Chaung-U

Chaung-U (Template:Lang-my) is a town in central Myanmar. It is located in Monywa District, Sagaing Division. In the dynasty of Bagan, when King Popepa Saw Rahan (also known as King Taungthugyi) governed the country, it was named "San Tauk Village". It was a large village where many different natives of the Union of Myanmar, like kayin, shan and wah or lawah natives, live together warmly.Then, King Kyansit founded the city gathering together it with other ten villages, e.g, Ywa Thit and Ywa Ma, naming Chaung Oo (or Chaung-U). It is situated at 231.46 feet (70.55 m) above sea level and during North Latitude 22° 45' and from East Longitude 95° 8' to 95° 25'.The highway road of Monywa to Mandalay passes it and the communication to it is so good, quick and easy. Railways of Monywa-Mandalay and Chaung-U-Pakokku meet together in it and so you can get it by train. It is officially demarcated as a township along the boundaries with other townships of Myinmu on east, of Myaung on south and south-east, of Salingyi on west, and of Monywa on north. River Chindwin is on the west. In Chaung-U, there are many very ancient and historical pagodas. Besides, there are other historical places such as villages, streams, and hills, around the township.

Yadana Shwe Gu Kyi Pagoda which was built by King Alaung Sithu in Chaung-U by Chaungoothar Zaw Win Htet.

Shwe Gu Kyi Pagoda by Chaungoothar

History

It was a village at the early age of Bagan Dynasties before King Ah Nawyahtār. To be exact, it was a crowded village where King Taung Thu Kyi came and stayed transferring from the region of Poppa before he became a king and was a farmer. When he became a king of Bagan, he founded the village as an ideal village being surrounded by ten villages and naming Than Tauk in ME 187. The village was named Than Tauk(San Tauk) because hoes flared up when the abracadabra copper sheets were traditionally buried in the ground where fences of village were made. Then, King Kyansit founded the city with ten villages including San Tauk and named it Chaung-U. It means that flowing water of Nwe Chway Stream won him who ran jumping up with his lance to compete it. After that, King Kya Swar and his mother stayed at the monastery of Saman Daja (Thaman Daza) and prayed at the Pagoda in Chaung-U before he became a king. When he became the King of Bagan, he donated to gild the pagoda. There is still inscription on stone flat for his gilding and donating in the monastery hitherto. There are many ancient historic pagodas and monasteries in Chaung-U. There are over 200 pagodas and 60 monasteries in Chaung-U. Among them, the most distinct pagoda is Yadana Shwe Gukyi Pagoda in the centre of the town in ME 288. It is partly said that it was built by King Ah'laung Sithu and partly that by King Popa Saw Raham. Throughout all dynasties in Myanmar, Chaung-U was sometimes an ideal village and sometimes, as a town. When King Sin Phyu Shin governed the Palace of Innwa and the country, Ramma Siri Kyaw Htin, the Librarian of Pitakkat and headman of ten villages of Chaung-U, was a popular and famous wise man of the age in the country. Then, Min Latwah who served King Mindom was also a popular and famous headman of ten villages of Chaung-U and mayor of A Myint. At the age of the British Colony, Venerable Sayadaw Ven.D Pa of the Maha Dhmmayone Pali University was honored the Agga Maha Pantita by the British Government of Myanmar. Next abbots were also honored that honour by the National Governments. At ME 1365, the centenary ceremony of the university was celebrated (in 2004). Many famous poets, politicians and intellectuals have been born in Chaung-U. Now, it is a crowded town located on important highways.

Directory

By the trains of Monywa-Mandalay and Chaung-U-Pakokku, you can get to Chaung-U. By cars, cycles or others, you can also get from Mandalay or Monywa, and from Pakokku. It is about over 84 miles far from Mandalay, and 14 miles from Monywa. Moreover, a good highway communication from Chaung-U to Pakokku is also well. River Chindwin is the west.

Location of Chaung-U in map Coordinates 21°57′30″N, 95°16′32″E Sagaing Division, Central Myanmar.

Economy

Since there have many farms almost all over the township and the town is located at the junction of two highway roads, public business is quite well and rich abundant vegetables, fruits,and other foods. One can get any sort of vegetables abundantly and cheaply. And, the communication is too easy, thus the commerce or trade and transportation are rather too good enough to say that many percentages of population in the town have enough good businesses and convenient living standard.

Weather and climate

It is in a central zone of Myanmar. Its weather is fair. Chaung-U features a tropical wet and dry climate.

Geography

East of the town, there are rocky and long hills,namely, "Nwechway Hills". It is situated in plain. In the west, there have many green basin farms where are near to the Chindwin river.Those farms in the east are irrigated by Nwe Chway Dam near nwe chway village.

Education

Technical High School (THS)/Institute of Technical and Vocational High Education

Places of attractions

• Sin Phyu Shin Bridge
• Shwe Gu Kyi Pagoda
• Htee Hlaing Shin Pagoda
• Nwe Chway Dam
• Maha Dhmma Yone Pali University Yar Pyae Temple

Distinction

Chaung-U is the only town where were not totally destroyed by the World Wars. (References:Myanma Encyclopedia; Myanma Swe Sone Kyan Volume II). It had one of the earliest National Institutes at the Age of British Colony. A great poet and politician Sa Khin Kodaw Hmaing compose about the town; "Ten Villages of Chaung-U".Venerable Bago Myoma Shweku Sayadaw Ven.Eindarsara, Venerable Mandalay Myoma Masoeyane Sayadaw Ven Siri Nandar Vivansa (Thiri Nandar Bi Won tha) and Venerable Monywa Thahtone Vansa (Thahtone Wontha) Sayadaw Ven Pyin'ya Won sa learnt his Pari yatti Buddhism literatures in the Maha Dhmma Yone Pali University, Chaung-U. Moreover, Venerable Maha Bodhi Tahtaung Sayadaw Ven Nãrǎda also learnt the Buddhism literatures at Kyi Kone village in the township.

The another distinction of the town and township is of having the most aging festival of Maha Pawah Rāna of the whole township at the Thidingyut Full Moon Day. In 2012, the 70th Maha Pawah Rāna Festival of the whole township was celebrated. The festival, in which all monks in the whole township meet each other and made the Pawah Rāna in the only Buddhist Pawah Rāna Hall of the township and many Buddhist people have made donations of articles to them in the Thidingyut Full Moon Day, has been successfully and yearly celebrated since 1942. As the 70th festival of Maha Pawah Rāna was recently made in the Thidingyut Full Moon Day in 2012, Chaung-U is one of the towns and cities having the most aging Maha Pawah Rāna festival.

Notable people

• Pi takkat Librarian Ramma Siri Kyaw Htin who served in Innwa of King Sin Phyu Shin
• Min Latwah, the Mayor of A Myint and headmen of ten villages of Chaung-U, who served King Mindom
• Maha Dhmma Yone Pali University Sayadaw Ven D Pa
• U Wisara(Ven.Wisara), a national hero and martyr of the nation of Myanmar, who was also one of the prominent activists against British rule in Burma and born in Kam Naint village in Chaung-U Township.
• U Nyo Mya who wrote the famous historic article Hell Hound at Large in Oh Wai magazine(born in Thawtapan village in the township) (See also A Myint Village)
• U Maung Gyi,Laeti Pantita, born in Nyaung Phyu Pin village(Chaung-U Township before)(now, Monywa Township)

Transport

It is served by a station on the Myanmar Railways.

See also

• Transport in Myanmar

Gallery

Road to Chaung-U by dibidoolay.png from Goodle Maps(Copied by Chaungoothar)

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Road to Chaung-U by dibidoolay.png from Goodle Maps(Copied by Chaungoothar)