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Built in Scotland on the Clyde in 1947 by the famous ship-builder Yarrow & Co with the same design of the pre-war Quarter Wheller steamers of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company.
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Home
Rivers of Myanmar
The Irrawaddy
River
The Chindwin River
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Compared to the Ayeyarwaddy,
always considered the ‘Mother River’
of Myanmar, the Chindwin comes up
short at 600 miles to the
Ayeyarwaddy’s 1350 miles. However,
she is the biggest tributary of the
mighty Ayeyarwaddy and spills her
strength into the longer river at a
place not far from Mandalay, an old
city that is the heart of Myanmar.
What she lacks in length however,
she makes up in spectacular scenery
of lush jungles and sheer cliffs,
misty-blue mountains and charming
towns and villages, proudly running
through a region of abundant natural
resources and fertile meadows.
Although the upper reaches are
narrow and bordered closely with
mountains, with few villages set far
from each other the lower parts are
more populated with mountains
standing as a blue-purple backdrop
in the distance.
The Chindwin Valley is a place of
deep jungles and lofty mountains and
thus it is somewhat more isolated
than the plains by either side of
the Ayeyarwaddy. Hence, the cultures
of the inhabitants are more unspoilt,
and the towns and villages lining
the river have an otherworldly
atmosphere even in this country
seeped in ancient traditions. Their
airy bamboo houses line narrow and
shady lanes along which bullock
carts ply goods and people. The
compounds of their house are well
swept, and filled with useful
medicinal plants, fruit trees, and
edible vines to put into soups. A
pig or two feeds happily at their
troughs, and lazy cats doze in the
morning sun. The people’s lives are
simple, but filled with goodwill for
strangers and humour among
themselves, a trait testified in the
works of the marvellous Sambuddhai
Temple of Monywa and the cave
pagodas of Hpowintaung and
Shwebataung.
 The Sambuddhai has nearly 600,000
Buddha images of all sizes ranging
from inch high to over seven feet.
The pagoda complex covers a large
area where refugees found sanctuary
during World War II, looked after by
the Abbot of the temple. The
donation hall and other buildings
apart from the main temple are
massive two-storied buildings,
charmingly covered on the exterior
from ground to roof with large,
coloured figures in high relief,
depicting people going about their
daily life. In a few niches figures
of royalty or nobility hold up
plaster placards warning the living
pilgrims to have discipline or
honesty. Whimsical touches can be
seen in a husband apparently being
scolded by his wife, or a brown
plaster dog sneaking through a
plaster door, only his hind legs and
happy tail visible to the outside
world.
In a separate prayer hall donated by
the two Chinese brothers who made
their fortune with ‘Tiger’ balm,
their effigies stand at two corners
looking on complacently at two
larger than life plaster tigers
clawing their way over a wall. They
are the Aw Boon Haw Brothers who
became millionaires and finally
settled in Singapore. Out in a open
compound, a group of women dressed
to the nines in the fashion of the
1920s were just closing their silk
parasols and chatting with each
other: plaster pilgrims that have
stood there since the Sambuddhai was
built in 1940.
Overlooking this pagoda complex is a
reclining Buddha image 333ft long
set on a high hillside. It is the
largest reclining image in the
country as well as the most
beautifully proportioned. The
graceful arch of the eyebrows give
the image an expression full of
Metta, or ‘loving kindness’ that one
must have towards all beings,
according to Buddhist philosophy.
More ancient than the Sambuddhai are
the two cave pagoda complexes of
Hpowintaung and Shwebataung,
believed to be over 300 years old.
There are almost one thousand caves
in which both the Buddha images and
the thrones were carved out of
living rock. The natural shape of
the caves was not changed too much,
and 17th century wall paintings in
exquisite detail cover the interior
walls. The entrances are rimmed with
traditional motifs of vines and
flowers, in high or low relief.
Figures of mythical beings and
traditional design elements are seen
both carved and painted.
Very near the Hpowintaung complex
are the Shwebataung cave pagodas and
here the high cliffs have been cleft
into narrow passages that twist,
turn, rise and fall through the
solid rock, and with man-made caves
lining both sides. The Shwebataung
caves are not too deep but they have
been carved wide and high. The
entrances, unlike the carved details
of Hpowintaung, have been
constructed of brick and plaster and
the painted stuccowork represents
traditional motifs and celestials as
well as a few western creatures such
as unicorns.
Another natural wonder is an extinct
volcano crater producing natural
Spirulina. It is grown in many parts
of the world but this is a rare
natural find, the blue-green algae
growing organically in a nature-made
lake. Spirulina is rich in protein,
minerals, amino acids, iron,
beta-carotene, vitamins B and E.
International researchers have found
that it probably stimulates the
immune system, and may have
antiviral and anticancer effects. It
is widely consumed in Myanmar as it
costs far less than those available
in other countries. No organisms can
survive to pollute the waters in
which this algae grows, so Spirulina
is one of the cleanest, most
naturally sterile foods found in
nature.
 It is not only temples or landscape
beauty that the Chindwin region is
famous for: they also have a durable
and elegant lacquer ware called
‘Kyauk Kar’, named after the town
producing it in vast numbers. Only
two colours, red and black, are used
for this, and sometimes flowers are
painted on the sides of fruit
baskets or on trays, with deft
fingers that finish a design in a
few seconds.
Another fascinating aspect of the
Chindwin region are the small towns
and villages that give an insight
into the way of life of these proud
by friendly people. They are proud
of their heritage, and while living
with less material comforts, their
integrity and faith in themselves
give them the dignity of royalty.
The town of Kani has been known all
through Myanmar history as
birthplace of learned nobles and
wealthy merchants. The nearby Mahu
Mountain Range is the location of
the Alaungdaw Katthapa Wild Life
Park where endangered tiger roam
freely. The jungles are filled with
rare and beautifully grained
hardwoods such as teak, Pyingado and
Padauk, as well as Thanakha, the
tree with the fragrant bark grinded
to a paste and used as a cosmetic
and sunscreen. The most fragrant
Thanakha comes from this area, and
in old times such trees are kept
aside only for the use of queens and
princesses. The guardian of these
trees were richly rewarded when they
present the cut branches once a year
to the palace.
The tiny Kin Village is a place of
devout Buddhists who are proud of
their wonderful monasteries, built
both in traditional carved teak and
in brick colonial styles. The wooden
steps of the jetty are long, where
children sit to watch the boats
passing by. Water levels differ
hugely between summer and monsoon
seasons and the steps offer a
grandstand view of the river.
One enchanting town 40 miles upriver
of Kin Village is called Mingin,
with various temples and wooden
houses that have stood for over a
hundred years. The Min Kyaung or
King’s Monastery is their pride of
place especially as it houses old
and beautiful Buddha images. Just a
short ride away from Mingin is
Kyidaw, where the Shwe Zawar Yaw
Monastery is the prestige of the
villagers. Shwe Zawar means figures
painted out of gold leaf on a flat
surface, and the monastery walls are
covered with these in a rare example
of this artwork, which is usually
seen on small utensils such as
lacquer bowls or trays. Yaw is the
name of a large part of this region
where fine hand-woven cotton or silk
with distinctive designs are woven,
and coloured in black or deep red
with organic dyes.
The Chindwin Valley people work hard
in their fields, and the work is
shared with friends helping each
other when the labour of one is not
enough. Girls transplant paddy
seedlings or help with harvest in
laughing, gossipy groups. For their
lunch breaks, however meagre their
meals, they all to share what they
have. A walk through paddy fields
connect Kyidaw and a small village
named Kan Village, translatable as
‘Destiny’
The Kan villagers are always eager
to show off their own beautiful
monastery with wonderful gilt work
on the walls and a spectacular
carved ceiling lacquered red and
decorated with gold. High pillars,
also lacquered and gilded in places
hold up the tapering sections of the
roof. The exterior walls are dark
with many layers of crude oil dregs
that keep the wood insect and
weather proof.
Myanmar Architecture has to follow
rigid rules especially for religious
or royal buildings. Laws for the
common people have relaxed since the
monarchy ended in 1885 but design
elements used in religious buildings
are still not permitted to be used
in secular construction, such as the
tapering tiered roof. The monastery
in Kan Village is a prime example of
a religious monument, enhanced by
the old Buddha images. The robes of
the image are symbolised by mere
lines and not folds of the cloth,
which marks the image as a work
probably before or around the 18th
century.
Kalewa is the trading post between
Myanmar and India, and this town
rests at the point where the Myit
Tha River with its source in India
joins with the Chindwin. Kalewa is
right at the foot of the Western
Mountain Ranges that loom over the
town, the pagoda on the hill and the
placid waters of the river. Apart
from the monsoon season of June to
October when rainfall can reach up
to 60 inches, the market of
wholesale and retail goods is a
bustling place for traders of two
countries to meet.
 The Chindwin Valley region of dense
jungles also has ancient timber:
fossilised woods especially found
abundant in a village called Kyauk
Hlay Gar or ‘Stone Stairway’, a
place where people are still living
in traditional ways.
Towards the upper reaches of the
Chindwin, the view on either side
grows even more spectacular. The
fertile green fields where cattle
graze border the waters reflected
with the deep blue of the sky. Misty
blue and green hills rise high on
the horizon, and near the village of
Ma Sein, a row of 28 white-washed
pagodas line the crest of a sloping
hill and file down towards the
river. The number signifies the 28
Buddhas that have brought
enlightenment to the world.
The town of Mawlaik further upriver
was once a centre of administration
for the British government. Set on a
hill, it is a pretty spot with old
colonial style buildings and pretty
houses. Offices as well as the
guesthouse once called the ‘Dak
Bungalow’ are still preserved and
used. The cool weather must have
been reminiscent of English
springtime, and although
undiscovered by the general public,
it is a wonderful spot to get away
from everything stressful. It was
also a trading post for the colonial
era enterprise the Bombay Burmah
Company that dealt in teak,
abundantly found in the area. It is
said that timber elephants of this
region to this day only understands
commands spoken in English. As
elephants live long, they might have
worked during the colonial period or
else they might have passed on
language skills to their offspring:
elephants are so smart it is surely
not beyond their abilities to do so.
Pakhan-gyi is almost at the point
where the Chindwin and the
Ayeyarwaddy meets. It is an old city
that flourished eight centuries ago,
and although nothing more than a
large town nowadays, one can see
vestiges of its past glory in the
old city walls.
All these old towns and villages
survive in this modern day with
deep-rooted cultures. The Chindwin
River is often overlooked but the
region she feeds is a land rich in
minerals, jungles, wild life, old
cultures and more so, people who are
proud to live along her banks. She
is a river worthy to be the pride of
Myanmar, this beautiful and wilful
lady of the wilds.
By Ma Thanegi for RV Pandaw1947- All
Rights Rerversed
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