The
monsoon is here again, bringing
fertility, coolness and lush
greenery to the country.
For your reading pleasure and
information, for this issue we
bring you a bit of 14th century
history concerning a little
known capital of Upper Myanmar,
ancient Mekkeya. This city was a
significant landmark in history
just after Bagan declined and
shortly before the rise of Inwa.
The article is written by
well-known Myanmar scholar and
traditional architect U Win
Maung (Tampawaddi). We at
Enchanting Myanmar are always
proud and happy to have
contributors like him join our
efforts to tell the world more
about our country's heritage.
One legacy of nature is the
great Indawgyi Lake in the
Kachin State, far to the north.
There, the Indawgyi Wetland
Wildlife Sanctuary is home and
resting place for both resident
and migratory birds and
waterfowls. Thet law Naing who
delighted readers with his first
article on birds in Volume 6,
Issue No.1 of Enchanting Myanmar
returns to say more about his
beloved feathered friends in
"Birds of a rare feather (2)" in
this issue. Just by reading the
descriptions of the beautiful
birds with colourful plumage,
you also seem to hear their
chirps and songs.
Thanlyin
is an ancient town with a
fascinating history and an
annual pagoda festival that is a
typical country fair, the only
one of this size found closest
to the modern city of Yangon. A
taste of true country-style life
is seen in Thanlyin, as
presented by our chief editor U
Hpone Thant.
Legends and folktales are
considered as if real by the
country people with their strong
faiths and love of drama. No
story can be more tragic than
that of a young woman who was
sitting at her loom when a
tiger, believed sent by an irate
Spirit, carried her off and
killed her. Ma Shwe U in death
became the patron of weavers,
and in this issue we read of how
her story remains fresh in our
memo- ries due to the dedication
of our craftsmen.
The
translated short story this time
is by Tin Win Yee, a gently
satirical theme of how people
can change with circumstances.
Enjoy the cool freshness of the
monsoon, and enjoy our fresh
offerings for this quarter.
The
Editorial Board
