Arakan: - One Who Preserves and Takes Care of Their Own Nationality.

Publication by Arakan Action Association (AAA.)

Arakan Library was founded by a group of Arakan Action Association (AAA) in exile in Thailand from Burma in 2007 doing to voice for the knowledge, the people democratic and human rights.

 

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Arakan Action Association (AAA)

Chotana Road , Chaing Mai ( 50301 ), Thailand.

Email : arakanactionassociation@walla.com , +66—089-637-4383, +66—053-409-577

By Pamela Gutman

Arakan

 

Along the bay of Bengal, in the northwest corner of Burma lie the splendid capital cities of ancient Arakan: Dhanyawadi , Vesali , the cities of the Lemro valley and Mrauk - U (Myohaung). Mentioned in Ptolemy 's Geography in the 2nd century AD, Arakan was from earliest times a cosmopolitan state with a vigorous and complex culture. Indian Brahmins conducted the royal ceremonial , Buddhist monks spread their teaching , traders came by  land and sea , and artists and architects used Indian and Southeast Asian models for inspiration. Through Buddhism , Arakan came into contact with other remote countries , including Sri Lanka , Nepal , Tibet and China. To the east were the many early empires of Southeast Asia: Mon , Khmer , Burman and Siamese , and to the west Hindu empires were replaced by the Islamic courts of Bengal and Delhi. This is the first comprehensive study on the history and civilization of Arakan. It serves as an excellent introduction to its hitherto almost unknown schools of sculpture and architecture.