The stupa is the earliest Buddhist religious monument and was originally only a simple mound made up of mud or clay, or a cairn in barren areas, to cover supposed relics of the Buddha. After the ‘passing away’ of the Buddha his remains were cremated and the ashes divided and buried under eight stupas with two further stupas encasing the urn and the embers. Little is known about these early stupas, particularly since it has not been possible to identify the original ten monuments. However, some later stupas, such as at Sarnath and Sanchi, seem to be embellishments of earlier mounds. In the third century BC, after his conversion to Buddhism, the emperor Ashoka had the original stupas opened and the remains distributed among the several thousand stupas he had built. Nevertheless, the stupas at the eight places associated with the life of the Buddha continued to be of particular importance. Accordingly, the importance of a stupa changed from being a funerary monument to being an object of veneration. As a consequence their appearance changed also.
They evolved into large hemispherical mounds with features such as the torana (gateway), the vedica (fence-like enclosure evolved from the vedic villages), the harmika (a square platform with railings on top of the stupa), chattrayashti (the parasol or canopy) and a circumambulatory around the stupa. From the first century BCE onwards, stupas were incorporated into the hall of the chaitya-griha.
The oldest known stupa is the Dhemek Stupa at Sanchi, India , while the tallest is the Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, with a height of 127 metres.
Myanmar officially the Union of Myanmar is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. It is also known as Burma or the Union of Burma by many organizations and states. As the "Union of Burma", Myanmar achieved independence from the UK on 4 January 1948. It became the "Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma" on 4 January, before reverting to the "Union of Burma" on 23 September 1988. On 18 June 1989, the State Law and Order Restoration Council adopted the name "Union of Myanmar".
Myanmar is bordered by the People's Republic of China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Andaman Sea to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest. One-third of Myanmar's total perimeter, 1,930 km, forms an uninterrupted coastline.
Myanmar's diverse population has played a major role in defining its politics, history and demographics in modern times. Its political system remains under the tight control of the State Peace and Development Council, the military government led, since 1992, by Senior General Than Shwe. The Burmese military has dominated government since General Ne Win led a coup in 1962 that toppled the civilian government of U Nu. Part of the British Empire until 1948, Myanmar continues to struggle to mend its ethnic tensions. The country's culture, heavily influenced by neighbours, is based on Theravada Buddhism intertwined with local elements.
Thanaka is a yellowish-white cosmetic commonly applied to the face by many people in Myanmar. It is considered the beauty secret of Burmese women. Men may also use thanaka for their face and skin care. Children of both sexes certainly wear it or have it applied by grown-ups in the family.
Thanaka cream is made by grinding the bark of the thanaka tree with a little water on a circular stone slab called kyauk pyin which has a channel round the rim for the water to drain into. Thanaka trees grow abundantly in central Myanmar; the two most popular are the Shwebo thanaka (Limonia acidissima) from Sagaing Division and the Shimataung thanaka from Magwe Division. A more recent contender sold as a paste is Taunggyi Mauk Mai thanaka from the southern Shan State. Thanaka trees are perennials, and a tree must be at least 35 years old before it is considered mature enough to yield good-quality cuttings. Thanaka in its natural state is sold as small logs individually or in bundles but nowadays also as a paste or in powder form.
For over 2000 years, thanaka cream has been an essential part of the beauty routine of Myanmar women. It has a distinctive mild and pleasant fragrance which is slightly similar to sandalwood. The creamy paste is applied to the face in attractive designs, the most common form being a circular patch on each cheek, sometimes made stripey with the fingers known as thanaka bè gya, or patterned in the shape of a leaf, often also highlighting the bridge of the nose with it at the same time. It may be applied from head to toe (thanaka chi zoun gaung zoun). Apart from cosmetic beauty, thanaka also provides protection from sunburn, helps remove acne and promotes smooth skin. It is a traditional cosmetic and an inexpensive form of skin care.
Prints of J Raeburn Middleton's paintings portraying a Burmese lady at her toilet, in which a thanaka log and kyauk pyin featured, were popular in Britain from the late 1920s until after the War.
Thanaka has anti-fungal properties. Mosquito repellents, when mixed with thanaka and worn, were found to effectively ward off mosquitoes carrying malaria and dengue fever.
Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon, BurmaSagaing (population estimate 300,000) is the chief city and capital of Sagaing Division in Myanmar. It is located on the Ayeyarwady River, 20 km to the southwest of Mandalay on the opposite bank of the river.
Sagaing is a religious and monastic center, with numerous Buddhist monasteries. It briefly held position as a royal capital of Burma from 1760-1764.
The British-built 16 span Ava Bridge connects Sagaing with Mandalay, and tourists frequently visit Sagaing as a day trip. One tourist favorite located near the city is the Mingun Bell, claimed to be the world's largest ringing bell. Its weight of 55555 viss (approximately 90 metric tons) is engraved into the front side.
