Ramu

Ramu is an old Buddhist settlement inland from Cox's Bazar with a Rakhine and Barua population and a cluster of monasteries along and off the main road, several of them timber buildings on posts with tiered roofs and carved detail in a Burmese-influenced manner, holding bronze and marble images. The best known is the reclining Buddha at Ramu Central Simavihara, one of the largest such images in the region. The town also has workshops casting bronze figures and weaving. In 2012 a mob destroyed or damaged a number of the monasteries and Buddhist houses following a fabricated social media post, and the buildings were subsequently rebuilt with state support, which is part of the recent history of the place.

History

The area was known as Rammabhumi, and over time as Rangu, Ruhmi, Rameu and Pamoa; the Tibetan historian Taranath records the name for Chittagong in the Pala period, and the Tripura chronicle Rajmala and the Alamgirnama mention Ramvu or Rambhu. Ramu and the country around it were long under Arakanese rule, the Chinese monk Faxian passed through India collecting Buddhist texts between 399 and 414, and tradition holds that the Emperor Ashoka built a stupa here, one of his 84,000 (Wikipedia, Ramu Upazila).

The main sights

• Timber monasteries on posts - Burmese-influenced building with tiered roofs.
• A very large reclining Buddha - the image at the central monastery.
• Bronze casting workshops - figures made in the town.
• Rebuilt after 2012 - the restoration of the damaged monasteries.

When to go

November to March. Half a day. Modest dress and shoes off in the monasteries. Buddhist festival days bring gatherings. It is an easy trip from Cox's Bazar.

Practical notes

Several buildings are post-2012 reconstructions rather than old fabric. Monasteries are working places and access varies. Interpretation is minimal. The main road through the town is busy and unattractive.

Nearby

Cox's Bazar is west; the Chittagong road runs north.

Key facts