The Thagyar Pagoda offers a specific historical and art-historical perspective on Thaton District: its laterite construction and Buddhist reliefs sit alongside an early official classification as an ancient monument. The Kalyani Ordination Hall adds another perspective through its narrative stone carvings.
Thagyar Pagoda: Building Material and Reliefs
In February 1919, the Education Department of the Government of India included the Thagyar Pagoda in a list of ancient monuments in Thaton District. Its laterite construction offers a different point of focus from the reliefs, which are considered Buddhist cultural heritage: the building material identifies the construction, while the reliefs bring the religious imagery to the fore. This makes it possible to consider two details separately rather than describing the site only in general terms as a pagoda. Those especially interested in architectural forms can start with the laterite; the reliefs lead to the subject of Buddhist visual art.
Jataka Stories at the Kalyani Ordination Hall
The historic Kalyani Ordination Hall stood outside the southern wall of the Shwesayan Pagoda. Its slate boundary pillars depict Jataka stories from the Buddha’s Nipata. The Shwesayan Pagoda also appears in the list of ancient monuments in Thaton District, published in February 1919. Compared with the Thagyar Pagoda, the emphasis here is on the stories depicted on the pillars. The theme of Buddhist visual art thus extends from reliefs to depictions on stone boundary pillars.
Further insight into the wider destination of Mon State
The wider destination of Mon State includes other distinct religious themes. According to religious tradition, the Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda is said to enshrine eight hair relics of Kakusana Buddha and four tooth relics of Gautama Buddha. The Kyaik Than Lan Pagoda houses Tripitaka manuscripts and golden Buddha images. These examples bring together religious tradition and specific written and visual works, broadening the perspective beyond the architectural and visual details of Thaton District.
The landscape and local stories also shape the themes of Mon State. Setse Beach lies 24 kilometres south of Kyak Ka Mi; the wide beach has brown sand and is fringed with casuarina trees. Bilu Island, also known locally as Ogre Island, is associated with stories about ogres that visitors can hear from local people. Gaungsay Kyun lies northwest of Mawlamyine and is considered a picnic spot. The themes here bring together coastal scenery, island stories and a place described as a picnic spot.
Other religious sites highlight different architectural and historical aspects of the wider destination. Kyaik Ka Mi Yele Pagoda is a Buddhist shrine complex with a metal roof over the sea. Kyaik Ma Yaw Pagoda was built in 1455 by Queen Shin Saw Pu and houses a Buddha image with a serene white face. When planning your trip, you can distinguish between the narrower focus on laterite construction, reliefs and Jataka stories in Thaton District and the diverse cultural and landscape themes of Mon State.
Discover more destinations: Kyaikto
View the wider travel overview: Mon State.
