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Mandalaya
Mandalaya is the second largest city in Myanmar, lies in the heartland of Myanmar and is about 690 km north of Yanggon; Today Mandalaya neighbours the mountain regions of the Shan and kachin people, acting as the gateway to the north, and ultimately to China. Abot 60% of the monks reside in the Mandalaya area Mahamuni paya (Pagoda) also known as Payagyi (big paya). The Mahamuni Paya, 40 kms north of Mrauk U and 10 kms east of the farm town of Kyanktaw sits at the north-eastern corner of old Dhanyawady city site. This was the original site for Mandalaya statue, a huge and very old bronze image. The centerpiece of the shrine is the highly venerated Mahamuni image that was transported to Myanmar from Mrak U in Rakhaing (Arkan) in 1784. This statue must be of Lord Mahavira.
Ancient cities of Burma:
The four ancient cities : Amarapura, Inwa/Ava, Sagaing, and Mingun enjoyed as the capitals of Mandalaya at different times. Amarapura: It is 11 kms from Mandalaya city. Amarapura means the city of immortals. It was a place from where many jaina munis achieved salvation (Nirvana). It remained capital from 1783 to 1823 and from 1841 to 1857. Inwa. From 1364 Inwa was the capital of Burmese kingdom for nearly 400 years until the shift made to Amarapura in 1841. The classical Pali name of the city was Ratnapura (City of gems).
Sagaing: Sagaing became the capital of an independent Shan kingdom around 1315, after the fall of Bagan. Before 1364, Sagaing was the capital of central Bamar kingdom. But, after Sagaing fell to Shan, the capital was Shifted to Inwa. On a mountain hill in Sagaing, many tens of stupas (Shikharas) are situated. According to Tilloy pannatti, there are 5 Ayerawat regions which contain tens of stupas mostly covered with golden foils. Moniwa: There is a magnificent Mt. Meru type of structure. From the outside the central stupa resembles the Borobudur of Indonesia, surrounded by around 845 small stupas. The images of deities found here are reported to be 582,357 [30].
HPO-WIN DAUNG CAVES: The hills have probably been occupied since the dawn of human habitation in Myanmar. The caves contain statues whose
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