Myanmar’s Heartland Relief Campaign
Dear donors,
We, a local team of volunteers and monastic supporters, are trying to carry out a monastic relief program for the monks and nuns in Bagan. Recently we shared about how the tourism decline in Bagan was impacting monastics, which we developed into a more detailed article on how monks and nuns were struggling to survive with insufficient food available. Because of this, we are undertaking a campaign to support the monks, nuns, and novices throughout the Bagan region.
Most tourists know of Bagan for its historic temples, but in fact, Bagan is a vast region comprising different areas which are unknown to many one-time travelers; namely, Old Bagan, New Bagan, Tuyin Taung area (Yone Hlut Kyun Palace ruins site area), Tant Kyi Village and nearby villages, the Lawka Nandar sandbar villages in the middle of the river, and Kanibauk village area in the south of Bagan and on the way to Chauk, etc.
Interestingly in Myanmar history, Bagan dynasties moved and established their palaces in 3 different areas: the Yone Hlut Kyun village area, the Thiri-paccaya area, and today’s Old Bagan area, which is most well known and frequently visited. As is evident, we can see many ancient stupas and temples spread throughout the said areas in the south-east of Old Bagan on the way to Kyaukpadaung or Poppa and in the south on the way to Chauk, where most tourists do not visit except for bikers who go off-the-beaten-track. Moreover, the Bagan area is wide-spread and covers the villages on the western bank and the aging sandbars in the middle of the river. These villages are located in remote areas in the south to south-east of Old Bagan and New Bagan. Anyway, all the surrounding villages in the whole area of Bagan lie in the tropical area of the country, where the economic crisis has, it seems, been affecting all of the local people and the monks and nuns relying on the lay sponsors there. On top of that, they all are facing an acute need for drinking water as a very hot summer is expected. Local relief aid providing drinking water last reached them in the summer before the pandemic.
Hence, we aim to support monastics both with alms-food and drinking water in the whole area of Bagan where most of the local relief aid has not reached. First of all, we plan to provide our relief aid to the monasteries and nunneries in Old Bagan, New Bagan and Nyaung-U. We will be contributing alms-food to:
All Pariyatti monasteries and nunneries where monks, novices and nuns are attempting to continue their Buddhist monastic education,
Meditation centers where both the monks, nuns and lay-meditators are staying and taking meditation retreats,
Solitary monastics who choose to dwell in forest seclusion, pursuing intensive meditation and seeking total liberation in the forestry monasteries near the hamlets and amid the temples, such as Myin Ka Bar, East Pwazaw, West Pwazaw and Min Nan Thu villages.
Monastic Education Schools and Parahita Monasteries/Nunneries/ Orphanages where young novices/nuns and lay-children are provided with not only Buddhist education but also with basic education that is free of charge, in addition to providing accommodation and food.
So, in conclusion, for those spiritual practitioners who have benefited personally from the wealth of Myanmar's generosity and unconditional support on your path, now is the one moment in our history where you can give back!