Background

• January is the first month of the Gregorian Calendar.
• January is named after Janus, two-faced God.
  It symbolizes two tasks : to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new year
• It has 31 days.

Special Days

January 1

• New Year’s Day
• Annual Soon Kyway at Panditarama (Shwe Taung Gone) by Ye Than (Winner Inn)

January 4

• Independence Day in Myanmar
• Burma (Myanmar) gained Independence on January 4, 1948 at 4:20AM
• Grapevine : Burma was given a choice: “January 4th or January 6th”
• In Lighter Vein : A British Official said, “We would have to get up early once on January 4, 1948. The Burmese will have to get up early January 4th of the following years.”
• Unsolved Mystery : Who chose 4:20AM? Why?

Third Monday

• Martin Luther King’s Day in US

Miscellaneous

New Year

• In most parts of the world, December 31st is celebrated as “New Year’s Eve“.
  In the Times Square in New York, many tourists wait for the count down to the New Year.
• January 1st is celebrated as the start of the “New Year“. For many, it is a holiday.

Peasants’ Day

• In the early days, Burma celebrated January 1st as “Peasants’ Day“.
  It was a holiday.
• The Revolutionary Council staged a Coup D’etat on March 2, 1962. The MaSaLa government moved “Peasants’ Day” to March 2nd.

Birthdays

• Saya U Than Lwin (Eric Lwin, my cousin uncle, GBNF) celebrated his birthday on January 1st.
• For several years, U Ye Than (Winner Inn, son of my cousin brother Sayagyi U Ba Than) has celebrated his birthday on January 1st with a “Soon Kwyay”.

• Sometimes : Lunar New Year
  
• Sometimes : Sar So Daw Nay

• Independence Day Regatta at Kandawgyi
  
  In 1948, U Tin U, Dr. Pe Nyun (Dick San Pe), Dr. Pe Thein (Tom San Pe) and Bobby Tin rowed for RUBC against the Burmese Laung at the Independence Day Regatta at Kandawgyi.