected by a garland. On top of it is the bell shaped dome with a beautiful decorated belt, lotus buds on top of it. The hti or the umbrella was missing when I visited the place.

The base of stupa is decorated with Jataka terra-cotta plaques. Many of them have been damaged.

plaques at base

The plaques portray tales from Jataka

 All around on the five sides of stupa are shrines which have a shikhara topped by a gilded hti. Each shrine houses an image of Buddha.

There are chinthes on top of temple and gilded stupa with hti on receding terrace

guardian on top of temple

stucco work on pillar

receding terraces of pagoda and golden pot with gold leaves

ceremonial bell at one corner of pagoda

Thitsarwadi temple, far behind and an unknown temple

a shrine in a corner

I was not able to find the reason for so many pairs of shoes in a corner of the shrine.

Dhammayazika Stupa is said to be best example of Bagan architecture and one of the must visit stupa in Bagan.