WAM 4 - Father of the Nation for RailFans - Vikas Kumar

Sometimes when making new railway line engineers make great discoveries. One such story is of the Shwethalyaung Buddha. It is a reclining Buddha in the west side of Bago (Pegu), Myanmar.
In the Myanmar Era 356 (A.D. 994) King Miga Depa made a large reclining Buddha statue on the hillock called Dei Ka Lun which at that time was forested with sandalwood trees. The original Statue was 120 (Than Taung) cubits (180 feet) long. Though subsequent Buddhist kings had maintained and worshipped the sacred Statue. in the dark periods of history. the sacred object being left in neglect. was exposed to the elements of nature. After being covered with earth and luxuriant vegetation. "it came to assume the form of a...
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wooded hillock". totally lost in oblivion.
Its discovery was a chance find. When the railways were about to be extended to Bago. earth and bricks were needed for landfilling and construction of bunds and bridges. When an Indian contractor began digging the "wooded hillock" for the supply of earth. the great reclining Statue appeared in a dilapidated condition. Due to a storm of protests by the Buddhists. particularly those who were conversant with the history of ancient Bago. the contractor’s work was called to a halt. The restoration of the sacred Statue was immediately taken in hand. By 1881. the Shwe Tha Lyaung reclining Buddha Statue was completely restored to its original style and splendour. In 1903. the iron pavalion was constructed to shelter it.
No visitor to Bago should miss seeing and marvelling at this gigantic Buddha Statue in the recumbent position. and no one will deny that it is a superlative size after he reads the following dimensions of the Colossus:
Description of Part Feet Meter
Length 180ft 54.88 meters
Height 52 ½ ft 16 meters
Face 22 ½ ft 6.86 meters
Ear 15 ft 4.57 meters
Eye 3 ¾ ft 1.14 meters
Eyebrow 7 ½ ft 2.29 meters
Eyelid 7 ½ ft 2.29 meters
Nose 7 ½ ft 2.29 meters
Lip 7 ½ ft 2.29 meters
Neck 7 ½ ft 2.29 meters
Shoulder to waist 47 ½ ft 14.48 meters
Waist to knee 47 ½ ft 14.48 meters
Knee to foot 47 ½ ft 14.48 meters
Elbow to tip of Finger 45 ft 13.71 meters
Little Finger 10 ft 3.05 meters
Sole of foot 25 ½ ft 7.77 meters
Great toe 6 ft 1.83 meters
Palm of Hand 22 ft 6.71 meters