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There's a myth surrounding the temple before me. It's say to have been copied from a legendary temple in the Himalayas by a king who was deeply impressed by its beautiful architecture. Eight monks from India showed him the legendary temple, and he immediately had it replicated in Burma, specifically in the city of Old Bagan.
While that remains a myth, there's one fact: the king desperately wanted the design and architecture of this temple to be uncopyable, so he had the architect assassinated to prevent it from being owned by anyone else. I believe this was partly due to his fear of his legitimacy being used by others, and perhaps even more spectacularly (just my opinion).
Ananda Temple is an icon of Old Bagan. It's the most visited temple in Old Bagan, and I'd even say its grounds are vast. Here, we can see the life and significance of religion for the Burmese people, including Old Bagan itself.
At Ananda Temple, there are four statues aligned with the cardinal points. This is where the Buddha statues appear very large, with almost all of them standing. Furthermore, all the Buddha statues are gold, illuminated, and they all shine brightly. Ananda Temple can accommodate a large crowd, and as seen in my photos, there were a lot of people jostling, of course, all praying and worshipping, except for my wife and me.
Around Ananda Temple, there are countless views, such as the beauty of the building, watching birds fly, and enjoying the strong, refreshing breeze. Of course, there are many people selling things outside the building used for worship. There is a special area for locals to sell various souvenirs and temple necessities.
Ananda Temple truly has beautiful architecture. I cannot deny its spectacular beauty. What impressed me most was the distinctive color of the dome, which is gold, contrasting with the temple walls. This is what makes Ananda Temple so distinctive.