N 26 A Trip to My Hometown

As I have written before, my hometown is Kunhing, which is on the Taunggyi- Kengtung road, 140 miles from Taunggyi. I have not been there for a decade, since 2002. So, when the situation arises to go there we decided to go. Two relatives from my husband’s side died recently and they are going to perform merit making ceremonies in Kunhing and Kali for the deceased.  To join them in their activities is one cause for our going. The other one is to visit and raise funds for Nam Kone social organization in Taunggyi which U Sai Tun Mya has accepted the place of chairman offered to him and does not have any funds. U Sai Tun Mya has also established a foundation in Kunhing called ‘One thousand Islands Foundation’. This time he is going to donate a funeral car for Kunhing. Another family also donated one for Kali. So, there is more than one reason for our going to Kunhing this time.

Day 1   (September 4 2012)

We had arranged for our 5 cars to go together. We had breakfast at Royal Pearl Rose Tea House and took off at about 9:00am.There is a little rain when we first set off. The road to Hopone (12 miles) is flat, but after Hopone it started to wind up and down hills and mountains. We passed Htamsang Cave which is now a famous visitors attraction site at 26 miles and arrived at Merng Pawn (30 ) miles. After Merng Pawn the road gets higher and higher, winding around hills and mountains. This part may be the highest in this area.The tar covered road is the remnant of roads built before World War 11 during British colonial rule, but many parts of it is in ruins although there is maintenance every year. It has never become a fully standardized road. On one side of the road is the cliff surface and on the other is a deep ravine. Only when we reach about 6 miles to Loilem we can see flat land.

Loilem is an old district town over 4400 feet above sea level. After Loilem the road winds down towards Namsang 17 miles away. We had lunch at Namsang. After Namsang comes Kholam (Black Bridge) at 105 miles from Taunggyi. About ten years ago it is only a village, but now an army command has been established there called the Middle Eastern Command. One can see walls of new army battalions as far as the eyes can reach.

Many years ago when we travelled to and from Taunggyi we were in a state of suspence thinking from what corner , from what bushes will robbers or insurgents appear. This is one of the things that are different now. There are no insurgents or robbers these days and so people can travel in peace and no worries.

It can be said that there are no high hills or mountains between Namsang and Kunhing. After Kholam comes Kung Pao. Many years ago when we reach this place we can have the sweet smell of Sal flowers, (Ingyin flower….. Pao is the Ingyin tree or Sal tree) but now no Sal or Ingyin tree can be seen. They may have ended up become somebody else’s house post or being trucked away. Not only the Sal trees had disappeared but also other trees that can be called big. Only small trees and bushes with creepers clinging over them, but as it is the rainy season the color is green and lustrous.

Lai Kam is a small village 7 miles from Kunhing. We can see a small pagoda at the end of a paddy field, but the village is hidden behind palm and other trees. The scene here is really picturesque.

After that comes more army battalions and then we entered Kunhing, the place we had lived and been happy for many years amid restlessness and insurgencies and many heartbeats. We were warmly welcomed not only by relatives and friends but also by the stifling heat of Kunhing which is only 1615 feet above sea level.