AVA, the capital of the Burman empire. It is situated on the Irawaddy, which is here 3282 feet broad, and which, making a bend out of its ordinary course, flows past the city on the N. On the E. it has the river Myit-nge, a rapid stream 450 feet broad, which flows into the Irawaddy close under its walls. From this river a canal has been dug, through which its waters flow on the S.E. angle of the city, and are again brought into the same river. On the S. flows the deep and rapid torrent of the Myit-tha, an offset of the Myit-nge, which, falling into the Irawaddy, forms the defence both of the S. and W. faces of the town. This place is divided into the upper and lower, or the lesser and the larger town, both of which are fortified. The brick wall that surrounds the city is 15½ feet in height, and 10 feet in thickness, on the inside of which is thrown up a bank of earth forming an angle of 45 degrees. There is a ditch round the outer wall which is inconsiderable, and in the dry season fordable in every part. The lesser town is chiefly occupied by the royal palace, the hall of justice, the council chamber, the arsenal, and the habitations of a few courtiers of distinction. A strong well-built wall of more solid construction than the outer wall of the city, and about 20 feet high, incloses the square in which these buildings are situated, and on the outside is a teak-wood stockade of the same height. The ditch which surrounds the lesser town is moreover deeper and broader than that of the city, and when full is not to be forded. There are, however, three causeways across, which communicate with the adjacent country. The circumference of the city, excluding the suburbs, is about 5½ miles, but over this extensive area the houses are but thinly scattered; some quarters are indeed wholly destitute of habitations, and have the appearance merely of neglected commons. In general the dwellings of the inhabitants are of the most miserable sort, being mere huts thatched with grass. Wretched, however, as are such habitations to European eyes, the poorer classes are perhaps better lodged than in other parts of Asia. Their sleeping places are elevated two or three feet from the ground, which is a convenience not enjoyed by the masses in Bengal. Some of the houses of the chiefs are constructed of planks, and tiled; but there are not, according to Mr Crawford, more than half a dozen houses built of brick and mortar. Ava, like all the other Burmese towns, is adorned with numerous temples, of which the gilded spires rising aloft present on a distant view of the place a splendid and imposing appearance, which is far from being realized on a nearer inspection. The largest of these temples contains two distinct edifices, one in the ancient, the other in the modern form; the former containing an image of Guatama, not of marble as Symes supposes, but of sandstone. It is in a sitting posture, and is 24 feet in height. The head is 8 feet in diameter. There is another very large temple, and a third called the "Beautiful." The one called Maong-Ratna is of great celebrity; it is the one in which the public officers of
Avadoutas || Avallon. the government take, with the most solemn forms, the oath of allegiance. The temple called Maha-mrat-muni had an addition made to it some years ago, of which Mr Crawford mentions that the numerous and richly-gilded pillars and splendid ceiling exceeded anything that was to be seen with-out the palace. Ava contains eleven markets or bazaars, composed of thatched huts and sheds, which, however, are well supplied with all that is necessary for the wants of the people. Besides native commodities, there are exposed in these markets the produce of China and of Lao, with British cottons, woollens, glass, and earthenware. The Burman monasteries are mostly built of wood; and of those composed of more solid materials, a few ancient ones are nearly all that are to be seen. The only exception is a monastery built some years ago by the queen, adjoining the palace, an unshapely fabric of immense size, but a very conspicuous object.
The capital of the Burman dominions, according to the political divisions of the empire, comprehends the town of Sagaing on the opposite shore of the Irawaddy, and the town of Ummerapoora or Amarapura, four miles to the E. The town of Sagaing extends along the Irawaddy for more than a mile and a half, but is of inconsiderable breadth. It consists of mean houses thinly scattered among gardens and orchards; the principal trees in the latter consisting of fine old tamarinds. Over the site of the town and its environs are scattered innumerable temples, some of them old and ruinous, others modern. On the river face it has a brick wall about 10 feet in height, with parapet and embrasures like that of Ava, and extending for above half a mile along the river. Ummerapoora is a large place, and was formerly the capital; but Ava, which was twice before the capital, was again made so in 1822. To each of the towns of Ava, Sagaing, and Ummerapoora, are attached districts, the two former of which extend 12 miles along the river, and are of equal breadth. The district of Ummerapoora is of equal size, so that Ava must be considered as not only the name of the capital, but of a large district around, which includes an area of 288 miles, containing, according to the most accurate estimate, 354,200 inhabitants. But the city of Ava is not supposed to contain more than 50,000 inhabitants; and according to Mr Crawford, half that number would be nearer the truth. The place, taken altogether, affords few or no indications of industry or commercial enterprise. Lat. 21. 52. Long. 96. 1.
The entire territory subject to the Burmese sovereign is sometimes called Ava, the custom of applying to a country or province the name of its chief place being common in the East. It appears, however, preferable, where a distinct name for a country exists, to class the general information relating to that country under such name. The reader, therefore, is referred in this instance for such information to the article BURMAH. (D. B.—N.) (E. T.)