Naga-yon Hpaya

Have you ever hear of 'old is gold'? It's often say in many articles i ever read and I believe it's true. Like a ray of light shining throug its power is palpable. That's why so many rich people want to keep antiques, purely about taste.

Well... I guess it's like the building on your smartphone screen. This is a temple that been around for centuries, but it continues to shine. The city of Bagan in Myanmar is divide into two sides is old and new Bagan, based on the kingdoms dating back hundreds of years.

Bagan is also one of the old civilizations in the world if we drawing a time. That's why many temples exist that were far from alphabetic writing, in fact they only used pictures as a means of communication to pass on to future generations.

This is Naga-yon Hpaya, a temple that testifies to the glory of the Pagan Kingdom in its early days. So, the name of this temple also stems from its history. One thing I know for sure, when i visit, it was very quiet, that's just how old temples are. Although it's only protect by nature, it seems some people are praying here. I noticed some fresh flowers near the prayer platform.

However, this temple is guarded and no one is allowed inside. There's an interesting story about this temple. As far as I know, the first temple in Bagan was built in 1113 AD. The temple I'm currently visiting was built in 1188 AD, meaning this is probably the first 10 temples in Bagan, right? That's the logic.

Old Bagan, specifically in Naga-yon Hpaya, is also far from the city center or residential areas, so people typically head here to pray. While the residential area and the UNESCO protected area are separate, they still live nearby to earn money from tourists who come to buy souvenirs or sell food.

I think this is a must visit temple. There's no entry fee and it's a cool place to shelter from the hot sun. For some reason, this part of Old Bagan City can be quite hot. Prepare your protection.