At the Sitagu Buddhist Vihara in Austin Texas, the monastery is building a duplicate Shwe Zi Gon Pagoda 1/3 scale along with a meditation center, library, hall and monks quarters. It is not only a massive construction project but it is also a challenging artistic feat. To accomplish this task master craftsmen from both Burma and the US have converged on this monastery and are duplicating every detail including sculptures, shrines, and tiles that adorn the original temple.
This pagoda is literally being handcrafted from scratch and when it is completed it will truly be a work of art since the artists are using temple building skills that were handed down from one generation to the next. And they are doing it all out of kindness and consideration for fellow Buddhists.
Renowned Traditional Architect U Win Maung shares insights on the construction of the Shwezigon Pagoda Replica at Sitagu Buddhist Vihara in Austin Texas. He and a hand full of master craftsmen are painstakingly duplicating the intricate carvings, statues, shrines and tile work that adorns the original Shwezigon Pagoda in Myanmar.
Truly, the Shwezigon Pagoda in Austin Texas will be a work of art and architectual masterpiece when completed.
Ashin Ariyadhamma
News from Sitagu, Austin 