On the way to Mandalay
- Part 1 -

Prof E Bijoy kumar Singh *

Lai Haraoba ritual celebrated at Yechipao of Mandalay on 27 May 2015 :: Pix - R.K. Shivachandra

Poet Rudyard Kipling had written a poem called "Mandalay "in 1890 and it is the origin of the phrase "on the road to Mandalay". Stuck by the beauty of the Burmese girls Kipling poured out his heart.

Let us sample a few lines of the poem "Mandalay":
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin' lazy at the sea,
There's a Burma girl a-settin', and I know she thinks o' me;
For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the Temple-bells they say:
"Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!"……..
When the mist was on the rice-fields an' the sun was droppin' slow,
She'd git 'er little banjo and she'd sing "Kulla-lo-lo!"
With 'er arm upon my shoulder an' 'er cheek agin my cheek
Weuseter watch the steamers an' the hathispilin' teak.……….
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay,
With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to Mandalay!
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin' fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China
'crost the Bay!

Kipling was reminiscing and I,on the other hand, was trying to fill up what I considered to be a personal void. I used to feel very uncomfortable having worked on Indo Myanmar border trade for five /six years and not having gone beyond Tamu in Myanmar. I used to wonder whether the experience upto Tamu could extend beyond. The Tamu centric image could not answer many questions. There is no substitute for personal experience.

When Indian Tourism & hospitality congress (NER) announced the international conference at Mandalay I grabbed the opportunity. It was not going to be a flight to Yangon but a real bus ride to Mandalay. That was exactly what I wanted. The earlier plan was to have it in Nepal but it had to be given up after the devastating earthquake. Though ITHC is a relatively young organisation ,I have had the opportunity of watching at close range the efficiency of this organisation in Imphal, Bali in Indonesia and Manali in Himachal pradesh in the last few years- thanks to Dr Binota of Imphal College who literally singlehandedly popularised this in the region.

The NER chapter proceeded to prepare for Myanmar and the main body prepared for the Phillipines. For me the choice was clear and the opportunity to visit the neighbouring country on which we are beginning to dream big was not tobe missed. It was made easier by the active support of Shri RK Shivachandrasingh of Indo Myanmar Fraternal Alliance for whom Myanmar could be described as an obsession. He took care of the visa formalities at Kolkata and Tamu. Just as Shri Dwijamani's name always appeared in any discussion on Indo Myanmar border trade, Shivachandra was a household name among the Manipuri diaspora in Myanmar. That was confirmed in our trip and that must have been the outcome of years of sacrifice and commitment to the cause.

On 1 July 2015 thirty six delegates assembled at the western gate of Kangla and left for Mandalay at 7am in 8 small vehicles. The team included politicians, academicians, entrepreneurs, tourism enthusiasts and media personnel. Among the academicians we had economists, historians, management experts, scientists and sociologists. There were participants from West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Manipur. Not that Manipur was unfamiliar with Myanmar which we used to call, through centuries, Awaa, a corruption of Ava.

The stickers on our vehicles and Shiva's liaison work with the security personnel enabled us to drive without the usual checks at several gates on the way. Pallel is a fast growing stop on the way where every passing vehicle has to report. Though I have never joined them personally it has a few very popular hotels where my university colleagues would regularly go. There was a time when every driver would like to leave this place as soon as possible because of the presence of innumerable extortionists in the crowd.

It was always a pleasure to pass through the misty heights of Tengnoupal any time of the year. From here it was a downhill ride to Moreh. I was going to Moreh after nearly four years and was quite surprised at the vast improvement in the quality of roads. The team reached Moreh at around 10 am and halted at the Trade centre till 1 pm where we had a sumptuous meal. Then, we proceeded towards the LCS in auto-rickshaws to complete the formalities for crossing over into Myanmar. We were told that not many people ever come like us in this route. Our formalities were completed quickly by the friendly staff at the LCS. Behind the LCS stood the bridge painted half white and half yellow.

Very few people may be aware of its existence because Gate no.1 is now used only for official border trade. Most of the border trade happens through gate no.2 at the bustling Namphalong market in Myanmar. It will greet visitors with a festive atmosphere any time of the year. Porters will help you to carry your ware inside India.

The emergence of this market had led to the death of Premnagar market on the Indian side. When I had visited this place in the early 70s, Premnagar was a bustling market and the few shops in Tamu were actually residential houses. Namphalong was yet to be born. Premnagar, being the work of many communities residing at Moreh, should not have been left to die. No pass is needed for visiting Namphalong market. If we want to visit Tamu, we need a Rs.10 pass from the Myanmarese side. One can use Indian vehicles for visiting Tamu at gate no.1 by paying Rs 100 per vehicle just as in Zokhawthar in Mizoram.

The changeover at gate no. 1 after crossing the bicoloured bridge was abrupt. There is a time difference of one hour. We crossed over into Myanmar at 2.30 pm IST and reset our watches at 3.30 pm MST. Myanmarese follow right hand drive. Unlike the traders at Namphalong, who could speak in Manipuri besides Hindi and Nepali, it was only Myanmarese on this side. Our auto-rickshaw drivers told us about the chaotic conditions when right hand driving Myanmarese drivers and left hand driving Indian drivers converge at Moreh.

Myanmarese bus used to cross the bridge but after the death of two Indian traders last year it has been stopped. Kamala, a young Myanmarese lady from a Meitei village in Mandalay was waiting for us at the immigration post in Myanmar and for the next few days she was going to be our interpreter and guide in every sense. Never did we imagine that in the next few days, she would win over the ourhearts in her own inimitable ways. She was our lifeline.

Mandalay with a population of 1.3 millions and area of 164 sq.km.is the second largest city in Myanmar and was the last royal capital of Burma, known as Myanmar since 1989. It is situated on the eastern bank of Ayeyawadyriver in central Myanmar. Its streets are based on a grid system numbered north to south 1st to 49th and east to west 50th to 90th.The major ethnic groups inhabiting Mandalay are Bamar, Indian, Chinese and Shan. It is the economic hub of upper Myanmar despite Naypyi Taw's rise 300 km away.

It is located 688 km north of yangon and 469 km from Moreh. The city was foundedat the foothill of Mandalay hill by King Mindon in 1857 who shifted the capital from Amarapura. It continued to be the capital till 1885 when the British exiled King Thibaw at the end of the Third Anglo Burmese war. It has more than 700 pagodas.

To be contd...