A Mandalay Hall Night in Yangon

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

On the night of Christmas Eve in 2009

We come to the IBC lawn to dine

With music Chinese menu and wine

All enjoy talking about the old time.

(A Vocalist Sings the Song of the Mandalay Hall: "No Less Powerful is

the Mandalay Hall or Mandalay Hall the Magnificent")

We belong to the Mandalay Hall of fame

Where varsity footballers are trained

By big boyish boisterous Saya Nyein

Like Ne Win, Wai Lin, Soe Myint and Kenneth Shein.

(Former Wardens and Patrons of the Mandalay Hall Dr Khin Maung Win

and Dr Thein Aung with a Former Student )

Mandalay Hall tops the sports in those days

Where all residents are required to play

Football volleyball table tennis or tourniquet

All of us become brothers in some way.

(The Mandalay Hall Night Opens with the Declaration by President

U Tin Ohn)

I remember eating good food there

Three meals a day without any failure

Breakfast lunch and dinner so fair

I thank the social and reading club for ever.

(U Ohn Khin, a Former Resident, Sings on Request by the Audience)

U Kyaw Shein was the president of our S & R

He always had time for bullying boarders

He also led debate team of the hall

He was a friend and an elder brother to all.

(U Wai Lin also a Former Resident Sings)

He patronized the hall activities then

Like now after fifty years and seven

In organizing annual dinner and sport competition

I remember Mar Mar Aye for the first time singing.

( U Win Kyi, a Former Resident, also Sings)

Mandalay Hall lasted ten years from 1954

As the Revolutionary Government vetoed it so

To be a place of translation and departmental woe

It started the now infamous new education galore.

(Dr Ba Shwe of Tavoy and Dr Tin Aung Aye of Monywa Chat)

But, old residents still remember their hall very much

They united to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee as such

Of the Rangoon University established in 1920

We have get- together dinner, magazine and many.

(L to R: U Wai Lin, U Hla Myint Oo, U Tin Ohn)

Now we are celebrating the get-together again

It has been going on for some time plain

Right after the Jubilee has been curtained

Only we remain as an organized group for certain.

(Patrons and Former Ministers U Aung Phone and U Pan Aung )

It’s thanks to the goodwill of men like Aung Phone

Who has been a senior hall resident like Tin Ohn

Remembering it in the army and civil as minister

He’s joined by generals and colonels not much inferior.

(Former Students of the Mandalay Hall Sing the "Nagani or Red Dragon"

Song)

Mandalay Hall has produced a lot of good sons

Footballers, writers, artists, movie stars and some

In politics, army, navy, air force, police and others

They serve the country wherever the country requires.

(L to R: U Win Kyi, Dr Ba Shwe, a friend)

I still remember many residents of the hall of fame

Like Tin Maung Nyo the pilot who has a name change

Kyaw Sein and Maung Kaung who died with their name

They gave up their lives for the country to remain.

(Ye Htut Tin, U Chit Swe, U Wai Lin)

Student leader Thar Ban still lives

Another Rakhine Thar Tun Aung just perished

Ex-president Khin Aung died in Rakhine State

He was a brave son of Mandalay Hall to date.

( L to R: U Kyaw Shein , Dr MMN and Dr NOM)

Aung Pyet was a famous writer and editor

He got D in Burmese up to bachelor each year

He taught Burmese to my daughter Yupar

She got D in all subjects in matric exam of Burma.

( Entrance o Rangoon University from the University Avenue; to the Left

lies the Mandalay Hall,to the Right lies the Student Union Building,

Now Demolished)

Tonight I find Ko Win Kyi still standing

He’s tall fair friendly and always smiling

He and Ohn Khin star in Collegian Ne Win film

Every one laughs and loves their antics and action.

(Rangoon University Students Union Building Before

Demolition in July 1962)

Of course I also remember Hla Oo and Mya Oo

They lived in the same room through

Mya Oo is now in the Naypyidaw pleasing

Hla Oo is in Brunei Borneo teaching.

(Rangoon University Convocation Hall)

We all are old becoming senior citizens

I my self am over seventy years even

We meet together for good luck in life

We don’t know what will be the future like.

Tonight they shed their ranks and wealth

Every one is the old self

A student, a Mandalay Hall resident and so

All are happy, hilarious and let the ego go!

I donated some money to two old wardens

As the first warden Saya Nyein has left them

I also donated money for social welfare group

Set up to relieve the suffering of poor dudes.

Dr Thein Aung initiated the social welfare programme

He has been involved in his district association often

Dr Khin Maung Win agreed with him for all to follow

He was a professor, warden and minister in a row.

The old hall residents speak, sing and crack jokes

They remember who is who without any notes

They greet each other and tease any one at eye sight

They know it’s their life long right.

(The IBC Building Where the Mandalay Hall Night is Celebrated

on 24.12.2009)

We enjoy the meeting

We enjoy the eating

We love the singing

We like the trimming

We look forward to clinging

It’s to love each other twinning!

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

7.1.2010 (original)