Irrawaddy, river of Myanmar

Irrawaddy, river of Myanmar

Being labelled as "the river of Myanmar," Irrawaddy does have vital roles to play. Not only this river provides water for farming, but its presence creates the country sole water-highway for communication across the whole nation.

The legends of Kachin tell about the Great Spirit of the world, which housed on the peak of the Great Himalayan peaks, poured water from two gold cups. These two cups become the mother of two rivers respectively: Mai Kha from the cup of the right hand, Mali Kha from the left. They join the confluence north of the capital of the Kachin State to give birth to Ayeyarwaddy River.



Irrawaddy is Myanmar's largest river and the most important one. The numbers of city locate along the river, ports built for navigation operations and bridges to connect both sides of the banks are evidence of the essence of this river. The river flows about 2170 km, or 1350 miles, from north to south where it empties to the Andaman Sea (of Indian Ocean). The largest tributary of the river is the Chindwin River.

The accessibility of the river is quite extensive. The river is navigable by streamers all year as far north as Bhamo where they can sail for not further than 1400 km. However, during the monsoon season, the river can not be travelled by boats, as a result from its increasing speed and strength of water flow.

Irrawaddy watershed covers over 411,000 km2 allows Burmese people to use them for farming and living. The town of Bhumo is the northern most city of Irrawaddy where Myitkyina is the southern most. In ancient time, people used this river to travel to various cities throughout the country. Up until 1934, the mean of crossing the river is by ferry. After the arrival of the British Colonial Government who seeks prosperity and resources of the country, built the only one bridge of that time. There are about 9 bridges connecting at the present time, which most of them are built by the Burmese Government after winning the independence from the British. Yangon port is being the most important checkpoint along the river. Other ports along Irrawaddy include Katha, Mandalay, Myingyan and Prome (Pye).

The delta of the rivers shall be the most important part of this river where it is said to be the providers of fertilized soil for the land. The delta can be found between Henzada and Yangon river. People can find rare views as well as celestial landscape in the vicinity of the river. The river itself used to experience bombing during the world war II and used to be home of two monastery on the foot of Mandalay Hill.

The river also gives its name to a dolphin, the Irrawaddy Dolphin which is known in technical terminology as Orcaella Brevirostris.

2009: new destination for AC Blog

Hello my fellow ASEAN citizens

I am Denith, leader and co-founder of this blog. It is a pleasure for me to entertain and encourage you more about ASEAN. For me, I actually have little knowledge about ASEAN and its community, as I myself strive to learn more about this finest community.

The year 2008 saw this blog rise to fair popularity, due to your supports. I, on behalf of the whole them, thank you all for this. The AC Blog has achieved many milestones last year, and we will not forget your kindness and cooperations.

This year, 2009, will witness more of our achievement. Let me bring you back to the year 2008 again when all members of ASEAN approve the charters, when the ASEAN day and anthem finally established. 2008 is the year of ASEAN, and we are so proud of be one of its flesh and blood.

To date, we have posted numerous articles, to inform, to explain and to remind every ASEAN citizens how great is this associations. We wish to continue this tradition as it will provides us valuable knowledge and bring us closer to the "One community, one identity" concept.

Now, I will turn the attentions to the crew of this blog.

To date, some of the members has had encountered such milestones in their life:

Dee Dee got married and Sovann now works in a farm. John, Hafiz and Bhaskara sticks to their works which is crucial to their life and other members is improving their life quality at the time ASEAN is rising. I wish everyone, good luck. There is a saying:
" To build you country, you build your family. Prior to that, you need to build yourself." Everyone is doing their best and I am proud to know them.

So, for this year 2009... let our spirits guide us to the place where our dreams tell us to go... a land of happiness, of cultural and communal peace and of regional advanced environment. We wish ASEAN the best wishes.

Again, this blog would not live this long because of all of you guys. Please, continue your support and feedbacks. We are readily welcome comments and recommendations.

To ASEAN, to AC Blog, and to ASEAN Citizens

With friendship, true love and brotherhood

Denith

The Plain of Jars

The Plain of Jars: Mystery at the North East Laos


For the like of temples in Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia and other South East Asia countries’, have had received numerous visits from both tourists and experts in the fields of History or Archaeology. But this Plain of Jars, which locates in the remote North East area of Laos PDR, still has many things hidden and yet, no one is able to reveal their reason of existence.
This site should be new to the audiences, and in extension, shall become their new and next destination in South East Asia region. The plain has many stories to tell, it has to be you to speak them out by yourselves. To reach this place, it is recommended to arrive in Phonsovan, a new capital of Xiang Khouang province. There you can commence your journey into the world of ancient properties.
Please take note that the area where the Plain of Jars situated, used to received massive bombing, which tells the fact that Laos is the world most bombing country in the world. Despite this, tourists wander there no for this reason, but to see what must be seen by their own eyes. The beauty of undecorated, not well-arranged and no pattern lay of numerous of old Jars stricken to the earth’s soil. Westerners would name this place as Asian “Stonehenge.”
There are total of more than 400 sites across the whole Plain of Jars that centers on the area of Xieng Khouang. They range from Khorat Plateau in Thailand in the south, through Laos and to North Cachar Hills in northern India. Archaeologists have found more similar burials in India. The jars appear to be laid in a linear path that was probably a trade route.
The jars are made of sedimentary rock, usually sandstone, but also granite, conglomerate or calcified coral. They are angular or round and some have disks that could be lids. They can weigh up to 14 short tons (13 metric tons) and range from 3 to 10 feet (1-3 meters) in height,
In fact, there has been some researches and study to the history of this plain. One major discovery is of French archaeologist Madelaine Colani, who supposed that these jars are of funeral purposes, which ancient people use to stores the cremate remains. Even this theory is not opened to public yet, but recent discovery has shown plentiful support to her verdicts.
To imagine the Plain of Jar in your mine, I would like to quote a paragraph from the novel “The Plain of Jars”:
"The Plain of Jars presented a striking contrast to the rugged terrain Dorothy had traveled through to get there. An elevated plateau of friable, chalky limestone, washed out from the surrounding harder rocks by a million years of rain, it offered a welcome relief to the harsh land around it. The Laotians call the place Tung Hai Hin, while the Vietnamese still refer to it as the Tran Ninh Plateau. From above, it is an abruptly conspicuous feature, occupying an area of one thousand square kilometers, sitting more than three thousand feet above sea level. The Plain, contrary to its name, is not monotonously flat, but undulating - a rolling meadowlands with softly curved, breast-like hills, changing colors with the seasons, remaining a vivid green after the monsoon rains, until the sun sears it pale yellow during the hot, dry, tropical summer. Long broad valleys of rich, well-watered soil separate scattered masses of solitary mountains, which stand like lonely leviathans, stark and lost in the midst of their puny surroundings, inexplicably cut off from the herd of great ranges beyond."

ASEAN Anthem: The ASEAN Way

No better way to open the new year but by singing the first and Official ASEAN Anthem: The ASEAN Way!

The Asean Way - Kittikhun Sodprasert, Sampao Triudom, Payom Valaiphat

Raise our flag high, sky high
Embrace the pride in our heart
ASEAN we are bonded as one
Look-in out-ward to the world.
For peace, our goal from the very start
And prosperity to last.

We dare to dream we care to share.
Together for ASEAN
we dare to dream
we care to share for it's the way of ASEAN.

Happy New Year 2009 to all!!