ANIRUDDHA (1044-77)

Anawrahta, also known as Aniruddha, was the first king of all of Burma (reigned 1044-77), who converted his people to Theravada Buddihism.


His capital at Pagan on the Irrawaddy River became a prominent city of pagodas and temples. During his reign he united the ancient homeland of the Burmese people with the Mon kingdoms of Lower Burma. He extended his dominion as far north as Bhamo, in the Tai kingdom of Nanchao, west to Arakan, south to the Gulf of Martaban (near what is now Rangoon), and, according to Siamese chronicles, as far east as the valley of the Mae Nam Chao phraya in Siam (now Thailand).


in 1057 Anawratha captured the Mon city of Thaton, a centre of Indian civilization for more than a millennium. Its fall led the other Mon states to submit to Anawratha, for the first time, a Burmese ruler dominated the Irrawaddy Delta. The Mons gave them an artistic and literary tradition and a system of writting. The earliest Burmese inscription, written in Mon characters, appeared in 1058.


Anawratha was converted to Theravada Buddhism by a Mon monk, Shin Arahan. As king he strove to convert his people from the influence of the Ari, a Mahayana Tantric sect that was at that time predominant in Upper Burma. Largely through his efforts, Theravada Buddhism became the national religion of Burma and the inspiration for its culture and civilization. He maintained diplomatic relations with King Vijayabahu of Ceylon, who in 1071 requested the assistance of Burmese Ceylonese king sent a Aniruddha a replica of the Buddha´s tooth relic, which was placed in the Shwezigon pagoda at Pagan.