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Seinnyet Ama Temple
The Seinnyet Cave Pagoda and Seinnyet Stupa are on the Chauk-Bagan motor road. Also known as the Seinnyet Ama Phaya, the Seinnyet Cave Pagoda was buil in the 11th Century by Queen Seinnyet. The Seinnyet Stupa is also known as the Seinnyet Nyima Pagoda.
The Seinnyet Cave Pagoda is on a square plinth, and there are prayer halls at the main entrance and other four. In the entrance prayer halls and the central chamber walls are frescoes depicting the 550 lives o Buddha and floral designs.
The “Seinnyet Sisters” the Ama (Elder Sister) a temple, and the Nyima (Younger Sister) a pagoda-stand together in a brick enclosure.
The Seinnyet Ama is said by tradition to have been built by the Seinyet Queen in the 11th century, but stylistically it belongs to the 13th century. The temple has entrances on all four sides but the eastern entrance is the main one. The superstructure consists of four steep receding terraces, the lower three of which have medial stairways. Above these terraces rises a curvilinear spire. The triple pediments which once framed the entrances are now much damaged, but the stucco carvings which remain decorative scrolls, ogre-heads disgorging flowers, bird and animal figures some of which are mythical hint at the richness of the original ornamentation. Seinnyet Nyima Pagoda
The Seinnyet Nyima pagoda has a direct earth base on which are three terraces and bell-shaped cone. At each the corners of the three terraces are Ceylonese deisgn stupas. Even the main structure is o Ceylonese design. At the base of the second terrace statues are lion figures. In the places where the prayer halls attach the main pagoda are also four Buddha statues. In the west entrance hall is a Buddha statue in the mudra imparting the Dhamma Cakka to the Five Disciples.
The “younger” of the two “Seinnyet Sisters” is a pagoda of an unusual type. The three receding square terraces and the bell-shaped dome do not differ much from those of other pagodas. But above the dome rests a ribbed, bowl-shaped disc. The amalaka or myrobalan fruit which makes the Seinnyet Nyima a distinctive type. Above the bowl-shaped disc rises a truncated conical finial which is made distinctive by the pronounced rings encircling it.
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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