Homes-Recalling Burma

Recalling Burma-

My family was in Burma for over two generations till 1962.Pic is of my fathers house in 1960; Father standing by his Landrover .Burma has been a curious mix of politics and Military control for over 50 years and yet it is really a land of simple Happy people, Fields of Rice, Pagodas, Buddhist culture & prayer, love for fun , the Water festival.
Yes, with poverty rampant (esp. post WW2) and external influences impacting covertly all around, Insurgency (and Dacoits) has been a threat.

The West states Human Rights violations but many times these opinions are not always supported by common people who really see no difference between Dictators, the Military or Corrupt leaders.
God alone knows what are the facts now 

For me-on my last visit in 1962 an IAC night flight DC2 (Dakota) via Nagpur to Calcutta and then a Fokker flight  to Rangoon. For me that holiday was pleasant. I saw  a quiet countryside with friendly people and an assortment of tasty food especially at Scott Market cafes. There was not much change between Burma in Dec 1951 and visiting last in Jan 1962.Some traces of colonial life have stayed in all former colonies.

But the Junta & Coup changed all that. Now in the last decade reports seems to indicate some opening for safe tourism--
Time Changes all,
TR

REFLECTING:

Novels of another era-
One of my fav novels was The Chequer Board---by Neville Shute, of late 50s. -
In my search through my debris of books and accumulated stuff in a "De-clutter home" operation, found the book intact . PAN books of UK; absolutely stained and old, but still intact. I was astonished to read in the old style preface quote.quote---

"Tis all a chequered board of nights and days,
Where Destiny with men for pieces play.
Hither and thither moves , and mates and slays,
And one by one back in the closet lays. (translated by Edward Fitzgerald )
from Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam --
The novel features a John Turner in WW2 who travels all across in his later years to visit some three - he met in a hospital ward after the War --This includes one section esp Burma and a  RAF Pilot-Burmese girl and a very nice , simple & sweet story.  

LOOKING BACK

I have written on my Dakota DC3 trips of 1951 and 1962 coming to Madras and going back to Rangoon after completing school.

I had a complete refresher of the Rangoon scene in 1962 visit , but later that year the Army Coup came.

I am able to recall and connect to Burma due to 2 factors:
1. I was relatively older when I first left in 1951 Dec at age 6 to start schooling in Madras.
2, Then I visited Rangoon in Jan 1962 after school -it was 10 years later, but Burma had not really changed as it was a totally closed economy since earlier times.Time had stood still in Burma.
After the Junta; army coup in late 1962,the Army order came to send out all Non Burmese citizens..

My late Father's heart attack, he survived, managed and left; returned to India on a cargo passenger ship.

Madras city alone saw the maximum refugees totally devastated --but unharmed.

Burma virtually closed till about ten years ago, then sort of opened up partly for Tourism

To think the whole sub continent was one, easy travel friendliness till WW 2--How Time changes all .

Countries, Families, People divided as Nations Rulers change and make new  rules, draw hard lines that were never meant to be in one creation of God.

REFLECTING
In many way,  Burma is a place that the World also forgot, lost in the sands of time. 

Of  an otherwise happy country, of simple people managing  in an agricultural economy and preferring to be left alone to manage their home and families.

God Knows -

TR

ps-

Recommend see

Browsing through saw--
http://www.reportagebygettyimages.com/features/life-under-military-regime-of-burma-myanmar/

Life Under Military Regime of Burma (Myanmar) | Reportage by Getty Images

www.reportagebygettyimages.com

excellent pics on normal life in Burma today.

http://blogs.sacbee.com/photos/2009/10/daily-life-in-myanmar.html

Women in Burma-well written on their good status I have seen personally

-http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1958/02/the-women-of-burma/306822/

Thiho Shin Pagoda (Photo from  tourism site ack with thanks )

Thiho Shin is one of the most famous pagodas in Pakokku, built by King Alaungsithu. The pagoda contains an image presented by the King of Ceylon some 800 years ago and the image is one of the most revered in Myanmar. Thiho Shin pagoda festival is held from 8^th waxing day to 10^th waxing day of Nayon every year.