India funds restoration of pagodas in Myanmar

The Indian government is working on the restoration and conservation of pagodas in Myanmar that suffered damages due to a severe earthquake four years ago.The project, fully funded by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), had commenced in January 2020, but had to be suspended after the coronavirus pandemic hit the world earlier this year. The Indian government has restarted the restoration and conservation of pagodas in Myanmar.Located in the ancient city of Bagan, which is a UNESCO World Heritage City, the Archeological Survey of India has taken up the renovation of 12 pagodas in the first phase.

Pagodas in Myanmar typically house Buddhist relics, including relics associated with Buddha. Dozens of ancient structures dotting the plains of Bagan had suffered damages when a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar in August 2016.There are more than 2,200 pagodas, temples, monasteries and other historical structures built between 11th and 13th centuries in the spectacular plains of Bagan.According to officials, during the India visit of Myanmar President Htin Kyaw, India had agreed to offer technical and financial help for the conservation and restoration of the damaged structures and paintings at the site."A Memorandum of Understanding was subsequently signed between India and Myanmar in May 2018.

Several other overseas restoration and conversation works taken up by ASI include Angkor in Cambodia, Cham Monuments in Vietnam, Thiruketeeswaram Temple in Sri Lanka, Wat Phou Temple Complex in Laos, and Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal. The MEA, as part of its diplomatic outreach, allocates funds for such projects and the Ministry of Culture implements them through ASI, which has the technical expertise for such works.