Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located 716 km (445 mi) north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city had a population of 952,570 (2011 estimation) and 1,022,487 for the built-up area (including Sagaing) and is the capital of Mandalay Region.
Mandalay is the economic hub of Upper Burma and considered the centre of Burmese culture. A continuing influx of Chinese immigrants, mostly from Yunnan, in the past twenty years, has reshaped the city's ethnic makeup and increased commerce with China. Despite Naypyidaw's recent rise, Mandalay remains Upper Burma's main commercial, educational and health center.
It has wide lanes filled with bicycles and motorcycles and is known for its cultural diversity. Half of Burma's monks reside in Mandalay and the surrounding areas).
GEOGRAPHY
Mandalay is located in the central dry zone of Burma by the Irrawaddy River at 21.98° North, 96.08° East, 64 meters (210 feet) above sea level. Its standard time zone is UTC/GMT +6:30 hours.
Mandalay lies along the Sagaing Fault, a tectonic plate boundary between the India and Sunda plates. (The biggest earthquake in its history, with a magnitude of 7, occurred in 1956. The devastation was greatest in nearby Sagaing, and it came to be known as the Great Sagaing Quake.)
TRANSPORT
Mandalay's strategic location in Central Burma makes it an important hub for transport of people and goods. The city is connected to other parts of the country and to China and India by multiple modes of transportation.
DEMOGRAPHICS
A 2007 estimate by the UN puts Mandalay's population at nearly 1 million. The city's population is projected to reach nearly 1.5 million by 2025. While Mandalay has traditionally been the bastion of Bamar (Burman) culture and populace, the massive influx of ethnic Chinese in the last 20 years has effectively pushed the Bamar out of the city center. The foreign-born Chinese can easily obtain Burmese citizenship cards on the black market. Ludu Daw Amar of Mandalay, the revered writer and journalist who died in April 2008, had said it felt like "an undeclared colony of Yunnan". Today, the percentage of Chinese, estimated at 30% to 40% of the city (with the Yunnanese forming an estimated 20% of Mandalay's population), is believed to nearly rival that of the Bamar. A sizable community of Burmese Indians also resides in Mandalay.
Burmese is still the principal language of the city although Mandarin Chinese is increasingly heard in the city's commerce centers such as Chinatown and Zegyo Market. English is a distant third language, spoken only by the urban elite.
CULTURE
Mandalay is Burma's cultural and religious center of Buddhism, having numerous monasteries and more than 700 pagodas. At the foot of Mandalay Hill sits the world's official "Buddhist Bible", also known as the world's largest book, in Kuthodaw Pagoda. The styles of Mandalay Buddha Images and Buddha Statues were many since King Mandon, who was a devout Buddhist, and had filled Mandalay with them and through the years Mandalay Buddhist art became established as the pure art of Myanmar. There are 729 slabs of stone that together are inscribed with the entire Buddhist canon, each housed in its own white stupa. The buildings inside the old Mandalay city walls, surrounded by a moat, which was repaired in recent times using prison labor, comprise the Mandalay Palace, mostly destroyed during World War II. İt is now replaced by a replica, Mandalay Prison and a military garrison, the headquarters of the Central Military Command.
ECONOMY
Mandalay is the major trading and communications center for northern and central Burma. Much of Burmese external trade to China and India goes through Mandalay.
Among the leading traditional industries are silk weaving, tapestry, jade cutting and polishing, stone and wood carving, making marble and bronze Buddha images, temple ornaments and paraphernalia, the working of gold leaves and of silver, the manufacture of matches, brewing and distilling.
Ethnic Chinese have increasingly dominated Mandalay's economy since the imposition of sanctions by the United States and the European Union in the 1990s.
GET AROUND
• Taxis are relatively inexpensive and are excellent for travelling around Mandalay, though they do not have air-con. They can be difficult to flag down so expect quite a bit of walking to be necessary (the city layout is very simple and easy to navigate).
• Motorcycle taxis are a cheap alternative, and will usually give you a cheap helmet to wear as well.
• Many sights are centered and around Mandalay Hill, which makes foot-walking feasible in that area.
• It is almost impossible to ride a bike in Mandalay as the traffic is far too heavy.
• Renting a motorcycle it is a great way to see the city or near villages if you are an experienced rider.
Riding is similar to the rest of south-east Asia's countries. Some hotels on 25th street (near zeycho) rent bicycles and motorbikes. You can rent a motorbike for around MMK8000 (Apr 2013). They are usually not really new, and semi-automatic, so you better check it twice before you go. Petrol is available from locals. Petrol stations are uncommon. They sell petrol in 1 litre bottles for MMK1000 (Apr 2013).
• Trishaws (cycle rickshaws) are a convenient way of getting around in Mandalay, and if you find a driver who speaks good English you can have a tour guide and transport together for a reasonable price with a little bargaining. They only hold one or two (back to back) people though.
WHAT TO SEE
Religious sites
• Maha Myat Muni Paya is Myanmar's second holiest pilgrimage site. It is a 4-metre high Buddha statue, made of gold and decorated with precious jewels. The image was brought from Rakhine State, southeast of Mandalay. For 1600kyat, you can get a small pack of gold leaves to partake in the ceremonial tradition of decorating the buddha statue.
• Shwe Kyi Myin Paya was built in the 1st century, by Prince Min Shin Saw.
• Mandalay Hill is a 230m hill located near Mandalay. Along its path are several monasteries and temples. At its top are famous pagodas and temples. Beautiful at sunset and many monks also make the trip up for sunset to practice their English with foreigners. *Alert: There are fake monks who will talk to and show tourists around, and then proceed to ask for money. The Vinaya prohibits monks from asking for money. Do not give money to any monk.
Mandalay Zone Admission Fees (USD10) give you access to the following sites:
• Shwenandaw Monastery is a monastery made entire out of teak wood with beautiful intricate carvings. It was originally part of the royal palace built by King Mindon and moved to its current location by his son, King Thibaw in the late 19th century. It is the only major building from the original wooden royal palace to have survived the bombing during World War II, and thus is the only authentic part of the royal palace which can still be seen today. Also located at the foot of Mandalay Hill, all of these sites can be visited together.
• Sandamuni Paya located at the foot of Mandalay Hill, is similar to Kuthodaw Paya, an adjacent site. Sandamuni contains the world's largest iron Buddha image.
• Kuthodaw Paya is site of the world's largest book, located at the foot of Mandalay Hill. Built by King Mingdon in the 1800s, 729 white stupas within the complex contain the complete text of the Tripitaka, Theravada Buddhism's most sacred text.
• Maha Atulawaiyan Monastery (or Atumashi), to the south of Kuthodaw Paya
• Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda, contains an image of the Buddha carved out of a single block of marble from the Sagyin Hill. The figures of 80 arahats or the disciples of the Buddha, are arranged around the central shrine, 20 on each side. The carving of the image was completed in 1865.
• Myanan San Kyaw Golden Palace, inside the Mandalay Palace City. USD10 to get in, and not well maintained, nor exciting.
Miscellaneous sites
• Royal Palace (Burmese: man-da-lei nan-dau) is a walled city within Mandalay. It was built in 1861 by King Mindon, to fulfil a prophecy. The palace, although destroyed in World War II, was rebuilt, and was renovated recently. In addition, while the design of the reconstruction was fairly faithful to the original, the materials used were not (metal was use instead of the original teak wood). The palace contains several pavilions and chambers. Tourists are required to enter from the East Gate. An almost kilometre walk connects the entry gate to the palace proper. Replicas of throne rooms and chairs and Madame Tussaud style images of Kings Mindon and Thibaw with their chief consorts are on display.
At the west end is the Palace Museum where all palace memorabilia is on display including religious paraphernalia, court ritual implements, court dresses and uniforms, furniture, palanquins and litters, as well as armoury - all in their typical intricate Myanmar design and execution. There are also photo exhibits. As of April 2013 the entrance charge for foreigners is USD10. The palace is good to visit in the late afternoons, during the setting phase of the sun, as the gold roofs will reflect the warm sunlight and produce a nice and warm glowing effect.
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