On December 1, 1920, Rangoon University was established with Rangoon College and Judson College as its constituents. There were only three Faculties : Arts, Science, and Law.
Matthew Hunter
RU later extended its offerings. The opening of engineering classes was planned around 1923 and executed in 1924.
In 1927, the first batch of engineering students (who had Bachelors degree) graduated with the “accelerated courses” option.
In 1928, the second batch of engineering students (who joined after finishing the I.Sc.) graduated.
RU celebrated the Golden Jubilee in 1970.
Dr. Aung Gyi (Professor of Civil Engineering) and U Thet Lwin (Burmese saya at the Institute of Economics) were GJ organizers.
The term “Swel Daw Yeik” became synonymous with RIT, its predecessors and successors.
GJ Performers
Swel Daw Yeik Ah Nyeint (စွယ်တော်ရိပ် အငြိမ့်), Htee Yein (ထီးယိမ်း) & Tabin Daing Ah Ka (တပင်တိုင်အက) were hits at the GJ celebration.
Htee Yein
First RU Students’ Strike
On December 5, 1920, several students led the Boycott of the Rangoon University Act of 1920.
The boycott was responsible for the amendments to the RU Act.
A pillar was set up on Shwe Dagon Pagoda in memory of the Boycott.
The event is honored as National Day (Amyotha Aung Pwe Nay အမျိုးသားအောင်ပွဲနေ့) . The Burmese date & not December 5th is used for the celebrations.
National Schools (Amyotha Kyaung အမျိုးသားကျောင်း) were opened. U Po Kyar, Arzani U Razak, U Nu and U Thant are notable sayas from the National Schools.
U Ba Toke
Book about U Ba Toke
He was born on December 26, 1920.
He is one of the oldest and senior sayas associated with the engineering schools in Burma.
Even though RU was closed during the Japanese Occupation, he completed his M.Sc. and taught at the make-shift classes on Mogul (Shwe Bon Tha street ရွှေဘုံသာ လမ်း) .
He served as Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer and Professor of Maths at RU and RASU.
He was promoted to Rector, MASU. After some time, he volunteered to relocate to RIT as Professor of Maths.
As a Saya of engineering sayas, he was invited to attend SPZP-2000 and give a speech.
He attended all SPZPs except SPZP-2002 (which he had to forgo due to Sayagadaw’s health and demise).
He played Chinlon and Soccer in his University days.
He headed the Burmese delegation to the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 1964.
He served as Commandant of the Luyechun Camp.
Saya U Ba Toke’s birthday
Until his 80s, he was active (e.g. walk to Shwe Dagon Pagoda with his dhamma friends).
In his 90’s, he had physical limitations, but his mental faculty remained.
He passed away on December 2, 2020 — the day after the RU Centennial. It was a few days short of his Centennial birthday.
It was the 6th month in the old Roman Calendar, and it had 30 days.
The month was given an extra day and renamed in honor of Augustus Caesar.
It is the 8th month in the Gregorian Calendar, and has 31 days.
Events
Birthdays
Two sisters, my grand daughter, several cousins and I are August born.
August 2016
In August 2016, Ko Maurice Chee (M75) organized a birthday soon kwyay for me at the Dhammananda Vihara in Half Moon Bay, California. The sayas and alumni presented me an Appreciation award.
Birthday Celebration at Half Moon BayAlumni Appreciation AwardAttendeesWith spouse, DIL and Granddaughter
Deaths
My Father-in-law, Mother-in-law and Brother-in-law passed away in August.
U Silanandabhivamsa passed away in August. I served as the Master of Ceremonies at the Memorial Service. I was member of the Magazine Committee and contributing editor of “Homage to Sayadaw U Silananda”.
1988
8-8-88 (August 8, 1988) and the following days mark the hope and then despair of the people longing for the end of the Adhamma Era.
The event was inspired in part by numerologists who remembered the historic event about Mingyi Yan Naung in 888 Burmese Era. They extrapolated the magic of No. 8 from three 8’s to four 8’s.
The organizers and Ko Nay Min fed news to a BBC correspondent.
2008
Most Chinese think that the number 8 is lucky.
Beijing Olympics was opened on 8-8-08 (August 8, 2008).
Cula Thingyan (small change) occurs every month when the Sun sign enters a new Yathi / Rasi.
Maha Thingyan (big change) occurs every year on April 13 In the Geocentric Model, the Sun sign enters Meiktha on April 13.
Three or four days of Water Festival. Some perform meritorious deeds (e.g. helping the Elderly, observe Eight Precepts).
Myanmar New Year
Usually falls on April 16 (for three days of Thingyan).
Often fall on April 17 (for four days of Thingyan).
USA
Taxes
The deadline for filing taxes in the USA is April 15. If April 15 falls on the weekend, the deadline is moved to the following Monday.
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline was moved to July 15.
Sports
NCAA Basketball Tournament Finals. Tournament starts with 64 – 66 College Teams in March. Four teams make to the “Final Four”. The winner is crowned NCAA Basketball Champion.
Religion
Occasional : Passover (celebrated by the Jews)
Occasional : Easter / Resurrection of Jesus Christ (celebrated by Christians)
Occasional : The Islamic Calendar is purely lunar; so Ramadan falls on different months in the Solar Calendar. In 2020, Ramadan fell in March.
In 2020, due to “Social Distancing” measures to contain COVID-19, most celebrations were toned down.
General
Name of a Girl / Woman
April Chit Khin
April Shan Lone
April Thein
Relatives
Over the years, we lost three relatives during the Thingyan period.
U Than Lwin (Eric, uncle)
Daw Mya Mya (Emerald, cousin)
Dr. Khin Tun (Peter, son of my cousin U Tin U) on April 13, 2020
On a bright note, there are some birthdays and anniversaries of uncles, aunts and cousins.
Songs & Saying
April Love (Movie / Song)
April in Portugal (Song)
April showers bring May flowers (Saying)
April Fool (Pranks)
Ngapali Beach
Wrote a poem about Ngapali Beach. Visited Ngapali three times.One trip was to give a Guest Lecture at the Ngapali Luyechun Camp for university students in the Summer of 1988.
Poem
RIT Alumni Newsletter
Started the “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” in April 1999.
It was partly responsible for the “First RIT Alumni Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe” (SPZP-2000) in San Francisco in October 2000.
April 2018
69er Gathering in Yangon
There were two Auspicious Celebrations on the 69er monthly breakfast gathering at Royal Rose Restaurant (7 April, 2018)
Birthday for Mehm Aye Chan (M69)
45th Wedding Anniversary for Hla Myint Thein (C69) & Myint Myint Than (C71)
Sad News
Ko San Linn C69 passed away on 5th April 2018 at Asia Royal Hospital. Funeral services took place on the April 11 am at Hindi Cemetery, Yae Wai. Ko San Linn is GBNF serial 82.
Gathering at iNapa Winery in April 2018
U Myint Swe (EP74) and Daw San San (EC74) gave us a ride to iNapa Winery to attend the gathering hosted by U Gordon Kaung (M83) and Daw Lillian Kaung (EC83).
Attendees include U Aung Soe Win (Consul General) & family, U Kai (Myanmar Gazette) & brother; Saya U Maung Maung (George), Saya U Myat Htoo, U Ko Ko Zin, U Aung Myint Oo, U Nyunt Than, U San Lin, U Myo Aung and spouses; Daw Mu Mu Khin & some guests (including historian of Atlas Peak).
U Aung Soe Win presented a Myanmar Flag. Group photos were taken in front of the flags.
iNapa Wine presented two bottles of Premium Wine: one for U Aung Soe Win and one for CGLA employees.
The event was reported in Myanmar Gazette.
2018 Thingyan in the Bay Area
Ko Yu Ket (Edward Saw, EC85) gave us a ride to the Thingyan Festival at Dhammananda Vihara (Half Moon Bay Monastery). The compound was jam packed. Many cars had to park along Highway 1 (outside the compound). Thanks to EC and BOD of TBSA (Theravada Buddhist Society of America), volunteers & food donors.
Among the attendees were Saya U Maung Maung (George, ChE66), U Thaung Nyunt (M87), U Walter Tan (M70), U Ko Ko Zin (M84), Ko Sein Myint (EP69)’s daughter and grand daughter.
For some time, we were not aware that some of them are celebrated on different days (depending on the country and religious order).
For example, the Orthodox Church celebrate Christmas and Easter according to the old calendars (e.g. Julian).
The Mahayana celebrate the events (Birth, Enlightenment, Maha Parinibbana) on dates different from those of Theravada Buddhists.
We later learn about
Kabyar (Poem) Nay
Myat Saya (Teacher) Nay
Secretary Day
Friend Day
…
Some wonder if there are Grandfather’s Day, Grandmother’s Day and Grandparent’s Day.
Not all events are holidays.
Even among holidays, there are Public Holidays, State Holidays, and Bank Holidays.
There may be good reasons (social, commercial) for having the designated days.
For us, every day is Thanksgiving (time to repay to our parents and mentors for their unbounded love and care).
Adeline Hpyu Hpyu Aung wrote :
Yes Saya. We should be thanking God, Parents and teachers everyday, without them we will not be who we are.
KMZ wrote :
My left brain at times over-analyzed many of these days. Many of these holidays are the work of “Holiday Industrial Complex”.
As Ma Adelyne Hpyu Hpyu Aung posted, some of these days like Mothers’ Day/Fathers’ Day should be 365 days a year, not necessarily just the designated day a year.
Believe it nor not there also is a ‘National Splurge Day’ which is June 18th. US Congress eventually passed a law to stop creating those days.
Saya U Maung Maung (George, ChE66) and Daw Eng Eng (youngest sister of Saya U Myat Thwin (ChE66, Texas)) hosted a lunch gathering at Hong Kong Flower Lounge
Attendees :
Saya U Aung Myaing (ChE72, then in Bangkok)
Daw Gyn Yu (ChE72, then in Bangkok)
U Tun Shwe (ChE72, then in California)
Daw Trixie Tan (ChE72)
Saya U Thein Aung (James, Met72)
Daw San San Nyunt (Sandra, M77)
Update
U Aung Myaing and Daw Gyn Yu now spend a lot of their time in California. They hosted lunch gatherings at their daughter’s house. On one occasion, she prepared Mohinga, Nangyi Toke and Beik Kut Kyee Kike.
Love birds
U Tun Shwe is currently staying in Virginia to be close to his daughters.
U & Mrs. Tun Shwe
U Thein Aung and Daw San San Nyunt share their stay in Northern and Southern California.
Ba La(h) Gyi
Saya U Maung Maung and Daw Eng Eng have to drive two hours to attend gatherings in the SF Bay Area. Daw Eng Eng volunteers as a Tai Chi instructor.
An old joke : “Which one keeps time better : a stopped clock or one that runs fast or slow?”
RIT-YIT-YTU has both types of clocks. One type shows the correct time twice a day. The other type shows the correct time (in different parts of the world) every instant.
Grapevine says that many machinery and laboratory equipment were magically transported during the Adhamma Era.
With the Swel Daw Bins razed, the old Clocks were the last standing symbols of the Thabon Kyaung.
New clocks could be installed, but the rebellious spirit of alumni preferred to restore and/or repair the old clocks.
Thanks to Beik (Mergui) Soe Myint (M72) and his team, most clocks are running and keeping correct time.
U Khin Maung Zaw (EC76) wrote :
The joke is true, an old fashioned dead clock shows the correct time twice a day. It may not be true if a modern-day dead clock using military time.
Just a coincidence that I have been looking for a small atomic wall clock for my bed room. As the reviews go, many of them on Amazon, the most common failure of these clocks is that it failed to sync up with the Atomic Clock at the DST (Daylight Savings Time) switch. I still have a big atomic wall clock in my living room, which took couple of weeks to show the correct time at the DST switch. [The Atomic Clock is located in Boulder, Colorado, US, under NIST, National Institute of Standards and Technology, a government department under Department of Commerce. It emits radio signals and the atomic clocks supposed to synchronize the time using this signals.]
Just a little anecdote with regards to Computer Time synchronization. The early Windows OSes had a hard time synchronizing the time between them due to lack of coordination between themselves. One very early authentication/authorization package used time-based schematic where it challenged a person, under the wraps, to specify a token – a feature known as handshake which sets an expiration time. This scheme occasionally failed because the return handshake went on to different server with slightly different system time. The tolerance was a fraction of a second. One Engineer came up with a small script running on each and every servers in the cluster, several thousands in those days, calling this Atomic Clock’s website, and have the time synchronized on every servers. I personally gone through this scenario, it’s a nightmare to locate, diagnose and correct this recurring problem. Thank God! Due to this problem. Windows team – and other OS vendors came up with a Time Server/Service, where only handful of servers in a big organization sync up with the Atomic Clock and all servers/desktops etc in the organization in turn sync up its own Time Server.
HlaMin 