Kuthodaw pagoda
It is known as the world largest book and located on a spacious land at the foot of Mandalay hill in Mandalay.
All the words are not written on paper but on the stone-slabs covered to 5' height, 3 1/2' width and about 6" thick. The land-area is 13 acres and enclosed by 3 walls.
It was one of the seven-monuments founded by king Mindon who was the second last king of Konbaung dynasty as well as the independent Myanmar, and well respected in a love by his people and foreigners. These seven buildings are palace-city, moat, Mahalawka Marazein Stupa, Golden. Sima, Uncomparable monastery, the Chapel, the Buddhist Library (Archieve-building). The very-first stone for the seven building were laid in 1860 at the same time, 8 years after his success to the throne.
In fact, the working processes of inscription were a very complicate one and difficult to perform as the raw-marble stones Were brought from Sakyin-Taung (hill bears of marble), 32 miles to the North-East of Mandalay, then, the marble-stones were modelled of proper shape and size. After that, they were made to smooth for inscription that was the final-task. It took the labours for 7 years 6 months and 14 days for inscription.
The well-prepared marble stone-slabs were firstly written by pencil because correction of stone-slabs was meaning delay and to be perfect beauty and neat. Then, all the words were carefully checked word to word method by a supervisory team of well-versed monks and learned court officials.
Second applying in gold and finally carving of tripitakas from top to end. The real inscription labours numbering an mount of 50 were used for these activities.
As of having two faces and 80 to 100 lines on each side, a stone inscription could be carved in 3-5 days. Majority of the marble-slabs were first-class ones in their quality. By that way, the inscription processes were started on 14 October 1860 A.D. (for about 7 1/2 years). The work-shop for inscription was set at the pavillion inside the Crystal Palace.
The stone-slabs were systematically set in row by row and composed in beautiful ground-plan encircled to the centre-pagoda. Then, the stone-slabs were sheltered inside the Sri-lanka type stupa, the land and the stone- slabs were enclosed by three walls in square shape. Thus, the arrangement was set; 42 Stone-Slabs in diagram as
Vinaya Pitaka belonges to 111 stone-slabs Abhidbamma Pitaka covers to 208 stone-slabs Sutta Pitaka covers to 410 stone- slabs ------- 729
Besides, all the meritorious deeds were inscribed on a stone-slab in detail. Thus the stone-slabs were numbering 730. They were set 42 stone-slabs and the record stone-slab to the South-East corner inside the innermost enclosured-wall, 168 stone-slabs inside the middle enclosured-wall and 410 stone-slabs inside the outer-most enclosured wall. Out of these, there were 3 more stone-slabs at the North-East corner inside the inner-most enclosured-wall. They were sheltered in 2 houses and inscribed by the court-officer of Wet-ma-sut on request of Queen Kyay-Myin in 1920-21 A.D.
At a Casual look, the stone-slabs could bare to the testimony of weather, time and other effects. But gold of inscriptions was gradually fade out so the stone-inscriptions were regilded during the reign of king Thi-baw who was the son of king Mindon and the last Myanmar Monarch so that was the last-gild as the entire Myanmar was annexed by the third Anglo-Myanmar in December, 1886 A.D. and become as part of colony of British Empire. British brigades were set at;
Mahathetkyamarazein Kyauttawgyi, Uncomparable Monastery, the Chaple Ward and so on around the foot of Mandalay hill. There was no right for the public and Buddhists entering these areas.
5 years later, the late court officials led by U Aung Pan, Surveryer from Yangon pledged the British Government to withdraw the army-troops from the religious areas and building as well as authorize for reconstructions of the damages referred to the constitution of Queen Victoria whereas mentioned that the citicens have the right of freedom in religion.
With the approval of the authority concerned, the aim-offering festival was held in 1890 for the very first time. Then, it discovered that all the precious-stones, even stone-nail of the stone-leograph and the ogre-head at the covered-stairway, were taken, so 9 bronze-bells for the stone-inscription house each, numbering 6570 bell were taken.
All the damages were renovated and crowned by new stone-finial in stead of iron-umbrella so as to last longer and they were similar to the shape of sinhale type in India.
Queens and daughters 155 Court officials 58 Shan chieftain & regional leaders 102 Public donation 4 --------- 729
It was in 1892 A.D. At the same time, the commander of Moe-Bye transplanted Mae-Zae and star-flower trees among the houses of stone scription, ink-written were done about 10 times along its' history.
The centre-stupa was gilded from the top up to the bottom in 1912-13 by Sir Boe-thar of Yangon who was the founder of Chauk-Htut-Gyi reclining Buddha image in Yangon.
The southern iron covered stair-way which was composed of 22 spans and 11-span covered stair-way for Western were constructed in 1915-16A.D. by the famous hermit U Khanti. Installation of iron-doors were donated serially and the construction of plaster to the base of stone-inscription houses were started in 1964 and completed in 1968 A.D. 30 years later, the entire-set of Tri-pitakas were appeared in publication. It was Mr. Phillip H. Ripley who was the owner of Hanthawaddy Publishing House (H.P.H) and dared to announce that it (the publication) was exactly the same to the stone-inscription at Kuthodaw and anyone could to point out a single-variance, would be rewarded 50 ks which was such a large amount at that time.
Now, Kuthodaw is situated at the foot of Mandalay-hill and well preserved in houses crowned by sattavali and stone-finial with iron-rail for all four-sides. They are beautifully set on rows with shady trees. The single door-leaf in beautiful wood carving of Yatanabon style will give an account of its' history and its' pious donor who was well-respected and loved by his people as well as foreigners for his determination, wisdom, clever, ardent-desire on propagation and promotion of Buddhism forever. It will stand as the world Biggest Book and comparative guinous teaching of Buddha among the Buddhist countries. "Be pride of it!"