WD540(37)

‘Panoramic view of Umeerapoora. Looking E.’

THIS laborious and minutely detailed section of the Panorama embraces the whole of the walled city of Umeerapoora, with the King’s Palace rearing its elegant pyasath in the centre; the range of high mountains to the east, and a small portion of the lake ‘Toung-um-mah’, lying between the city and the low lands stretching towards the hills. The long red wall of the city, with embrasures from end to end, may be seen extending, one mile in length, from a pagoda on the left, near to a triple roofed building (which is the residence of the Crown Prince) to another pagoda at the further or southern corner, nearly to a parallel with the great pagoda in the middle ground. The wall is pierced by twelve gateways, entrances to the city. Each gate or entrance has its peculiar name, and is devoted to peculiar circumstances or offices, — ‘some to honor, some to dishonor.’ The principal or centre western gateway, at which the Mission procession entered, is called ‘Set-chur-tugar’. One to the south of this, on the same side, called ‘A-la-wee-tugar’, is used as an exit for burial processions; and at this gate also criminals are led out to the place of execution.

From this view of the capital it will be seen that the great collection of pagodas, and other religious edifices of Umeerapoora, are not within but exterior to the walled city. Of these edifices the principal, which is seen towering high above all the others, is called the ‘Patway-dau-gee’. It is said to have been erected by Mentara-gyee, the great grand-father of the present King, and founder of Umeerapoora, between forty and fifty years ago. It was he, also, who commenced the building of the great Mengoon Temple. The Patway-dau-gee Pagoda, together with the greater number of those represented in this drawing, which are all in perfect and careful, preservation, were partially thrown down (for the second time) by an earthquake which occurred during the past year (1856), but have all been restored by the King to their former state.

The mountains forming the background of this picture were believed by residents of Umeerapoora to be about 4,000 feet in height, but, in the map by Professor Oldham, are recorded as only averaging about two thousand. In the opinion of the same authority they ‘will in all probability be found rich in mineral and metallic wealth.’