HlaMin

Category: Calendar

  • March

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Feb 2026

    Background

    • 3rd month of the Gregorian Calendar and has 31 days.
    • First month of the old Roman Calendar.

    Events

    Taw Hlan Yay Nay

    • The resistance against the Fascist regime started on March 27, 1945. March 27 is celebrated as Taw Hlan Yay Nay (Resistance Day).

    Coup d’etat

    • The Union of Burma lost Democracy on March 2, 1962.
      The 17-man Revolutionary Council led by General Ne Win staged Coup D’etat. Many were detained. They include Mahn Win Maung, President of the Union of Burma; U Nu, Prime Minister; Shan Sawbwas / Saophalongs

    Phone Maw & Soe Naing

    • Ko Phone Maw (5th year RIT student and Lanzin Lu Nge) was hit by a stray bullet on March 13, 1988.
    Phone Maw 1
    Phone Maw 2
    • Ko Soe Naing and Ko Myint Oo were also hit and hospitalized in not-so-humane conditions.
      Ko Soe Naing succumbed to the gun shot wounds. Ko Myint Oo survived.
    • March 13 was declared as “Burma Human Rights Day” and “Phone Maw and Soe Naing Nay”.
    • During the Pwint Linn Era, requisites were offered in memory of Ko Phone Maw and Ko Soe Naing.

    Saying

    • Mad as a March hare
  • Holidays and Events

    Holidays and Events

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Nov 2025

    Some holidays

    • have fixed date
    • have relative dates
    • are designated as Public holidays
    • are religious

    January

    • Jan 1 : New Year’s Day
    • Jan 4 : Independence Day in Myanmar
    • Martin Luther King’s Day in US
    • Occasionally : Lunar New Year

    February

    • Feb 12 : Union Day
    • Feb 13 : Children’s Day (Bogyoke Aung San’s birthday)
    • Feb 14 : Valentine’s Day
    • US Presidents’ Day
    • Occasionally : Lunar New Year
    • Occasionally : Full Moon Day of Tabodwe — Htamane Pwe & [Buddha’s] Exhortation Day

    March

    • Mar 2 : Peasant’s Day was moved from Jan 1 in order to celebrate the Coup D’eat
    • Phone Maw Day
    • Burma’s Human Rights Day (celebrated by Berkeley)
    • Mar 27 : Resistance Day was renamed as Armed Forces Day
    • First Day of Spring : Persian New Year

    April

    • Thingyan : Three or four days of Water Festival
    • Myanmar New Year

    May

    • May 1 : May Day in some countries
    • May 5 : Cinco de Mayo
    • Mother’s Day in the US

    June

    • Jun 6 : D Day
    • Jun 6 : Ah Loke Thamar Ah Yay Ah Khinn
    • Father’s Day in the US

    July

    • Jul 4 : Independence Day in the US
    • Jul 7 : Students’ protest that was brutally crushed
    • Jul 8 : Demolition of the Rangoon University Student’s Union
    • Jul 19 : Arzani Nay
    • Apollo 11 landed in Tranquility Bay on the Moon in July 1969
    • My poem “Men on the Moon” was sent to NASA via USIS. A copy was published in the Guardian.

    August

    • 8-8-88 : start of a long struggle to restore Democracy in Myanmar
    • Several birthdays in my extended family

    September

    • Crushing the hopes of Multi-party Democracy
    • Occasionally : End of Burmese Buddhist Lent

    October

    • Occasionally : End of Burmese Buddhist Lent (Thadinkyut)
    • “Deepavali” or “Diwali” celebrations are also celebrated around October. It is known as the “Festival of Lights”.
    • “Halloween” occurs every year on October 31 with “Trick or
    • Treat” by the children and [optional] “Halloween Costume Party” by young and old adults.

    November

    • Elections in the US (Local races & Resolutions every year, House of Representatives every two years, One third of Senators every two years, President every four years)
    • Nov 22 : JFK assassinated (Conspiracy Theory survives)
    • Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the US

    December

    • U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khinn : dark day in the history of Burma
    • Apollo 8 orbited the Moon in December 1968
    • Dec 25 : Christmas
    • Dec 31 : New Year’s Eve

    Grapevine says that some holy days are preceded by some “fun events”.

    • Halloween (October 31) precedes “All Saints Day” (November 1).
    • Similarly, “Mardi Gras” (“Fat Tuesday”) falls on the day before “Ash Wednesday” signifying the start of the Lent.
    Thingyan Su Paung Ya Han Khan
  • November 2021

    November 2021

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Nov 2025

    Daw San San Swe

    • Showed her culinary skills as a Surprise Thanksgiving Present.
    • Prepared Ah Htutt Ta Ya Palata, Chicken Curry and Bean Soup.
    San San (2nd from Right)

    Losses

    • Within six weeks, Daw Thuza Aung suffered two losses : her beloved spouse U Tun Aung (Jeffery, EC68) and her elder brother U San Aung (New York).
    Jeffrey

    Grand parents

    • U Thein Naing (Patrick) and Daw Khin Myo Aung (Mi Mi) recently became proud Grandparents.
    Patrick (2nd from Left)
    • U Aung Myaing (ChE72) and Daw Gyn Yu (ChE72) is planning to welcome their fourth Grandchild.
    U Aung Myaing

    Donation

    • In memory of David Ko (U Tin Myint, M67), Mavis Ko donated $2000 to NorCal RITAA.

    Garawa

    • The Class of C84 paid respect to sayas (U Min Wun, Dr. San Hla Aung …) online.

    Posts

    • Good News သာရေး
    • News သတင်း
    • Newsletter သတင်းစဉ်
    • Sad News နာရေး
  • Calendars

    Calendars

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    • A solar calendar is based on the orbit of the earth around the sun.
      Typically, it takes 365.2422 solar days to complete the orbit.
      A leap year attempts to adjust the calendar by adding an extra day every four years.
    • A lunar calendar is based on the orbit of the moon around the earth.
      Typically, it takes 29.6 days to complete a cycle.
    • A luni-solar calendar is a “hybrid” calendar that uses “lunar” month and “solar” year.
      The calendars used by Chinese and Vietnamese have 12 months in a year and an extra month in the year in which the Lunar and Solar Calendars are synchronized.
      The CNY (Chinese New Year) and Tet (Vietnamese New Year) occur in late January or early February.
    • Julian Calendar
      Leap year : if a year is divisible by 4
    • Gregorian Calendar
      Leap year :
      if a Century year is divisible by 400
      Other years if divisible by 4
    • Burmese Calendar
      The Burmese use a Luni-Solar-Socio-Religious Calendar.
      It is used for social and religious events.
      There are 12 lunar months with a total of 355 days in a Common Burmese Year.
      There is a difference of 10 days with a Common Year in the Gregorian Calendar.
      An inter-calary month named “Second Waso” is usually added every three years to sync again with the Solar Calendar.
      It is known as “Wah Htutt”.
      If needed, an additional day is added in “Wah Gyi Htutt”.
    • Civil Calendar
    • Academic Calendar
    • Appointment Calendar
  • Month — January

    Month — January

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Background

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

    Events

    January 1

    • New Year’s Day (Start of the New Year). For most people, it is a holiday. In most parts of the world, New Year’s Eve is celebrated on 31st December.
    • Annual Soon Kyway at Panditarama (Shwe Taung Gone) by Ye Than (Winner Inn)
    Birthday Soon Kyway by Ye Than
    • Peasant’s Day in the Union of Burma. It was a holiday. It was moved to 2nd March by the Revolutionary Council.
    • Sometimes : Lunar (Chinese) New Year
    • Sometimes : Sar So Daw Nay

    January 4

    • Burma 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 in USA

    • Martin Luther King’s Day

    Birthdays

    • Saya U Than Lwin (Eric Lwin, my cousin uncle, GBNF) celebrated his birthday on January 1st.
    • Dr. Khin Kyi Nyunt (Cherry Tin Gyi, GBNF) and her elder Dr. Khin Tun (Peter Tin U, GBNF) celebrated their birthdays together on or around January 12. They offer requisites to the monks at Chan Myei Yeik Tha.
    Ma Cherry’s 87th Birthday with family and friends (Jan 12, 2018)

    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.

    Independence Day Regatta in 1948
  • Seasonal Changes

    Seasonal Changes

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Celebrations

    • Early civilizations celebrate seasonal changes such as the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox.
    • Stonehenge, Yule Tide, and the sighting of Sirius (in conjunction with the floods of River Nile) have fascinated a wide spectrum of people.

    December

    • December used to be the 10th (and not the 12th and last) month as implied by “Dec”.
      It has its fair share of religious and social events. It is time for some companies to have the annual shut down. It is time for classic and new stories about Christmas.
    • ‘White Christmas” by Bing Crosby was the best selling single for many years.
    • “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley has been digitally manipulated to feature a duet with Lisa Marie.
    • Ma Khin Khin Kyu (Ann, A67) e-mailed me with a YouTube link to “iPhones & IPads sending Merry Christmas”.
    • Thanks to Sayas and alums for sending e-greetings.

    Feedback

    Roman Year

    U Zaw Min (Standing 2nd from Right)

    Dear Ko HM,

    Happy holidays to you and your family.

    Keep up your good work. We never cease to learn something new from our writings.

    Latest one being December from the Latin “Dec” for December. To quote a Burmese saying, “Tha De Ma Mu, Gu Ma Myin”. It never crossed my mind to connect the Latin ‘Dec’ for 10 to December. Now that you got me thinking, Latin Sept (7), Oct (8) and Nov (9) stood for September, October and November.

    I have read that the Roman year used to start in March (spring time), when the Roman Senate completed the budget for the year and the legions were sent out to fight the enemy. Someone got the bright idea to send the legions out in January to catch the barbarians in their winter camps. The senate completed the budget by January so that the legions could march out during the winter and January became the start of the year.

  • Talk — November

    Talk — November

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Video Broadcast on November 21, 2020

    Nov means 9

    • 9th month of old Roman Calendar
    • 11th month of Gregorian Calendar

    November 1919

    • Truce declared for First World War (WWI)
    • Nov 11, 11:11 AM
    • Armistice Day
    • Veteran’s Day (USA)

    November 1963

    President John F Kennedy

    • “Men on the Moon” speech at Rice University in Houston, Texas
    • Assassination on November 22 at Dallas, Texas
    • Books, Movies about JFK

    Thanksgiving

    Fourth Thursday

    • Dinner
    • Family gathering

    Black Friday

    • Discount for shopping

    Cyber Monday

    • Discount for online shopping

    Commercialization

    • Extended period for shopping

    US Election

    Second Tuesday of November

    Yearly :

    • Local

    Every two years :

    • House of Representatives
    • One third of Senators

    Every four years

    • President
    • Inauguration on Jan 20 the following year

    November 2019

    • Gatherings in Singapore and Yangon
    • Panelist at 5th Irrawaddy Literary Festival in Mandalay

    November 2020

    • Wrote “Countdown to RU Centennial” posts
    • Complete 100+ Daily Videos
    • Complete 2500+ articles in Personal Web Site
    5th Irrawaddy Literary Festival
    Videos
  • Date Formats

    Date Formats

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Day, Month, Year

    This is the format used in Myanmar.

    For example, August 22, 2018 can be displayed in various flavors.

    • DD-MM-YYYY (The day, month and year are displayed as numbers. e.g. 22-08-2018)
    • A different delimiter/separator may be used. Using the forward slash as a delimiter, the format becomes DD/MM/YYYY (e.g. 22/08/2018)
    • DD-MMM-YYYY (The month is represented by three letters. (e.g. 22-AUG-2019)

    Y2K Problem

    In the early days of computing, some people tried to save space, time and money by using only two digits for the Year.
    As the Millennium approach, the news media ran stories of possible errors, ambiguities and accidents due to computers using two-digit year format.

    To represent the dates of very old people and events may be tricky using the two-digit format.

    It can be ambiguous for some dates.
    22-08-18 could mean 22-08-2018, 22-08-1918 or even earlier dates.

    Month, Day, Year

    This is the format used in the USA

    • MM-DD-YYYY (e.g. 08-22-2018)
    • MM/DD/YYYY (e.g. 08/22/12018)
    • MMM-DD-YYYY (e.g. AUG-22-2018)
    • In the early days, only two digits were used for the Year. It was the cause of the infamous Y2K Problem.

    Year, Month, Day

    • YYYY-MM-DD (e.g. 2018-08-22)
    • YYYY/MM/DD (e.g. 2018/08/22)
    • YYYYMMDD (e.g. 20180822). One advantage of this representation is that the dates can be sorted easily.

    Number of days from a specified base date

    The representation uses the interval between the two dates.

    Number of days in a year (instead of Month and Day)

    In this system, 1st January is represented as 001.

    1st February is represented as 032.

    The interval between two dates in the same year is easily calculated.

  • Time — New Year

    Time — New Year

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Hla Min

    Universal

    • January 1 is usually accepted as “New Year’s Day”.
    • Some countries celebrate it as a holiday.
    • December 31 is “New Year’s Eve”.
    • Some sing “Auld Lang Syne” to usher in the New Year.

    Old Calendars

    • The old Roman Calendar has only 10 months starting with March
      So, March signified the New Year
    • Some civilizations celebrate Vernal equinox or First Day of Spring
      e.g. Persian New Year
      So, the New Year will fall around 20th – 22nd March

    Lunar New Year

    • Falls around end of January or beginning of February
    • Celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese

    Luni-solar New Year

    • Falls in mid-April
    • Celebrated by Burmese / Myanmar, Thai, Cambodia, Laos
    • Burmese New Year follows Thingyan (which means change)
      Maha Thingyan means Great Change (from one year to the next).
      Cula Thingyan means Small Change (from one month/yathi to another month/yathi)
    • 3 or 4 days of Thingyan (also known as Water Throwing Festival)

    Miscellaneous

    • New Year of the indigenous people
      e.g. Karen New Year
  • Calendar & Era

    Calendar & Era

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    AD / CE

    • AD stands for Anno Domini / “In the year of our Lord”
    • Also known as CE (Common Era)
    • Usually differs from the Burmese Era by 638
      Note : Burmese New Year falls in mid-April.
      So, the Gregorian year will span two Burmese years.

    BC

    • BC stands for “Before Christ“

    BE / ME

    • Burmese / Myanmar Era
    • Started off with Sasana Era
    • Now differs by 1182 due to “Thet ka rit phyo” (adjustment by two Kings who believed in the astrological “kain khan” sayings)

    SE

    • SE stands for Sasana Era
      Sasana is usually rendered as “Dispensation of Buddha”
    • SE is reckoned from Maha Parinibbana (Death of Lord Buddha)
    • In the mid 1950s, the Sixth Buddhist Council was held at the Kaba Aye (World Peace) Pagoda to celebrate the 2500 year of the Sasana Era.

    Sample Conversions

    Suppose the Burmese Era is 1382 BE,
    then Sasana Era = 1382 + 1182 = 2564
    and Common Era = 1382 + 638 = 2020

    Note:
    January, February, March and early April of 2020 AD will correspond to 1381 BE
    The latter part of April, and May to December of 2020 AD will correspond to 1382 BE.