၂၀၁၁-ေန႔စဲြမ်ား

he Village Flourishing in A Triple Name

          There is a small village called Ye Dwin Gyi which is situated in a rural town Upper-Min Hla, Ma Gway Division, Myanmar. Since there is a town called Min Hla in Pagu Division and beside the Yangon-Pyay high-way road, this town is called Upper Min Hla to be differentiated the former. Geographically, Ma Gway is not included in upper part of Myanmar though it is in Dry-zone, but in middle land of Myanmar.

          Ye Dwin Gyi village possesses another two names of Koe Dwin Giy and Nat Twin Gyi. So the village is well known with triple names in its neighboring villages.  Each and every name of this village was known as their respective oral histories. Fortunately, there was a record on my village which was written by Tat village Sayadaw, senior monk, in round about 1300 Myanmar Era, on the other. Soon after the establishing of Ye Dwin Gyi village over eighty years ago, the two names were added considering on their mysterious events. The first story goes as follow.

          There were some people at the place which will be called Ye Dwin Gyi in future and they had shifted from one place to another, for they hardly got water not only for people but their cattle. As above mentioned, it is a tropical zone which has rare water especially in the hot season. On one full moon night, the people prepared and loaded their goods to the bullock-carts to move a place where they would have cultivated and water. At that time, they heard a sound of digging through some metals and water spring up at some distance. Some elderly people decided to go and see what was taking place from the location where they got the sound.

          When they reached at that place which made sound, they found a clue of water. They tried weather the water would had been enough for the people and their pets as well as tame animals. They were certain that it was positive. Accordingly they resolved to keet staying at the very place which was not so far from water. From that time on, the name of village was called Ye Dwin Gyi, a big well, and the place water spring up called Nat Twin Gyi, a huge well created by gods.

At present, Nat Twin Gyi can be seen as a pool which is square size and it is about twenty feet wide and almost twenty feet depth. The water level is ever flush with the ground, and there has bare frame and fence since it was started until now. It is very natural and it ever flows a bit portion of water over the ground of one side. In every season, the rate of water flowing is almost the same. In the hot season, the neighbourhood of village came and fetched water. It is widely believe that if a patient drinks or take bath with the water of Nat Twin Gyi, his some diseases are fade away. Because of these reasons, people in neighbour strongly believe and pay respect to it.

Some years later, Ye Dwin Gyi villagers suffered from uncertain diseases and faced some kinds of crisis. Thu the time came to transfer their village to a new place according to their horoscope reading and traditionally belief. It became the present village now. And present village is one furlong far from its former village and almost two furlongs away from Nat Twin Gyi.

At the head of the village, there is a monastery and a white stupa. There are two big lakes at the south and north of village, and they are closed by village. Now Nat Twin Gyi is situated in the west of village. At the eastern side of village, there is a hill called Koe Dwin Gyi on which there are nine Pagodas and it is almost two furlongs away from village.

Koe Dwin Gyi is called because there are nine pits of copper at the top of the hill. At the right places, the nine Pagodas were built since over seventy years ago. The small six Pagodas built centre to the three big Ones. The village can be seen with the sky eyes view from the Hill of Koe Dwin Gyi. According to the historical record by Tat Sayadaw, first and formost, there was a stupa at the top of the hill of Koe Dwin Gyi. It is said this stupa was erected in accordance with the consent of King Along See Thu in 11^th A.D. It was covered by the thick forest for so many years unknowingly.

Later long, the people passers by had happened to see and hear something difficult to mention around the hill. They found out a tiny stupa when they inquired. As the time went on, the people in Ye Dwin Gyi village tried to wrap and construct over the old small stupa with the new one following their ominous saying. The high of new stupa is almost fourteen and it is square size foundation which is teen feet wide for all directions. The other stupas or Pagodas kept building up to nine in number offered by villagers. Thus this hill acquires Koe Dwin Gyi as its name based on the nine stupas as well as nine pits of copper.

At the present situation of this village develops in every part such religious activities, economic, social affair as education and son forth. This village is now situated at the border of Min Hla town and Tha Yet town. The both towns are far away from this village about thirty mile each. There are road and communications by vehicles between them. The current transportation is not still satisfied enough. It is neither too good nor too bad. Any way and at last, this village is alive with its three names and I’m sure it keeps maintaining its dignities forever.

May you be all strong mind and sound body!

With Mettā,

       Rev. Uttamānanda

  Thursday, August 03, 2011

Ref;

1.     A Study of Upp Min Hla My Native Town by Rev. Uttamananda, The Dissertation Paper For B.A, Buddhist University, Yangon, Myanmar, 2010.

2.     Koe Twin Gyi History by Tat Sayadaw, Printed in Uncertain Year and Print house, Tha Yet, Myanmar.

3.     Oral Histories By ederly people of Ye Dwin Gyi Village