Monywa is a typical Myanmar town 136 km north-west of Mandalay. It is on a dry, flat plain. There are no thick and shady jungle like the ones in the far regions. You would think that there are few cool and dark places or any wondrous sights. However, if you visit the Mohnyin Thanboddhay Pagoda, as your car sweeps up to the entrance, you will see in front of you two huge white-washed elephants guarding it. Enter the gates and you enter a strange world: bigger -than -life plaster tigers are seen clawing their way up a wall, figures of kings and generals of the past stand on high pedestrals, painted in life-like colours.

This pagoda complex was built in 1940 under the supervision of the Mohnyin Abbot.

The main pagoda complex is believed to have 582,357 Buddha images of all sizes. You can see them set in tiny rows all obver the high towers, ceilings, walls. In side the cave-like temple, which is cool and dark immense Buddha images are flanked by thousands of smaller ones, of all sizes. Pilgrims prayer in the deep silence, and some meditate foir hours in the cool cave-like rooms. All the rooms lead one into the other all around the main stuppa, with standing Buddha images on almost all corners.

It is not only the images that are awesome in their numbers. Next to the pagoda complex is the ordination hall, built almost as high as the temple. It is a huge rectangular building and what fascinates visitors of all ages are the plaster figures of people worked in high relief (some complete rounded figures) all over the four sides of the exterior walls, right up to the roof. They are all painted in life-like pastel colours. Their clothes are meticulously picked out in the designs and colours of that period.

They are mostly scenes from the Jattaka Tales, which are the 550 Life Stories of Gautama Buddha before He became Enlightened. But the crafts men who worked on this, were true artists. They had an eye for whimsical and humouros touches and one can see that they thouroughly enjoyed their work.

On one back wall, there was a door with a dog just going inside so that only his hindquarters and tail could be seen. All this, door and dog, were in plaster.

Along the front, figures of ladies and gentlemen hold up scrolls in front of them. The scrolls advice people to have good hearts, to be caring of one’s parents and one general asks you not to waste time.

The scenes may be of holy stories but the figures are portray auithentic Myanmar rural life. Outside the building, under a shady tree, there is a group of ladies dressed in the height of fashion of the 40s: high chignons, long sarongs, flared sleeves on silk jackets, and unfurling their umbrellas. They truly look as if they are visitors to this pagoda from the capital city, chattering as the walked through the sights.

The pagoda compound is well-swept and tidy. Further, smaller pavilions are as enchanting with some different architectural motifs. One pavilion, donated by the Aw brothers of a Chinese family who made their fortune producing Tiger Balm famed all over Asia, has Chinese touches. The building has two life-sized figures of the broithers as well, dressed in dark suits, standing on shoeless feet in two corners overlooking their tigers climbing over the wall. You can almost feel the tigers’ tails lashing in the air.

Another building is one of the most fadcinating wooden buildings to be seen. All other buildings in this compound are of brick, exceot for this dainty structure which looked like a monastery. The wooden teirs of the roof climb up in delicate rows, and the faded paintings along the walls are a terstinment to its age.

The Mohnyin Thambodday is a favourite holiday site of the locals. In the vast compound, there are shady trees around which are built wide wooden platforms. People eat on this, or take naps, while the children play and look around. Squirrels in the trees shyly try to pick up crumbs.

It is a pleasant and peaceful place, with the enchanting colourful figures almost coming to life.