The Maha Shwe Thein Daw Pagoda ( my, မဟာ ရွှေသိမ်တော် ဘုရား, also known as the Shwetheindaw Pagoda) is a Buddhist temple in , about two miles north of Kyaukse, Mandalay Region,

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

. The Maha Shwe Thein Daw Buddha image is enshrined in this temple, and is believed to grant the wishes of its worshippers. Students from nearby regions come and pray at this pagoda for blessings before their exams.

History

The Pagoda was built by King Anawrahta of

Pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...

. Shin Arahan set the consecrated ground for the pagoda. The pagoda was originally named the Shwe Thein Daw by Anawrahta. The board of pagoda trustees renamed it to Maha Shwe Thein Daw. The pagoda used to have an inscription, but the contents of the inscription are no longer known because the inscription was lost when Prime Minister U Nu was in power. Although the pagoda had been worshipped for generations after Anawrahta, some historians say that the pagoda was covered in bushes about 100 years ago due to the negligence of the villagers. During that time an epidemic hit the village, and those who had fled the village cleared the bushes near the pagoda. Legend says that the clearing of the pagoda keeps the local village clear of epidemics.

References

Bibliography

* {{Buddhist sites in Myanmar Buildings and structures in Mandalay Region Buddhist temples in Myanmar 11th-century Buddhist temples Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Myanmar