(SHWE NANDAW MONASTERY
GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY)
The name "Shwe Nandaw Kyaung" or literally translated "Golden Palace Monastery" may sound strange because "Golden Palace" which is the Myanmar kings’ residence and "Monastery" which is the residence of the Buddhist monks are the buildings belonging to two different types of Myanmar architecture --- the former being temporal and the latter ecclesiastic. But in the case of this particular building which stands within a stone’s throw from the Atumashi Kyaung (the Incomparable Brick Monastery) in Mandalay the name is just befitting.
Built entirely of teak wood and lavishly embellished with intricate carvings and sculptures, the Shwe Nandaw Monastery is one of rare surviving vestiges representing the Myanmar wooden architecture of the late 19th century. It is indeed a blend of palace and monastery.
It history tells us that originally the monastery was an apartment of the Royal Palace named Mya Nan San Kyaw which is a complex of several gilt and mosaic wooden buildings which King Mindon (A.D. 1853-1878) the second last Myanmar king built in 1857 and which were destroyed in the Second World War, but were reconstructed five years ago on its site within the palace city. The said apartment was one of Mindon’s private living chambers, in which he and his Chief Queen Setkyadevi spent most of their happy married life and it was the very same chamber that Mindon after a prolonged illness breathed his last.
His son and successor King Thibaw (A.D. 1878-1885), the last Myanmar king decided not to live in it or use it because of the associations and sad memories it carried. To gain religious merit for his deceased father, Thibaw in 1880 had it dismantled and moved to its present site and with some additions turned it into a monastery. Its original place on the north of the Hman Nandaw (the Crystal Chamber of the Palace) was never filled. It cost the king two lakhs of pure silver to have it moved and rebuilt as a monastery. To-day (1997) the Shwe Nandaw Monastery is 117 years old.
Inside the monastery there is a spacious shrine room which itself is the very chamber in which King Mindon passed away. The four lofty wooden columns supporting the elborately carved and richly gilt and glass mosaic high ceiling of the room are the original sandal wood posts which no longer waft fragrance because of the gilt and thick lacquer coating on them. The pedestal on which the statue of Buddha in a sitting posture is placed is the typical design of the royal throne, and the statue is of alabaster stone of snow white colour from the quarry of the Sagyin Hills some 50 miles north of Mandalay. It is a palace chamber skilfully converted into a shrine room of a monastery.
There are many gilt and glass mosaic wooden chests in the shrine room. They contain manuscripts on palm leaf and folding parchments which are Buddhist scriptures. Framed pictures and photographs of Mindon, Thibaw and his Queen are seen on the wooden panels.
The entire Golden Palace Monastery is a "veritable museum of mid nineteenth century Myanmar wood carving". A spacious external wooden corridor circumambulates the main structure, on which one can walk around to see and appreciate the intricate wood carvings on the whole building, representing traditional floral designs, decorative motifs, and depicting scenes from Jataka stories.
For several years the building was subjected to old age, climate and vandalism. There was only one monk residing there looking after the building as best he could. But after his death, the monastery fell into the custody of the Department of Archaeology. It has now been maintained and preserved in its original style.
To-day the golden Palace Monastery is one of tourist attractions in Mandalay. It is a singular object of marvel and admiration for art lovers and architects. Among foreign writings on this monastery, one fully illustrated and documented book in German by a German scholar is Das Goldene Kloster zu Mandalay by Dr. Annemarie Esche published in 1977 Leipzing.
Shwe Mann Maung