Lawkananda Pagoda

MYANMAR, Mandalay, Bagan

Lawkananda derives its name from a Pali word meaning Joy of the World. This pagoda was built by King Anawrahta (reigned 1044–1077) to enshrine the Buddha’s tooth relic bestowed upon him by the king of Sri Lanka. According to legend, when the ship from Sri Lanka arrived at the Port of Bagan, King Anawrahta waded into the water up to his neck to bear the tooth relic on his head and carry it back to the royal palace. Upon returning, King Anawrahta vowed, “If I am to attain enlightenment, let another holy tooth relic arise from the first!” The relic replicated itself as a result. In order to venerate the duplicate of the tooth relic, he later built this pagoda at the place where he had waded into the water.
The pagoda stands on an octagonal base with three terraces symbolizing a spiritual mountain. All three terraces are decorated with floral patterns and the lower two terraces are accessible by flights of steps. The bell-shaped pagoda body is gilded and is higher than the typical pagodas from the late Bagan period. It is decorated with relief carvings in the middle. The spire consists of several layers of lotuses, which support an open-work canopy. The finial is made of several jewels.