NAT PYI TAW September 15
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by SAC Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, SAC member General Nyo Saw, union ministers Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung, U Tin Oo Lwin, U Hla Moe, U Myo Thant, Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Myo Aung, Magway Region Chief Minister U Tint Lwin, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and officials, visited Bagan Archaeological Zone and inspected maintenance of ancient historical pagodas for their sustainability and damage caused by recent heavy rains.
Shwezigon Pagoda
First, the Senior General and party inspected maintenance of Kyeku chambers, excavation of original sandstone slabs, collapse of ancient wall decorated with crafts, repair of stairways, preservation of ancient religious buildings, marble slab ring road on the pagoda platform, preservation of drums at Shwezigon Pagoda built King Anawratha and King Kyansittha.
Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Tin Oo Lwin and officials gave reports.
In response, the Senior General said sandstone slabs on the platform must be restored to their original style. In repairing the religious buildings, contacts must be made with the relatives of the original donors and to keep the records of the buildings.
As ancient religious buildings are invaluable cultural heritage, their sustainability must be ensured through systematic maintenance. No new building must be constructed in the pagoda compound and stone slabs at the pagoda must be systematically conserved.
At his meeting with the pagoda board of trustees, the Senior General said systematic maintenance of the pagoda, which is over 960 years old, is required for its sustainability as an ancient heritage. Modern equipment must be used to maintain the Shwezigon and other pagodas in their original design.
Shwezigon, Ananda and Htilominlo are famous pagodas of the zone. There are also many other famous pagodas there.
Long-term plans must be taken into account in maintaining the pagoda in accord with the time.
Current maintenance programs have many requirements. Ring road on the platform needs systematic preservation to enable pilgrims to closely pay homage to the pagoda and to pay homage from distant places. Maintenance must be carried out through master plans and broader perspectives. Comprehensive vision is required in conserving ancient heritage. Systematic calculations must be made in conserving ancient heritage from drainage system to everything.
The Mandalay Region Chief Minister reported on progress in implementing the Senior General’s guidance given during the previous trip, the religious affairs and culture union minister on ongoing repair and maintenance programs of the zone, the construction union minister on the need to consult with architects and engineers in carrying out pagoda maintenance work and other requirements.
The Senior General looked into the requirements. He spoke of the need to take time and the advice of experts in preserving the designs of ancient edifices through cultural and architectural point of view.
The Senior General and party paid homage and offered flowers, water to the Buddha Image at the pagoda and looked into the requirements of officials in connection with the task of covering the whole pagoda with gold foils.
The Senior General then donated collective cash contributions for pagoda all-round renovation through an official of pagoda broad of trustees.
The Senior General inspected the preservation of bell inscriptions, included in the world heritage lists, of King Bayintnaung.
In response to reports of officials, he spoke of the need to clean the bell, to apply modern methods in showing the explaining the meaning of the inscriptions on the bell on the external screen.
Thatbyinnyuta Pagoda
The Senior General and party paid homage to Thatbyinnyuta Pagoda and offered flowers and water. He then observed the preservation of ancient murals on the walls along the interior ring road. They then paid homage to the Buddha Image on the upper terrace and walked around it clock wise to inspect preservation works for the pagoda’s sustainability. They inspected the northern entrance archway of the pagoda which faced minor breakdown due to heavy rains. The Senior General stressed the need to conduct necessary repair and maintenance of the structure.
Hsinka Brick Monastery
The Senior General and party inspected the fallen walls on two sides and the roofs of 1042 Hsinka Brick Monastery included in the world heritage list. Officials gave reports.
In response, the Senior General said systematic renovation must be conducted as soon as the weather turns fine. The original measures of the monastery must be maintained and the original bricks must be reused.
He then looked around the monastery.
