YANGON: The religious building at Suan U Ponyashin Pagoda in Sagaing Hills, which was damaged by the earthquake on March 28, will be repaired on a large scale under the leadership of the Sitagu Sayadaw, and the work to clear the collapsed damage has now been completed.
It is reported that a photographer, a vendor, and four pilgrims died in the earthquake at Suan U Ponyashin Pagoda in Sagaing Mountain, a total of six people.
"The roof of the Suan U Ponya Shin statue collapsed and the head and base were damaged.
"The pillars were damaged. The pagoda's umbrella also tilted.
"The diamond head and the bird's nose also fell on top.
"The earthquake struck 20 days after the pagoda was completely covered in gold robes," said an official from the pagoda's trustees.
"Now, a plan has been drawn up to renovate the pagoda and religious buildings.
"It is not yet specific. All of this is being led by the Sitagu Sayadaw.
"The main statue is to be made of bronze in the style of the Pinya period.
"There is a 15-foot statue. There will be 9-foot bronze statues on the east and south sides.
"The statue that remains on the west side is a bronze statue. Therefore, we have chosen to make the collapsed statues out of bronze instead of bricks.
"The pagoda will be renovated in its original form and the pillars will be left as they were.
"We are going down to the bottom of the collapsed square and conducting soil tests.
"We are also planning to expand the square a little to make it level," said U Soe Win, chairman of the pagoda trustees.
Many pagodas in the Sagaing Hills were damaged to some extent by the earthquake.
Among them, nine pagodas, which are considered religious heritage and historical landmarks, have been carefully selected and are being renovated under the leadership of the Sitagu Sayadaw.
Among these nine pagodas, the Suan U Ponyashin pagoda, which was built by the great monk Thiha Thu during the Pinya period, is also included. - Eleven Media/ANN
