Shwe Indein Zedi (ရွှေအင်းတိန်စေတီ)

Burmese. ‘Golden Indein Pagoda’. Name of a Buddhist temple complex (fig.) in Indein, a village near the southeastern edge of Inle Lake, in Myanmar's Shan State, and which consists of a group of ancient Buddhist pagodas (fig.) and ruins thereof, as well as an old shrine with a Buddhapada (fig.) surrounded by two protective nagas. The temple was commissioned in the reign of the 12th Century AD Pagan King Narapati Sithu, and ‒although there is no archaeological nor historical evidence to support it‒ popular tradition holds that it was built by the 3rd Century AD Indian-Mauryan Emperor Dhammasoka and later renovated by the 11th Century AD Burmese King Anawrahta (fig.). The nation's numerous earthquakes have caused many of the zedi and other structures to collapse (fig.), while the encroaching jungle has over time covered the masonry structures with vegetation, including large trees, some of which have rooted on top of the pagodas. These features, together with the ancient bas-reliefs and statues of temple guardians, angels and deities (fig.), allow for this place to convey to its visitors a rather unique Jungle Book-like atmosphere. See also MAP, TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7) and (8), and PANORAMA PICTURE. 回