Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ I

Single-text palm-leaf manuscript being the first bundle of what might have been a four-bundle set. Plain teak covers with gilding and vermilion band on edges. Gilded leaves with vermilion band. Two decorated woven cotton ribbons. Orange coloured cotton wrapper sewn onto white cotton background. In its full extent, Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ is a 38-volume work (organized into five palm-leaf manuscript bundles) belonging to Burmese genre of “great chronicles” that was compiled at the royal court of Ava to serve as an official chronicle of the Konbaung dynasty (1752-1885). It commences with the appearance of the universe in the beginning of the world-cycle and the sequence of eleven Mahasamata kings and continues to trace the lineage of the kings of Majjhimadesa, Tagaung, Thayekhitaya, Pagan, Pinya, Sagaing, Ava, Taungngu/Hanthawady, Inwa, and Konbaung (up to King Badon-min). Extent: One bundle of 357 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. ka - sau) organized into ten fascicles. Two plain teak covers with gilding and vermilion band on edges. Two decorated woven cotton ribbons. Orange coloured cotton wrapper sewn onto white cotton background. Custodial history: (donors of the manuscript) Kui Rhve Phūḥ Ma Kraṅ. Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied c. 1836 Keywords: History, Buddhism. This manuscript contains the following 10 texts: EAP1150/1/245/1: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 1 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 1] Description: Volume one of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the kings of Majjhimadesa to the lifetime of the Buddha. Extent: One fascicle of 37 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. ka [4] - gha [40]). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied c. 1836 EAP1150/1/245/2: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 2 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 2] Description: Volume two of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the kings of Majjhimadesa from the lifetime of the Buddha to the third century BCE. Extent: One fascicle of 37 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. ghā [41] - chā [76]). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied c. 1836 EAP1150/1/245/3: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 3 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 3] Description: Volume three of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the events from the thrid century BCE to the eleveth century CE. Extent: One fascicle of 40 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. chī [77] - ññe [115]). Folio chi skipped (mistake in foliation). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied c. 1836 EAP1150/1/245/4: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 4 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 4] Description: Volume four of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the events from the eleventh to the twelth centuries. Extent: One fascicle of 36 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. ññai [116] - ḍe [150]). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied c. 1836 EAP1150/1/245/5: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 5 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 5] Description: Volume five of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the events from the twelth to the late thirteenth centuries. Extent: One fascicle of 30 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. ḍai [151] - ta [179]). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied 1836 EAP1150/1/245/6: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 6 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 6] Description: Volume six of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the events of the fourteenth century. Extent: One fascicle of 30 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. tā [180] - de [208]). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied 1831 [? 1836] EAP1150/1/245/7: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 7 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 7] Description: Volume seven of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the events of the late fourteenth to the early fifteenth centuries. Extent: One fascicle of 32 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. dai [209] - pi [239]). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied 1836 EAP1150/1/245/8: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 8 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 8] Description: Volume eight of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the events of the early to the mid-fifteenth century. Extent: One fascicle of 42 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. pī [240] - bho [280]). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied c. 1836 EAP1150/1/245/9: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 9 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 9] Description: Volume nine of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the events of the mid-fifteenth to the early sixteenth centuries. Extent: One fascicle of 33 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. bhau [281] - rū [312]). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied 1836 EAP1150/1/245/10: Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ 10 [Mhan‘ nan‘ʺ mahārājavaṅ‘ to‘ krīʺ 10] Description: Volume ten of Mhan nanḥ mahārājavaṅ tau krīḥ covering the events of the late fifteenth to the mid-sixteenth centuries. Extent: One fascicle of 40 inscribed palm-leaf folios (ff. re [313] - sau [352]). Additional date information: Composed in 1829-1831, copied 1836.