Huge crowd observes Dhammazedi bell search
The Great Bell of Dhammazedi search team's claim to have found the bell stirred huge interest from Yangon residents and offered rare business opportunities to small vendors.
Residents gather to observe the search on August 27./EMG
A huge crowd of people from various townships in the region gather on the riverbank to observe the salvage operations. The Thaketa Bolin jetty has been packed since August 26 while security police is fully deployed.
A roasted chicken vendor near the jetty witnessed an improvement in business.
“It’s better than before,” the vendor said, without elaborating on normal sale figures. “Yesterday (August 28), I reaped some Ks 80,000 (US$80).”
The search team announced on August 26 that the bell was found in the river bed. Team leader San Lin said that the bell should be brought to the shore in a matter of few days.
The team began the search on August 5.
Win Ko, a resident from Tamwe Township, said that right after learning of the finding in the newspaper on August 27, he rushed to the scene.
“I saw many spectators. I want to see the bell,” he said.
Aye Tin from South Dagon is among the spectators.
“I’m here for the first time (since the search began) to see the bell. Yet, nothing to be seen now,” he said.
King Dhammazedi’s bell, a ceremonial bell in Myanmar, has evaded treasure hunters for centuries, supposedly lost in the bed of the Yangon River.
The bell was cast during the reign of Mon King Dhammazedi in 1484, according to historical records. It has been sitting on the riverbed for more than 400 years and is sure to create a lot of excitement if it is located and brought to the land.
The project would last 45 days, and cost Ks 200 million ($250,000dollars), with most of the funding coming from donations, said San Lin, leader of the salvage team of 10 divers brought from the southern archipelago of Myeik.
In 1608, it was seized for scrap by Portuguese mercenary Filipe de Brito Nicote, who controlled the nearby town and area of Sanlyin on the southern banks of the Yangon River.
He tried to carry the bell from the Shwedagon Pagoda back to his base to melt it down for weapons, but while crossing the river, the bell slipped and fell into the water, sinking a barge and a Portuguese warship in the process.
For more than 400 years the missing magical bell, believed to weigh nearly 300 tonnes, has drawn adventurers and treasure hunters from across the world.
