Tourist Guide To Mrauk-U

The road to Mahamuni from Mrauk-U passes through and halves Vesali. Taking this road, the south wall of Vesali can be seen at the distance of four and half miles from Mrauk-U. Just in front of the wall is a hill on which Thaunggyat-taw pagoda stands. At the top of the ridge extending the southwest of Thaunggyat-taw pagoda is a stupa from where a stone inscription containing Ye Dhamma verse was found in May, 1965.  In 1957, the stone inscription of Niticandra's queen was recovered from a ruined stupa at Unhissaka hill north of Thaung-gyat-taw pagoda. In that year, Viracandra's inscription was found at a ruined stupa on a hill north of Unhissaka hill. The letters in these inscriptions closely resemble to those used before six-century. The names of Niticandra and Viracandra are inscribed on Anandacandra inscriptions. ...

by San Tha Aung Anandacandra inscriptions on Shitethaung Pillar in Mrauk-U describe King Dven Candra as the father founder of Vesali. Not only nine Candra Kings but also sixteen kings descended from Dven Candra and other kings ruled over the country with Vesali as the Capital. Situation and Structure    Vesali was the Capital when Candra dynasty reigned over the country. It lies five miles north of Mrauk-U. The city walls and palace site can be clearly observed in photographs taken from aerial view. By studying these photographs and the article 'Rakhine Capital' written by Prof. Daw Thin Kyi (Journal of Myanmar Research Society Vol 52 Part 2, 1970, December) and through field-works, the structure of Vesali will be described as follow. To the west of Vesali runs Rann-Chaung, a tributary of Kaladan River. Lying ...

In all places where Rakhine civilization has flourished, including Dynyawaddy (Kyawtaw), Vesali and Mrauk-U, Hindu Vishnu statues can be found. The headless statues found in Vesali measures 5.75 inches from the pedestal up to its neck, and 3 inches of neck. Credit:  Aung, Myar. Famous Monuments of Mrauk-U (Useful Reference for Tourists and Travelers) . (2nd ed.). Yangon

To the west of the Vesali Palace Heights is the palace site of the Crown Prince. To the west of it along the main part of Rann-chaung creek, is the harbour where there was the Stone-stairs. Referring to the famous structure, the city was once known as Vesali, the Stone-stairs City. At present, almost all of it have decayed and destroyed. Credit:  Aung, Myar. Famous Monuments of Mrauk-U (Useful Reference for Tourists and Travelers) . (2nd ed.). Yangon

Vesali  Vesali (Lat: 20˚ 40′ N. Long. 93˚ 9’E.) lies 16 miles south of Dhanyawadi. It has on its western flank the Rann Chaung a tributary of the Kaladan, and on its eastern side, the ridge which separates the Kaladan Valley from the Lemro Valley. The shape of the city is rather unusual since the walls were built in such a way as to obtain the fullest advantage of the well-drained land to be found in the foothill zone. The shape is somewhat oval, the north and east running in more or less straight lines, while the walls on the south and the west are curved. See Map V and Plate 8. A tributary of the Rann chaung now traverses the city site. According to the local chronicles, the city’s full name is “Vesali, the city with the stone stairs”. These stone stairs led to the pier where sailing ships must have docked in those days. Remains of those stone stairs leading to the pier can still be seen at ebb-tide, on the northwest of the city.   The north-south diameter...

Vesali described by the chronicles The annals of the great cities in Rakhine history, the story and glory of Vesali has been well recorded. This great city lies about five miles north of Mrauk-U. The city of Vesali was strategic sea-port in trade between India and central Myanmar. In Ananda Candra Stone Inscriptions inscribed in eight century A.D. of Vesali period, it is beautifully coined that "King Dven Candra founded the city that ridiculed the beauty of 'abode of celestial beings' (nat-pray) commemorating victory over one hundred and one kings." Map of Vesali Twenty successive kings ruled the kingdom from this city spanning from fourth to eight century A.D. For trade currency purposes, five sizes of gold and silver coins were used in the coins used earlier bore the titles of the ruling monarchs. As flourished in Vesali, pagodas were built, images of Lord Buddha sculpted, monasteries constructed and donated, and the use of Sanskrit became common and later u...

“Having built a city which is more beautiful and splendid than the city of the celestial beings as if mocking the latter city . . .” – Anandacandra Stone, Verse 21 To hear about a Lost City , one that you’ve never heard of before, particularly when it is older than the one you’re already in, can be an exciting prospect. And while Mrauk U was fascinating with its monumental, semi-abandoned temples amidst what had essentially become a historic backwater, I was told that it was merely the fourth and final Rakhine capital, and therefore relatively recent. Exterior of the Mrauk U city wall. Only six miles north of Mrauk U was their second capital, Vesali. It’s often included in local day trip packages to the Mahamuni Paya and past Dhanyawaddy, their first capital about 2 hours away. There was also, reportedly, very little there to see there. So instead, I spent $2 renting a bicycle and was off down the rough road into the backwaters of the already exc...

King Maha Tine San Dra founded the capital of Vesali in AD 327. The name of Maha Taing San Dra was written as the name of Dwe San Dra in Anandachandra stone inscription pillar. The chief queen of king Maha Tine San Dra was Thu Pa Bar Day Wi, the descendant of Tharkiwan clan of Kapilawat kingdom. The chief queen spoke to the king humbly that she wanted to worship Thakkyamuni Buddha image worshipped by descendants of Tharkiwon clan in Kapilawat kingdom. The king sent the ministers and the high officers to Kapilawant kingdom to covery Thakkyamuni Buddha image. They conveyed the Buddha image in the sailing ship. When they reached Theinseetauntwaykhanaung, the Buddha image fell into the water as the ship wrecked due to breaking out of the storm there. Although they looked for it in the water, they didn’t find it because the water was very deep. When the ministers and the high officers got back to the palace, they spoke to the king humbly that the Buddha image had fallen into th...