Suggestion proposed to preserve mural paintings of late Bagan, Myinsaing eras at Sita Gok Cave in Mandalay
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Khit / Saw (NP News) - Aug 22
A resident suggested through The Statesman News Journal that the mural paintings of the late Bagan period and the Myinsaing period in Sita Gok Cave, located in Kyaukse Township of Mandalay Region have been damaged due to vibration of the blasting at mines and quarries.
The Department of Archeology and the National Museum of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture carried out maintenance activities for the cracks in Sita Gok Cave in recent years.
“The cave has been existing for around 600 years. Now, the soil plasters and the paintings fell due to the vibration caused by blasting the mines near them. The ceiling of the cave – where the paintings were painted – now cracked and fell again when we inspected the inner part of the cave six months ago.
There are four Payin Caves and three of them now collapsed. Sita Gok Cave is also a well-known cave for Myinsaing-era painting. But due to the vibration caused by mining, the ceiling of the cave was cracked and damaged,” he added.
The Myinsaing area in Kyaukse Township is a place rich with caves, and the residents are now worried that the historic Sita Gok Cave is collapsing due to the unfavourable weather conditions in addition to the blasting at the mines.