Mrauk U Trivia and Information
About 80,000 people live here and the average family earns $15 a MONTH, an extremely poor area, even poorer than Sittwe. Mrauk U is actually on the Aungdat Chatung River, a tributary of the Kaladan River, less than 40 miles from Sittwe. It was founded in 1433 and was once the center of one of Myanmar's most powerful kingdoms. The Mrauk U dynasty lasted 352 years and left temples, stupas and city-wall ruins all over the area.
Stopped by the Moe Cherry Restaurant to make dinner reservations as well as arrangements for motoring up to the Chin Tribe area. The family-owned Moe Cherry seemed to control all tourist arrangements in this area.
A fast stop at the Nawarat Hotel, the only nice one in Mrauk U with standard, superior and economy rooms. Their electricity never went out, the rooms were air-conditioned, hot water and very good food. Your only other choice would be the Government-operated hotel which looked nice from the outside but was a dump inside.
The yellow paste Burmese people wear on their faces is called Thanaklha and comes from a tree bark. They smush the inside of the bark to make a paste by grinding on a stone with water and apply. The belief is it protects against skin disease, helps keep your face young, and also serves as sun protection.
It's time to explain a few differences between Pagoda, Wat, Stupa, Chedi and Paya. I was always referring to them incorrectly (and I've probably mixed them up in my articles):
- A Pagoda is a temple or sacred building in India, Burma and China;
- A Wat is a Buddhist temple or monastery in Thailand or Cambodia;
- A Chedi is another word for Stupa in Southeast Asia;
- A Stupa is usually a pile of earth or other material in memory of Buddha/Buddhist saint and commemorates some even or marks a sacred spot; and
- A Paya is a stupa or pagoda in Burmese.
Instead of using clay or earthenware pots to gather water for daily use, the Mrauk U people prefer big shiny aluminum pots imported from India (we're close to the Bangladesh border).
Off to sightsee...a bronze-type Buddha - Sakidarmuni Buddha Image, 400 years old in the Bandoola Monastery Compound....
Then a drive through a small, dusty village ....
....where this man was laying out bamboo strips to weave a new wall for his house...
...and up into the hills to see the view. The major sightseeing would wait until tomorrow...
