Tamote in flames

Yesterday, via a video from a passerby on a bus, brought the devastating news that Tamote village has gone up in flames. This is following with the Tatmadaw’s threat to begin destroying entire communities one by one until people submit, focusing their wrath firstly on northern Myanmar, as the lack of international response has brought about a sense of impunity. Tamote is not any ordinary place. Located a short distance away from Kyaukse, where Webu Sayadaw recovered from dysentery and would remain for years mediating in a cave, Tamote has one of the more unique Buddhist sites to be found in a country full of such sacred places. Following is what was written about Tamote in our meditator’s guidebook.

In 1915, with the colonial era in full swing, householder San Htwa decided to make merit by overseeing the construction of a small pagoda in the Kyaukse area. The Burmese king having been deposed almost four decades earlier, the construction of pagodas by the laity like this was becoming a more common occurrence. But little did U San Htwa know that his particular stupa would sink several feet into the acidic soil over the decades, and in doing so, provide a link to something else that was far from ordinary…

One day in 1993, a monk named Ashin Sandawbatha went out for a stroll. He came across traces of an ancient brick structure at the foot of the hill, fortuitously pushed up by the geological mechanics of San Htwa’s sinking pagoda. Further digging revealed ancient walls with intricate engravings, and the Archaeology Department stepped in to order more extensive excavations. Soon, a treasure trove of artifacts and artwork was revealed. Excitement about the findings spread quickly throughout the country, and the public’s interest was intense; 500 volunteers showed up daily to help, with as many as 15,000 on public holidays. Little by little, a giant stupa from the 14th century, built in a style similar to Bagan’s Shwezigon Pagoda, was fully uncovered. Further excavations revealed two earlier temples still, the innermost one dating from almost 1,000 years ago.

It was probably King Anawrahta—he of the nine dams and white elephants—who erected what is now that innermost pagoda (But in fact, local belief is that the “original” inner stupa was donated by King Asoka, and King Anawrahta consecrated his own in honor of that one). The second pagoda was built over that one in the 12th century, and that, in turn, became entirely entombed inside the largest stupa. This architectural oddity, coupled with the geology that caused this pagoda complex to sink into the hillside, preserved the structures to a degree that would not have been possible if they had been exposed to the elements, especially the oldest, innermost one. There is exquisite masonry work in stone and terracotta, featuring flora and mythical creatures similar to contemporary works in Bagan at that time. The Jātaka Tales are an inspiration for much of the art depicted here, and relics were also found enshrined within. 

One of the site’s greatest treasures is an encased Buddha statue resembling a Russian Matryoshka doll, where—somewhat like the pagodas here—a new, larger Buddha was created over the earlier one, in this case leaving a cutout section so that the head of the first is actually framed inside the chest of the second (The innermost Buddha image dates from the early 11th century, the second from the late 11th century, and the outermost from the 13th century.) This is believed to be one of only five such statues in the country. There is another Buddha statue here that has two layers of images, but three layers of thrones, which date from the 10th to 12th centuries. Meditating here is a unique opportunity for yogis to practice in a place that hearkens back to such an early date in the living history of Buddhism in the Golden Land.

The temple is six miles northwest of Kyaukse, between Kyaig Pangon and Nyaung Pin Sauk villages, and near the Pan Lang and Samone rivers. Not far away is the ancient Shinpin Shwe Sutthwa Pagoda, near Nyaung Shwe Village. Another encased Buddha is here; in fact, this one features five “Buddha layers,” representing the Bagan, Pinya, Ava, Nyaungyan and Konbaung eras, respectively.