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Environment
Largely
unknown to the Western world for much of its
turbulent history, Arakan played a pivotal role in
the exchange of cultures and religions between India
and Southeast Asia. For over a thousand years the
region which now forms the Rakhine State of the
Union of Myanmar (Burma) was an independent state
whose rich history is only slowly being paid the
attention it deserves. Stretching along the Bay of
Bengal, from the Naaf River which separates it from
Bangladesh to Cape Negrais in southern Burma, it
occupies the narrow strip of land to the west of the
mountains of the Arakan Yoma (Range). Land and sea
routes connected it with Bengal to the west and
Burma proper to the east, routes that were travelled
by peoples, religions and cultures. When its
neighbours were weak, Arakan was able to expand its
influence along the coast to the east, west and
south. At other times strong and aggressive
neighbouring states would drive the Arakanese back
to their homeland in the north or, at times, seek
to conquer them.
Famous Places In MRAUK-U
Andaw Pagoda
Andaw (meaning
the tooth relic of Buddha) is a pagoda only 86 feet
to the north-east of the Shitthaung Pagoda. This
shrine was originally built by Min Hla Raza in 1521
A.D.
The central tower of the shrine contains the
tooth-relic of Buddha obtained from Sri Lanka by
King Minbin. The shrine is an octagonal structure of
pure sandstone, with two internal octangular
concentric passages. Fifteen small circular pagodas,
built of bricks stand on the platforms of south,
north and west of the shrine. On the east, there is
a prayer hall, which has an entrance each on the
east, north, and south sides; a stonewall divides it
from the outer court, which is also circumpassed by
a wall.
Mrauk U
Museum
A new Mrauk U
museum is located near the palace site. It displays
some old artefacts of Vesali, Launggret and Mrauk U
periods. The bronze Buddha icons of Rakhine are
equistic in design.Various inscribed stone
inscriptions in Sanskrit, Rakhine and Arabic are
also displayed Votive tablets, Krishna Vishnu,
Bodhisattvas, dvarapala, stone htis, lintels coins,
musical instruments, ceramicswares are also on
display.
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