Native place in arid zone turns lush and green

I intended to pay a visit to my native village in Bagan-NyaungU township but the plan did not materialize. Finally, after my last visit to the the village 19 years ago, I went there taking an air-con bus that started the journey from Aung Mingala Highway Bus Terminal. I found the express bus comfortable. Before dawn I arrived at the destination.
Before proceeding to my native village, I paid obeisance to a Sayadaw at a monastery close to the motor road. The environs of the monastery were lush and green, contrast with that some two decades ago. When we were young, the Sayadaw and I became acquainted in Yangon. When I presented some pastries, the Sayadaw also treated me with a variety of eatables.

He took residence at a two-storey new building, which was non-existent during my last visit was under construction. The Sayadaw told me that he was planning to build the largest prayer hall in the area, that foundation had already been laid and necessary bricks gathered. He showed me the site and the bricks stockpiled. This could be seen as an indication that the rural populace were better off now.

I was the pillion rider on the bike of my nephew who took me to my native village. In the past, I had to walk. Along the way, I saw vegetation in all directions, hardly any space left. The trees in the compound of the monastery were htanaung, thanakkha and shade trees. Vegetation on the way were pigeon pea and corn and the height of the plants was higher than that of a man. I also saw thriving groundnut. I often came across the guidance of the Head of State calling for cultivation of suitable crops in all possible space. I felt that rural people in my native place had already followed the guidance.

In my childhood days, a toddy palm cost K 5 or K10 at most. Sometimes, toddy palms were felled for domestic use. One reason of paying less attention to the toddy palms and felling them was because people needed a large amount of fuel wood to boil toddy juice to make jaggery. Since surrounding areas were almost barren then, to get sufficient fuel for the purpose was a daunting problem for the entire place. Under the circumstances, dry cow dung and discarded old tyres were used as fuel, despite the strong smell.

Today, things have changed for the better. Even the stalks of pigeon pea could be used as fuel. So, the number of toddy palm, a reliable plant of different resources and uses for the local people, is on the rise. This being so, toddy palms can be seen in all directions.

I noticed the delight and smiles on the faces of rural people since jaggery, the local product, was in good demand and groundnut, the common crop in the area, was thriving.

A generator and a pump donated by wellwishers from Yangon were kept in a brick building near the tube-well in the middle of the village. Also in the compound of the tube-well are a water tank and a self-reliant library. The publications donated to the library by myself and my colleagues in Yangon are now enhancing intellectual power of the villagers.

I also donated some books and journals to the basic education high school of the village-tract. Under the arrangement of the headmistress, I met some village folks and students. At the meeting, I gave them educative talks on knowledge about English, and effective use of time and money.

Having received the information on my visit in advance, my elder brother and his wife from Madaya with whom I had not met for a long time, and my elder sister from Taunggyi were already in the village to meet me. I also held a reunion with my relatives from my mother’s native village in the west of the mountain range.

At a meeting with relatives and villagers, I presented pamphlets and photos with a call for extended growing of phisic nut plants presented by U Myint Swe of the Myanma Agricultural Service. I also urged them to grow plants that thrive in the area.

The pamphlet describes an explanation on the total cost for growing an acre of the plants in the first year. The villagers discussed if the amount of money stated in the pamphlets would cover the growing of an acre of the plants. After calculations we found the amount of investment would be much less than stated. I made suggestions on use of correct agricultural methods and necessary inputs, and extended cultivation of such a suitable and promising crop in the region.

I also gave away copies of the pamphlet to the people I met in the villages where I got to.

Even though I have left my native town since I was 14 or 15 years old, I still have a good taste of local foods. So, I thought how good it would be for me if I had an opportunity to have a meal with fried pounded dry fish in a novitiation ceremony. But, my visit coincided with Full Moon Day of Tazaungmone (in the middle of November), and the majority of the villagers were busy with harvesting groundnut. So, they had not made any arrangements yet to hold such ceremonies at that time. Luckily, my desire was fulfilled. A man who attended the primary school from the village, graduated from Yangon Technological Institute, and had been employed in Yangon held a Kathina robes offering ceremony at the monastery of the village. The guests were served meals with pork, chicken, fish and mushroom curries. But, I had my appetite only with fried pounded dry fish, a traditional dish.

After the merit-sharing ceremony, I paid reverence to the Sayadaws from the surrounding villages who graced the occasion with their attendance. In the chat, the Sayadaws said that almost all of the villages in the area had enjoyed sufficient supply of clean water. So, local people failed to pay enough attention to the maintenance of the 1,150 feet long and 425 feet wide lake at Phonedaw Village by Kyaukpadaung-NyaungU Road. The rural folks had to rely on the lake when water was scarce in the past.

Due to lack of proper care and maintenance, the bottom of the lake has been rising year by year. According to the Sayadaws, a post indicating the depth of water existed in the past had disappeared. Elders in the area were anxious to maintain the lake with the help of heavy machinery to be able to store more water. They also asked me to help solve the problem and I pledged them to do the needful.

The following day, village elders and I went to the office of the NyaungU District Union Solidarity and Development Association. As I sought the advice for the maintenance of the lake, the secretaries of the District and Township USDAs said they would do as best they could.

Later, I saw the Staff Officer of the NyaungU District Information and Public Relations Department. I told her about the state of the self-reliant library of my native village and requested her to try to provide a black-and-white TV for the library.

On my way back to the village, the elders and I dropped in Taungba model village to study electrification of the village with the use of bio-gas. We learned that the village folks daily supplied 504 viss of cow dung for the purpose. The villagers now enjoy the benefits after paying K 20 for a four-foot fluroscent tube per day.

Before leaving, I distributed documents on the cultivation of phisic nut plant, a common crop usually grows at the fences and a source of diesel substitute fuel.

In the past, the rural folks found it difficult to make ends meet. But today, they could lead an easier life with higher earnings thanks to thriving crops. With the five tasks for rural development being implemented, rural people have now access to health services, education facilities and communication links plus clean water. Constant power supply is a possibility in the near future.

On my next visit to my native village, I look forward to seeing the Kamma Lake with higher water storage capacity supplying water to the surrounding villages the whole year round, the vast stretches of thriving physic nut plants serving the source of diesel-substitute fuel and improved standard of living of the rural people enjoying electricity supply around the clock.

Author :  Maung Maung Aye