A Story Carved in Teak

A few years ago I was fortunate to visit old Mandalay where this beautifully carved Buddhist monastery facade still awes visitors after more than two centuries. The building structure is entirely constructed of teak wood using hand chiseled mortise and tenon joints along with iron pegs that were the precursor to modern day nails. The monastery is still occupied by monks who provide schooling for local children and religious ceremonies for the community. Carvings along the facades recreates the story of Lord Buddha’s path to enlightenment and many of the nats (spirits) he encountered. The teak figures have nicely weathered but still show the fine detail work done by teak artisans at the time.