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According to the Burmese chronicles, Bagan was founded in the second century CE, and fortified in 849 CE. From 1044 to 1287, Bagan was the capital as well as the political, economic and cultural nerve center of the Pagan Empire.

The Shwezigon Pagoda or Shwezigon Paya is a circular gold leaf-gilded stupa surrounded by smaller temples and shrines. Construction of the Shwezigon Pagoda began during the reign of King Anawrahta and was completed in 1102 AD, during the reign of King Kyansittha of the Pagan Dynasty.

Hti is the name of the finial ornament that tops almost all pagodas in Myanmar. Hti is also a Burmese language word meaning umbrella. In pre-colonial Burma, the hti was an indicator of social status and used exclusively by those who were granted express permission to do so. The white umbrella or hti byu was one of the five articles of coronation regalia.

Use and possession of

a white umbrella was

limited exclusively to the Burmese king and his chief queen,

while the highest

officials and royal princes (including the Crown Prince or Uparaja) possessed

golden umbrellas and

lower-level officials

possessed red umbrellas, if

any.

The white umbrella was

a sign of sovereignty.

Indeed, use of a white

umbrella by any persons

other than the king and his chief queen

was regarded as a

declaration of rebellion,

punishable with

immediate execution

At the death of the king, the white umbrellas in his possession were broken.

The white umbrella was also permitted for religious usage. For instance, The Mahamuni Buddha was formerly shaded by a white umbrella.

The umbrellas were embellished inside and out with pictures of sylphs and fairies in gold, thin gold plates shaped like banyan leaves fastened to the top, and handles of gold adorned with pearls, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, corals and with spangles.

The umbrella used by the king when riding an elephant or travelling by carriage was called a yin hti.

The number of umbrellas in one's possession was also an indication of social status, as they were showcased during public processions and put up in prominent places at home.

The king was allotted 9 white umbrellas, the Crown Prince 8 golden ones, distinguished statesmen and military generals several golden ones, and the other royal personages had numbers corresponding to achievements or the king's regard to them. The royal white elephants (hsinphyudaw) were also granted 6 umbrellas, 2 white and 4 golden

The hti can be said as the main distinctive feature of Burmese pagodas, as they are more prominent than their Sri Lankan counterparts, while the Laotian and Thai pagodas do not have any. The tip of the hti, which is studded with precious stones, is called the seinhpudaw (lit. "esteemed diamond bud").

The hti is considered the most important part of the pagoda. A special ceremony being held for the placing of the hti on the pagoda is called hti tin pwe.

The hti is placed on the top of a pagoda and hung with a multitude of bells. The hti of prominent pagodas are often made entirely of gold or silver. The bells are used to attract the attention of good spirits in Tāvatiṃsa and other abodes of the devas of Mount Meru.

The htis of the temples of Bagan are all made of stone, while the htis of the pagodas there and elsewhere around Myanmar are made of metal (usually iron or steel), coated with gold. The hti is then decorated with golden or gold-plated brass and bronze bells and at jewelry donated by devotees

The number of umbrellas in

one's possession was

also an indication of

social status, as they were

showcased during public

processions and put up in

prominent places at home.

The king was allotted 9 white umbrellas, the Crown Prince 8 golden ones, distinguished statesmen and military generals several golden ones, and the other royal personages had numbers corresponding to achievements or the king's regard to them. The royal white elephants (hsinphyudaw) were also granted 6 umbrellas, 2 white and 4 golden

King Anawrahta of Bagan (1044–1077)

designated an official pantheon of 37 Nats, after he

had failed to enforce a ban on nat worship. His

stratagem of incorporation by

bringing the nats to his Shwezigon

Pagoda in positions of worshipping the Buddha, and by enlisting Thagya

Min at the head of the pantheon above the Mahagiri nats,

eventually succeeded.

Sound: Mar Mar Aye-Paying Homage to Five Infinite Benefactors

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Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu www.slideshare.net/michaelasanda