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It is on a promontory on the bank of the river at Bagan. Its two spiralling dia-mond-top rows and the river make a fine scenery against the natural background.
It was built by the third King Phusawhti of Bagan, descendant of the first who saved Bagan from the scourges of the Giant Bat, the Giant Swine, the Giant Gourd climbers, the Giant Tiger and the Giant Bird. Bupaya meaning Gourd Pagoda was named after the place he got rid of the giant climbers. Like that, there were also built pagodas at places the king got rid of the tiger, the giant bat, the giant swine and the giant bird. It had a base rock that looked like a gourd. Gone were its ancient decorations, replaced by later mosaics of glass and gold. Perched high on a bluff on a curve of the Ayeyarwady, the small, white Bupaya serves as a landmark for travelers along the river. It was destroyed in the earthquake of 1975, but the pagoda has been reconstructed in the shape and size of the orginal.
The pagoda has a bulbous dome rather similar to that of the Ngakywenadaung. The dome is surmounted by a bold, convex band and crowned by a tapering finial and hti (umbrella). The Bupaya takes its name from the bu or gourd, and tradition connects the pagoda to the legend of Pyusawhti. According to the legend, Bagan in the reign of its first king. Thamoddarit, was ravaged by the Five Great Menaces-the Tiger, the Flying Squirrel, the Boar, the Birth and the Gourd Plant. The Gourd Plant had vines which were so strong and tenacious that, when cut in the night, they sprouted in the morning, fresh and vigorous as ever. To the land of Bagan thus ravaged came Pyusawhti, born of the Sun line of kings, versed in the eighteen arts that kings should know, and bearing a magic bow. With his bow Pyusawhti quelled the Five Great Menaces and gained the hand of the King’s daughter. When in time Pyusawhti became king he built pagodas at each of the places where he had quelled the Five Great Menaces. And thus, Pyusawhti came to build the Bupaya, in the shape of a gourd, where he had quelled the Gourd Plant. A number of the other topographical features and monuments of Bagan have been related to the legent of Pyusawhti. Among these are the Thamiwhet Umin, “Tunnel Where the Damsels Were Hidden”, the place where Pyusawhti hid the damsels who were to be offered to the Bird, and Hmyatha Umin, “Tunnel Where the Arrow Shafts Were Smoothed”, his arrows to shoot the Bird. Reference
1. Ancient Pagodas in Myanmar Vol I , Jan 2003, by Myat Min Hlaing 2. Glimpses of Glorious Bagan, Jan 1996, by The Universities Historical Research Centre
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