Sittwe - Rakhine State
The modern Rakhine capital was founded by the
British in 1826, after the First Anglo-Burmese war
in 1824. This port city of the Rakhine State sits at
the mouth of the Kaladan River where it empties into
the Bay of Bangal. Off shore delta islands form a
wide protected channel that has served as an
important harbour for many centuries.
The city started as a trading port around 200
years ago and further developed after the British
occupation of 1826. International trade alone the
coast bloomed during the British era. Two huge cargo
steamers a day plied back and forth between Calcutta
and Sittwe. Scottish short-storywriter and novelist
Hector Hugh Munro, known by his pen name ‘Saki’, was
born here in 1870. There is a distinctive Rakhine
twist on standard Myanmar culture that includes the
enjoyment of much spicy food and brighter-coloured
clothing. It can be reached from Yangon by Myanmar
Airways which has flights daily and also by Air
Mandalay which has flights every Monday, Wednesday,
Tuesday and Friday. The flights take about 70
minutes from Yangon to Sittwe.
Interesting Places
Payagyi Temple
This temple is situated in the centre of town and
features a large plain shed supported by pillars
decorated with glass mosaic. A large seated Buddha
image was cast in 1900 in the Rakhine style with the
royal costume common to many Rakhine images. The
face of the figure shines with gold, while the rest
of the body is of bronze.
Buddhist Museum
This modest two-stroey museum is the best place
in Myanmar to view Rakhine Style Buddha images. The
collection here represents a rare instance of
historical preservation. Most of the images are
under a meter in height with the royal attire common
to Rakhine Buddhas Images. The majority dates to the
Mrauk U period, while a few date as far back as the
Wethali era and are made of bronze, silver, quartz
or alabaster. There are also some Indian Buddha
images and Hindu deities on display, a few Thai and
Japanese Buddha statues, silver coins from the Mrauk
U era, clay pipes, terracotta votive tablets and
engraved astrological charts. Entry is free.
|