Detail of the Great Departure of Medhaṅkara, one of the 28 Buddhas/ (Upali Thein, monument no. 2121)
Explanation
Deities hold torches to light the way for Buddha, who leaves his palace for the forest to become a wandering monk. The murals of monuments nos. 2003, 2007, 2121 and 2162 in Pagan represent a radical change in the iconography, technique and style following Siamese innovations. (CMG)