Bygone Bagan (Part I): Life in Bagan, an Ancient Capital City of Burma

Submitted July 19, 2009

The ancient, or not so ancient, practice of the Kings moving the capital city is calling for my attention. It seems that Bagan, the city we have just arrived in, was only one of the ancient capitals of Burma. Tomorrow we will travel to Mandalay, which was also once the capital of Burma. Most recently the capital was located in Yangon (Rangoon), and has now been relocated to somewhere outside the city.

I am aware that there are times of intrusion or invasion of foreign armies. It seems that at one time the ancient capital of Thailand, Ayuttayah, was moved due to the threat of foreign invasion in order to protect the kingdom. For the most part, though, it is a practice with which I am highly unfamiliar. It would seem beneficial to gain an understanding of this practice in order to bring some light to the current climate in Burma.

This morning we also worshiped at the one small Christian church in Bagan built in 1996. We were invited to receive communion with them, we welcomed the dog into the building, and also worshiped together as the children gathered around the window in the leaned inside the open windows to watch us. All the while, several vendors waited patiently outside to sell us their goods. In many ways it was beautiful, though it was in an unfamiliar language. The congregation sang familiar hymns in Burmese and I still heard at least one in our group singing along as I also hummed the tunes. The pastor spoke the words of institution and prayed over the bread and the cup in Burmese before we shared them. The beauty was feeling a certain sense of solidarity with this small group of Christians. Though we live thousands of miles apart and embrace life differently, we are of one body in the Lord Jesus Christ.