by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Video Broadcast

Types of Calendar

• Solar Calendar
• Lunar Calendar
• Luni-solar Calendar
• Religious Calendar
• Civil Calendar
• Fiscal Calendar
• Academic Calendar

Burmese Calendar

I wrote an article on the Burmese Calendar for the BAPS Newsletter.

Months

January

• First month of Gregorian Calendar
• Named after Janus, two-faced God (symbolic to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new year)
• Jan 1 : New Year’s Day
• Jan 4 : Independence Day in Myanmar
• Martin Luther King’s Day in US
• Sometimes : Lunar New Year

February

• Second month of the Gregorian Calendar
• Has 28 days in a Common Year and 29 days in a Leap Year

Burma/Myanmar

February 12 : Pyidaungsu Nay (Union Day) is a public holiday in the Union of Burma. Commemorates the signing of the Pinlong Sar Choke (Panglong Agreement) on February 12, 1947.

February 13 : Bogyoke Aung San was born on February 13, 1915. Named Htain Lin. Changed the name to rhyme with that of Aung Than (elder brother). Centennial celebrations for Bogyoke were held in 2015. Feb 13 is also as Khalay Myar Nay (Children’s Day).

Tabodwe Festival (Occasional)

The Full Moon of Tabodwe often falls in February. Two celebrations are held.

• Htamane Pwe (Sticky Rice Festival)
• Ovada Partimauk Day (Exhortation)

USA

February 14 : Valentine’s Day is not a public holiday, but many people send greeting cards and presents.

Presidents’ Day : In the early days, there were two holidays. One to celebrate George Washington’s birthday and another to celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.
Later a single holiday in February to honor all US Presidents was proposed. Some states continue to celebrate the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln.

Canada

“Family Day” (holiday) is observed on the 2nd Monday of February in Ontario.

Family Day is observed on the 3rd Monday of February in British Columbia.

Lunar New Year

Some countries (including China and Vietnam) observe the Lunar Year.

Lunar New Year occurs at the end of January or the beginning of February. The date is not fixed in the Gregorian Calendar.

It fell in February in 2018 and 2019.

Days

February is the shortest month in the year with 28 days in a Common Year and 29 days in a Leap Year.

• A common year has 365 days, while a Solar year has 365.2422 days.
• A year which is not a Century year is a Leap Year if it is divisible by 4. The discrepancy of .9688 days is rounded up to a day.
• A year which is a Century year is a Leap Year if it is divisible by 400. This ensures that there are 97 leap years in four centuries.

February had 30 days, but one day each was transferred to July (honoring Julius Caesar) and August (honoring Augustus Caesar) to have 31 days in those months (worthy of Roman Emperors). February was left with 28 days.

Ripley’s “Believe it or not” illustrated a grave stone which had February 30.

March

• First month of old Roman Calendar
• Third month of Gregorian Calendar
• 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

• Second month of old Roman Calendar
• Fourth month of Gregorian Calendar
• Thingyan : Three or four days of Water Festival
• Myanmar New Year
• The deadline for filing taxes in the USA is around mid-April

May

• Third month of old Roman Calendar
• Fifth month of Gregorian Calendar
• May 1 : May Day in some countries
• May 5 : Cinco de Mayo
• Mother’s Day in the US

June

• Fourth month old Roman Calendar
• Sixth month of Gregorian Calendar
• Jun 6 : D Day
• Jun 6 : Ah Loke Thamar Ah Yay Ah Khinn
• Father’s Day in the US

July

• Fifth month of old Roman calendar; Had 30 days
• Renamed July in honor of Emperor Julius Caesar and was given an extra day
• Seventh month of Gregorian Calendar; Has 31 days
• My beloved father was born on 1st 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. Neil Armstrong (Mission Commander) & Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin (Lunar Module Pilot) stepped on the Moon. They set up the US Flag. They collected lunar rock samples. Michael Collins (Command Module Pilot) circled around the Moon and waited for the return of the Lunar Module.
• My poem “Men on the Moon” was forwarded by USIS to NASA.
• The poem was published in the Guardian Daily.

Dark day in July 1947

Nine Arzanis — seven Ministers, a Secretary and a body guard — were gunned down on July 19, 1947. Eight perished that day. Sao San Htun succumbed a day later.

• Bogyoke Aung San
• Thakin Mya
• Deedoke U Ba Cho
• Mahn Ba Khine
• Mong Pawn Sawbwa Sao San Htun (passed away in the hospital on July 20, 1947)
• U Ba Win
• U Razak
• ICS U Ohn Maung
• Yebaw Maung Htwe

There are books & documentaries on the “unsolved mystery”.

Two dark days in July 1962

According to the newspapers, 17 died on July 7, 1962.

Ko Aung Khin, who was stuck by a stray bullet as he was returning home from Rangoon University Boat Club, was listed as the 17th victim.

The revered Student Union was demolished on July 8, 1962.

The celebration of the 7th July in the following year (1963) ended with the closure of Universities (with the exception of Medical & Engineering).

August

• Sixth month of old Roman calendar; Had 30 days
• Renamed August in honor of Emperor Augustus Caesar and was given an extra day.
• Eighth month of the Gregorian Calendar; Haas 31 days.
• 8-8-88 : start of a long struggle to restore Democracy in Myanmar

Anniversaries

There are several birthdays in my extended family.

Two sisters, my grand daughter, several cousins and I are August born.

In August 2016, 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.

Sayadaw U Silanandabhivamsa passed away on August 13 in 2005.

Three of my in-laws : Father-in-law, Mother-in-law and Brother-in-law passed away in August.

Daw Mu Mu Kin (spouse of Saya Allen Htay (C58)), U Myint Swe (EP74, NorCal RITAA) and U Thein Naing (Patrick, La Phet Yay Waing member) are also August born.

One of them hosts an August-born Birthday Party. In August 2018, Patrick and Mie Mie hosted a lunch gathering for the August born at Moss Beach Distillery. They also presented a book for us.

Is 8 lucky?

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 and extrapolated the magic of No. 8 from three 8’s to four 8’s.

Most Chinese think that the number 8 is lucky. For example, Beijing Olympics was opened on 8-8-08 (August 8, 2008).

September

• Seventh month of old calendar. “Sept” means Seven.
• Ninth month of Gregorian calendar.
• Crushed the hopes of Multi-party Democracy in 1988
• Occasionally : End of Burmese Buddhist Lent

October

• Eighth month of old calendar.
  “Oct” means Eight
• Tenth month of Gregorian calendar
• Occasionally : End of Burmese Buddhist Lent (Thadinkyut)
• “Deepavali” or “Diwali” celebrations are celebrated around October. Known as the “Festival of Lights”.
• “Halloween” occurs every year on October 31 (the day before “All Saint’s Day”). Celebrated with “Trick or Treat” by children & optional “Halloween Costume Party” by adults.
• Due to differences in the calendars, the Bolshevik Revolution is [wrongly] referred to as the “October Revolution”.
• Ocktoberfest is a festival held in October.
• The Annual Pumpkin Festival with the bragging rights to the “heaviest” Pumpkin is held along Highway 92 in Half Moon Bay in Northern California. The traffic is really bad in the area for most of October. The 7-mile strip takes an hour or more during the Festival period.
• Dr. Aung Gyi’s birthday is October 1.
• U Ba Than’s birthday is October 2. Sayas, former students & friends are invited to his soon kway. 69ers usually offer Garawa at Sayagyi’s place (Winner Inn).

November

• Ninth month of old calendar.
  “Nov” means nine.
• Eleventh month of Gregorian calendar.
• Anniversary of my beloved parents
• Tazaundaing often fall around November
• Kathein robe offering often take place in early November.
  Must be held during one month following the Full Moon Day of Thadinkyut.

• November 1st is “All Saints Day”. Preceded by Halloween (which falls on October 31st).
• DST (Daylight Savings Time) requires resetting the clock according to “Spring forward. Fall back.” Currently, DST is set back in Fall (Autumn) on the Sunday following Halloween.
• The second Tuesday of November is scheduled for US Elections at the various levels. (a) Presidential Elections occur every four years. (b) Mid-term elections occur every two years. House of Representatives serve two year terms. (c) Senators serve six year terms. To ensure continuity in the Senate, the election of the Senators is staggered into three groups.
• Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November.
• Black Friday and Cyber Monday following Thanksgiving have massive sales. Some companies start their “Black Friday” early in November.
• Several English words (e.g. November, Black Friday) have lost their original meaning.

• November 11 is celebrated as Veterans Day in the USA.
• It is celebrated as Armistice Day in the UK and France.
• A hundred years ago, Truce was called between the Allied Forces and Germany. The Truce occurred at 11 AM, marking the event with three 11s.
• First World War officially ended a year later with the Versailles Treaty.

• 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

• Tenth month of old Calendar.
  “Dec” means Ten.
• Twelfth & last month of Gregorian Calendar
• U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khinn : dark day in the history of Burma
• Apollo 8 orbited the Moon on December 1968
• Dec 25 : Christmas
• Dec 31 : New Year’s Eve

Holidays

Some holidays

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

Some holy days are preceded by some fun events.

• Halloween (October 31) precedes “All Saints Day” (November 1).
• “Mardi Gras” (“Fat Tuesday”) falls on the day before “Ash Wednesday” signifying the start of the Lent.

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Video Broadcast on October 4, 2020

Rowing in Myanmar

• Laung (7 paddlers of more)
• Leg rowers (of Inlay)

Rowing Clubs

• Cambridge University
  Home club of Sir Arthur Eggar
• RBC (Rangoon Boat Club)
  Exclusive for Europeans and Anglo-Burmese
• RUBC (Rangoon University Boat Club) : Founded in 1923 by Sir Arthur Eggar (Law Professor, RU); He pledged one-third of his salary for the Clubs operation; He donated a Challenge Cup (Pewter and brooches) for the Senior Novices. U Nyo’ s donation to RU Estate helped build the RUBC Club House; U Nyo donated a Challenge Cup (for the Inter-Club Eights)

• Defense Services Rowing Club
  Initially from Burma Navy
• Marine Youth (Ye Gyaung Lu Nge)

Regattas

• Rag Regatta : One day event;
  Finalists for the Novices race are seeded for Monsoon Regatta
• Monsoon Regatta
• Annual Regatta
• Inter-Varsity, e.g. CURC
• ARAE, e.g. Calcutta, Colombo
• FEARA, e.g. Hong Kong, Singapore

Challenge Cups

• President’s Cup : for Inter-Club Coxed Eights
• Prime Minister’s Cup : for Inter-Club Coxed Fours

Commemorative Publications

• 40th Anniversary Issue (in 1963) : Sithu U Tin, U Po Zon
  & U Tin Htoon
• 90th Anniversary Issue (in 2013) : U Tin Htoon (Chair), U Myo Myint (Vice Chair), U Htaik San (Henry, Secretary), U Hla Min (Contributing Editor) …
• Sir Arthur’s Autobiography : Reprint funded by selected Old Members

RUBC Old Members

They are fondly known as Old Crocs (or Crocodiles).

When RUBC was destroyed due to the ravages of war, the Old Crocs rebuilt the Club and provided physical, financial and spiritual support to the members to compete against the best from neighboring countries.

During our younger days, there is an “Old Members Race” at the Monsoon and Annual Regattas. The contestants range from young Old Members to the iconic Past Champions.

The Old Crocs have their mini-reunions where ever possible. They also share memories of the precious photos (e.g. of U Chan Tha, Jimmy Saw Lwin, …)

U San Maung (Gerald, GBNF)

• Past Secretary & RUBC Gold
• Club Coach — He would find time from his work as Production Manager of “Amotha Yoke Shin”, and come down to RUBC to mentor the members (especially the aspiring Golds). He would mandate “fixed tub” practice for the members.

Dr. Htut Saing (Harry, GBNF)

• Past Captain & Gold of RUBC
• ARAE Champion twice
• Won Venables Bowl for Coxless Pairs at the 1958 ARAE Regatta in Calcutta with Tin Htoon (A60)
• Won Willingdon Trophy for Coxed Fours in the 1960 ARAE Regatta in Colombo with Tin Htoon (A60), Sunny Teng, Victor Htun Shein (GBNF) and Sein Htoon (M63, Cox)
• Usually rowed as Box on the RUBC crews. As an exception, he served as Timing Stroke and Coach for the RUBC Eights in 1962. Win Kyi (RUBC Gold, son of Miss Hong) rowed as No. (7). There were seven new Golds in that crew : Myo Tin (William Hone), Htain Linn & Mehm Myo Thaung (Maurice) for the Stroke side, Myo Myint (EC67), Oung Kyaing & Thein Aung (Micky Tan) for the Bow side and Tin Aung (Victor Wu, Cox).
• Dr. Pe Nyun (Past Captain and Gold of RUBC) and Dr. Htut Saing were Pediatric surgeons at the Rangoon Children Hospital. They operated on Ma Nan Soe and Ma Nan San.
• Continued working and teaching in Hong Kong. He became Patron of the Hong Kong Rowing and Sailing Club. He would fully support the RUBC crews competing in the FEARA Regatta in Hong Kong.

Reunions

U Tin U, U Maung Maung Than Tun, Saya U Tin Htut, Saya Dr. Than Nyunt (George), U Tin Htoon, Dr. Donald Chan, U Tun Shein (Willie), U Tun Aung (George), U Sein Htoon, Dr. Tin Wa, U Myo Myint, U Thura Thant Zin, U Htaik San (Henry), and several Old Crocs attended Regattas (especially the 90th Anniversary of the founding of RUBC).

Most of them contributed articles, photos and financial support for printing the commemorative issue, and for reprinting Sir Aurthur Eggar’s biography.

Sad to note that there was some disjoint between the really young members (who are busy with the competitions) and the really Old Members (especially who travel from abroad to attend the events).

My Journey

• Senior Novices Runner-up (in 1963)
  Myint Soe (Willie Soe Maung, Stroke, GBNF)
  Kyaw Wynn (3)
  Hla Min (2)
  Maung Maung Kyi (Bow)
  Myint Thein (Cox)
• Honorary Treasurer (1964 – 65)
• Vice Captain (1965 – 66)
• Contributing Editor for 90th Anniversary Issue (in 2013)
  Prelude for each section
  Three articles
• Donated for reprint of Sir Arthur’s Autobiography
• Memories of RUBC
  Series in YUBC Old Members Facebook Group