Ratanamanaung pagoda is situated half a mile away from the north-east corner of the palace site. King San Da Thu Dam Ma built the pagoda in AD 1658. The pagoda was named Ratanamanaung dedicating to that Rakhine people have taken refuge in three gems: Buddha, Dhamma and Samgha in belief from generation to generation. The pagoda was built step by step with the bell-shaped dome, the inverted alms bowl, the moulding, the downturned louts petals, the coloured-glass ball, the upturned louts petals, the banana bud, the umbrella, the triangular vane and the diamond orb.
The pagoda is 150 feet high. There are planetary figures in all directions near the pagoda. The sabbath hall which is 54 feet in length, 13 feet in breadth and 10 feet i height, is in the northern part of the pagoda. That sabbath hall is called white cave. The monk who dwelled in the cave, was given the throne of Mraukoo in 1696 AD, and he ruled Rakhine for one year in the name of Mar Rone Pi Ya. The stone cave is in the east, and the stone Buddha images are inside the cave.
ratanamanaung pagoda
The archery field is out of the eastern wall of the pagoda. That place is called Laykhanpyin. The art of riding elephants and horses and the art of shooting bows, were celebrated in the month of Pyartho in Mraukoo period at the southern part of the field. Nowadays, a monastery was built in the place of the ancient monastery compound and the monks are dwelling in the monastery. The board of trustee takes care of the pagoda.
Reference
1. Rakhine Touristy Stupas, 2008 by Htay Win
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