The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-09-26

| washington, ID. C.-WNU Service.
~ AGAIN, Burma's Sacred City, is
solemnity and mystery; about it
is enchantment. Here, 80 miles
southwest of Mandalay, the tray-
eler finds himself in the midst of a
veritable forest of temples and pago-
das, large and small, nearly perfect or
almost unacceptable because of de-
cay. Before their vast bulks the trav-
eler becomes painfully conscious of his
littleness and insignifcance. His mere
presence seems an impertinence. The
crumbling walls, the fallen pinnacles
and the desolation are eloquent of the
vanity of fame, the hollowness of
glory, and the futility of human effort.
OF the 5000 or more temples that
are still to be seen, the Amanda, the
Thatbyinnyu, and Gawdawpalin, stand
ing all three within a circle of quar-
ter of a mile radius, are surprisingly
beautiful and majestic.
The Amanda rises like structure of
foam. On its summit, like the flame
upon some altar, a slender, golden
spire gathers the radiance of the sun
and filings it forth again to every
quarter. 1t is the first of all the tenn
pies TO command the travellers atten-
ton; it is the last upon which he
gazes as the swift steamer bears him
away.
The Thatbyinnyu has suffered more
from time and neglect than has the
Amanda. Its walls are blackened and
much of the detail of its ornamental
ton has fallen away. 1t is hardly
beautiful; it is majestic. About it is
suggestion of enormous solidity and a
noble loftiness of conception.
The third temple has neither the ex-
quisite beauty of the Amanda nor the
sublimity of the Thatbyinnyu; yet in
the perfect harmony of its proportions,
the refinment of every detail, it has a
charm of its own. 1t contributes with
the others to the spell which Pagan
casts over even the most careless
visitor
Lovely View From Circuit House.
Past the Gawdawpalin the path leads
on to the circuit house. AT every
step is revealed some new grouping
of effects, some new harmonies of pro-
portion or felicities of detail, and from
the spacious veranda of the resthouse
the view is one never to be forgotten.
Westward the river and the hills, sill
yer and gold and blue in the sunset;
near at hand the Gawdawpalin, with
orange light and soft purple shadows
mingling and shifting over its huge
battlements; farther away the Amanda
and the Thatbyinnyu, now indistinct
in the twilight: and all around, the
half-seen outlines of pagodas.
| AS night draws on, the lamps in the
house are lighted, and swift, white
clad servants move noiselessly about,
preparing the evening meal. After
dinner the company gathers upon the
veranda; and there, in the darkness
the story of Burma is retold, its prob
lens are discussed, or wild fancies are
woven into circumstantial tales. The
old city teens again with life. Mighty
kings and emperors pass, with all their
ancient pomp and splendor; puissant
mats leave their celestial abodes and
mingle with men working wondrous
prodigies.
Heroic achievements, the basest vii
lainy, successful subtlety-all these
are mingled in the history of this
ruined city.
| The greatness of Pagan, and with 1t
reliable Burmese history, dates from
| the accession of Anawrata, about A.
D. 1017. This truly remarkable mon
arch won by the sword splendid en-
pire and established a dynasty that
continued in power for more than 200
years. At the beginning of his reign
| he devoted himself to the moral and
religious uplift of his people A cor
rupt and degrading "Naga-worship,"
or obedience to devils, in the form of
serpents, had come through Assam
| from northern India
Anawrata's Great Reform.
Soon after Anawrara assembled the
throne Buddhist missionaries arrived
at Pagan from the country of the
Talaings, people dwelling to the
south and, as result of the frequent
and easy communication with India
by sea, highly civilized. These Talaing
missionaries found the king a jealous
convert. He expelled the priests of
| the abominable cult that for so many
years had debauched his people, strict
ly prescribed the Maya worship, and
did everything in his power to further
the efforts of the preachers.
His fervor had, however, one lament
able result. Hearing that there were
in Thaton, the Talaing capital. copies
of the Buddhist Sacred Books and sew
eral precious relics, he sent a noble
envoy to beg for such portions as
might be spared. His reasonable re-
quest was refused in a singularly inso-
lent and shortsighted manner.
With characteristic energy Anwrata
assembled an army and fleet and
moved against Thaton. He was COM
pletely successful. and as the spoils of
victory he carried back to Pagan not
only the books and the priceless relics
but the king and queen Of the fallen
city, together with principal mobiles.
rich treasure, 80 white elephants, and a
host of 10000 artfficers and scholars.
This signal success only famed the
fame of Anawrata's zeal A fresh
field for enterprise was found in Cey-
Inn There was in that island most
sacred relic, nothing less than tooth
of Gautama. Such a trophy was be-
yond price and its possession by Pagan
would sanctify and enoble the kings
mama Accnrdinnlr NTH for1r trr,Str