Dhammayangyi Temple : The largest temple structure in Bagan

Extending up to approximately 78 meters (255 feet) on each of its' four sides, Dhammayangyi Temple is the largest temple structure in Bagan and its' construction was never even completed.

Dhammayangyi temple

The construction of the temple is believed to have been initiated by King Narathu who reigned between 1167 CE and 1171 CE. The king ascended to the throne by killing both his father "King Alaungsithu (Sithu I)" and elder brother "Min Shin Saw". Driven by both guilt and the fear of bad karma, Narathu commissioned the construction of the temple to redeem his sins. According to legends, the construction was discontinued when Narathu himself was assassinated within the temple walls.

A closer view of Dhammayangyi temple

There are two main theories about the assassination of King Narathu. Both are believed to be a result of him killing one of his wives.

One theory is that the wife was an Indian princess who was killed by the king for practicing Hindu rituals. In this version, the father of the princess was the king or chief of Pateikkaya, a tributary kingdom in eastern Bengal (near present day Chin state). In 1171 CE, the ruler of Pateikkaya sent eight assassins disguised as Brahmin astrologers to avenge the death of his daughter. The assassins carried out their mission within the walls of the temple itself where King Narathu was personally supervising the construction. Based on this legend, King Narathu is also referred to as “Kalagya Min” which translates to “The King killed by Indians”.

The alternative theory is that the wife was a Sinhalese princess as oppose to an Indian princess, and that her death was avenged by the Sinhalese king of modern-day Sri Lanka. In this version also, the assassination took place within the temple itself.

The temple holds the rare site of two Buddha statues sitting next to each other. One is believed to be the image of "Gautama Buddha" while the other is believed to be the image of "Maitreya Buddha", depicting the "Buddha that was" and the "Buddha that will be" together.

The images depicting the rare site of  "Gautama Buddha" and "Maitreya Buddha" sitting next to each other

The reclining Buddha image at the Dhammayangyi temple

Judging by the dimensions of its’ unfinished structure, Dhammayangyi temple may have become the most prominent structure in Bagan had the construction been completed. Today, from a distance, Dhammayangyi resembles a stepped pyramid we might find in Egypt or in the Americas as oppose to a Buddhist temple.

From a distance, Dhammayangyi temple resembles a stepped pyramid we might find in Egypt or in the Americas