Kuthodaw Paya – World’s Largest Book

The world’s largest book, is a collection of 729 slabs of stone with each slab housed within a stupa.  All these stupas are enclosed within the grounds of the Kuthodaw Paya.  Kuthodaw Paya sits at the foot of Mandalay Hill.

Kuthodaw Paya was the brainchild of King Mindon who wanted to protect and ensure the continuity of the Buddhist teachings under threat of conquest by the British.  It was a masterpiece of art complete with gold inscriptions and jewel encrusted stupas. All the original jewels and gold were lost when the British entered Mandalay and used this pagoda as troop billets.  Today the white painted stupas are still a sight to behold lined up in rows within the perimeter of the Kuthodaw Paya.

This video by Wagaung gives us a picture of Kuthodaw Paya.