King Anawrahta, also spelled ANIRUDDHA, the first king of all of Myanmar, (reigned 1044-77), introduced his people to Theravada Buddhism. His capital at Bagan on the Ayeyarwaddy River (The Irrawaddy River) became a prominent city of pagodas and temples.

During his reign, Anawrahta united the northern homeland of the Myanmar people with the Mon kingdoms of the south. He extended his dominion as far north as the kingdom of Nanchao, west to Arakan, south to the Gulf of Martaban (near what is now Yangon), and as far east as what is now northern Thailand.

In 1057 Anawrahta captured the Mon city of Thaton, a centre of Indian civilization. Its fall led the other Mon rulers to submit to Anawrahta; for the first time, a Myanmar ruler dominated the Ayeyarwaddy delta area. Contact with the Mons enriched Myanmar civilization. The Mons gave the Myanmar an artistic and literary tradition and a system of writing. The earliest extant Myanmar inscription, written in Mon characters, appeared in 1058.

Anawrahta was converted to Theravada Buddhism by a Mon monk, Shin Arahan. As king, Anawrahta strove to convert his people from the influence of the Ari, a Mahayana Tantric Buddhist sect that was at that time predominant in central Myanmar. Primarily through his efforts, Theravada Buddhism became the dominant religion of Myanmar and the inspiration for its culture and civilization. He maintained diplomatic relations with King Vijayabahu of Ceylon, who in 1071 requested the assistance of Myanmar monks to help revive the Buddhist faith. The Ceylonese king sent Anawrahta a replica of the Buddha’s tooth relic, which was placed in the Shwezigon pagoda at Bagan.

SHOOTING

It was a week after my road trip to Bagan, the biggest dream land of me and my photography.  I went there with two of my friends, Tha Khin Gyi and Mg Hla.  Spent two and a half days shooting around the legendary city.  I have got heaps of photos during my stay and yes they are for YELWINOO.COM.  But then, I was lost where to start these BAGAN posts.  Foundation, yes.  Before unveiling something, it’s always right to talk about the foundation or the founder.  That’s the reason, I woke up early on one of the June’s morning, stood in front of National Museum and made this shot.

KING ANAWRAHTA THE GREAT, founder of BAGAN DYNASTY.

Photo Information
Camera – Nikon D90
Lens – NIKKOR AF NIKON 50mm F1.8D
Aperture – f/5.6
Exposure Time – 1/640s
ISO Speed – 160
Focal Length – 50mm

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The school was founded in 1882 as Methodist Episcopal Girls School on Lewis Street (now Seik Kan Thar Street). In 1894, the school was moved to its current campus on the corner of Lancaster Road (now Nawadday Road) and Signal Pagoda Road, and was also renamed Methodist English Girls High School. The school consists primarily of a three-storied Victorian-era style building Template: Convert long and Template: Convert wide. At first, boys were accepted only in the elementary level (from Kindergarten to 3rd Grade). During the interwar period, boys were allowed from Kindergarten to 4th grade. Just before World War II, the school had 55 students. The school was closed down for 6 years after World War II and later reopened in May, 1947. The principal, Mrs. Logie repaired the school buildings that were destroyed during the war. At that time, the school began to prepare its students not only for the matriculation exam but also for the GCE (General Certificate of Education) exam from the University of London.

In 1951, the number of students increased to 850 and the four-story Kindergarten building (113′×51′) with 15 rooms was built in 1952 to accommodate the students. The school’s name was Methodist English High School (MEHS). On April 14th, 1965, the institution became a public school and has been operated by the government ever since. In 1986, a new three-story building (90′×34′) was built to correspond to the increased number of students. The school is currently running under the Department of Basic Education which is directly controlled by the Ministry of Education. The current official title of the school is State High School No. (1), Dagon.  No wonder, this is one of the best high school in Burma.

It is listed among Top 200 buildings on the Yangon City Development Committee’s Heritage List.

SHOOTING

It was a sunny day in June, a few days before I left Burma.  I went there to greet my old teachers and decided to have this post running on my blog. The shots are not very promising.  But then it is just a dedication post to somewhere I belong, I love and I enjoy.  Once I entered the main gate, I could feel some sense of those high school days.

DEDICATION

To my bestfriends, Thein Toe, Myat Htoo and Wai Yan Chit Maung… We talked, we played and we had fun. Those are the days but then very memorable days for us. Similar ideas and strong ambitions link our friendships more tightly.  Now, we all are meeting up in Singapore again.  3 of us, me, Thein Toe and Myat Htoo.  Waiting for the day Wai Yan would visit us…

I do miss those day while shooting this photos…  This used to be our second home…

The primary school students having their fun break…

The upgraded canteen, the winner of CLEANEST CANTEEN AWARD by Ministry of Education for 5 consecutive years…

Three-storied Victorian-era style building as the elegant main building of Dagon (1)…

The bird-eye view of the school from Signal Pagoda Road…

The playground of us…

The food stalls along Nawadday Road (formerly known as Lancaster Road)

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On April 11, I bought a new camera, NIKON D90 with NIKKOR 18-200mm VR zoom lens.  And since that day, I had a strong will to have some nice shots.  Buttons and functions on D40 and D90 are a bit dissimilar.  Meanwhile, it’s my guts to play with my D90 and get familiar with it.  Luck wasn’t on my side.  I wanted a sunset, there it rained.  I craved for Songkran water flashing event on Khao San road.  There Thai govt announced Khao San as hot spot for the riot.  I don’t know how to describe such coincidence.  I mean it!!!

So here are some random shots of my trip.  I have been way too busy meeting up with old friends, brain storming for my site version 2.0, shopping and eating around.  I have got some nice shots at least. It’s simply a memorable trip for me.  I did enjoy my stay in Bangkok.  See you, Bangkok…

Since I could not go out, I stayed room and write blog posts, brain stormed for my site revamp, retouch the photos I have taken and watched movies…

Myo Kyaw Htun is really into photography now…  His NIKON D80 with NIKKOR 18-135mm Zoom Lens…

Amazing sky above YAO-WA-RAT, Bangkok Chinatown…

Ko Toe doing good deeds on New Year day…

Our usual playground, THE MALL SHOPPING COMPLEX (Bangkapi)…

This is an aspherical shot with my Sigma 10-20mm HSM lens…  That’s where I live, NEW PHANASIN apartments, opposite of ABAC (Hua Mak campus)…

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The Thai New Year (Songkran) is celebrated every year from April 13 to April 15. It coincides with the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia.

The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water. People roam the streets with containers of water or water guns, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbors.

Besides the throwing of water, people celebrating Songkran may also go to a wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give alms to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai, the Buddha images from all of the city’s important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can toss water at them, ritually ‘bathing’ the images, as they pass by on ornately decorated floats. In northern Thailand, people may carry handfuls of sand to their neighborhood monastery in order to recompense the dirt that they have carried away on their feet during the rest of the year. The sand is then sculpted into stupa-shaped piles and decorated with colorful flags.

The water is meant as a symbol of washing all of the bad away and is sometimes filled with fragrant herbs.

Songkran is also celebrated in many places with a pageant in which young women demonstrate their beauty and unique talents, as judged by the audience. The level of financial support usually determines the winner, since, to show your support you must purchase necklaces which you place on your chosen girl.

SHOOTING

Once again, it is my serious wish to have some shots of water splashing during this auspicious season.  Bangkok nowadays is under STATE OF EMERGENCY. All of my friends asked me to stick my ass in my room.  But then, I couldn’t.  Today, I went AIT (Asian Institute of Technology) at Prathum Thani.  One of my friends told me that there is a water splashing event there.  My friends, Myo Kyaw Htun and Myo Min Win, were my accompanies.  There was a host at AIT called Kyi Cin Shwe. We arrived there around noon.  People already started playing water.  I had lots of shots and so does Myo Kyaw Htun. I saw some nice shots on his camera so sharing some of his shots here also.

Special Credits: My friends, Myo Kyaw Htun, Myo Min Win and Little Kyi Cin Shwe.

During Songkran, everyone young and old fervantly flash water with a great happiness…

Bwan…  That’s how people throw water…

Giant fire fighter pipes are efficiently utilized at AIT…

I have never known there are heaps of Burmese students at AIT…

This little guy was so happy splashing water around…  I really miss my childhood days…

They way people splash water in Songkran is exactly the same as Burmese’s Thingyan…  The only difference is that they used powder…

A group of Burmese friends at AIT Songkran Event

Water wash away their SIN…  that’s the renown belief of Songkran…

He seems too energetic playing with this giant pipe…

MYO KYAW HTUN likes this picture so much…  Taken with his NIKON D-80 and NIKKOR 18-135mm…

Participants at AIT Songkran, Bangkok, Thailand…

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I still remember that day back in my high school. It was in 2000 Jan. I won a prize in Essay writing contest. My tutor, SAYA DOE, normally holds weekly essay writing contest with diverse topics. It wasn’t compulsory to participate in the contest. “The mission of this contest is solely to polish essay writing skill of my students” SAYA DOE said. Even though it wasn’t a MUST, I have never absent to participate. Every SUNDAY, I walk to his tutor class, some 2 miles away from home, with full guts to challenge my essay writing. And he awards “Metta Mon weekly journal” to those who earn more than 80% on his evaluation. The topic I won a prize was “DAD”.

It has been my fervent wish to publish this post here. There are heaps of friends who desire to see my Dad. Here he comes and yes he is the one and the only BIGGEST DRIVING FORCE in my life.

Hero Dad

You are my hero, Dad
You’re my secure foundation.
When I think of you, I’m filled with love
And fond appreciation.
You make me feel protected;
I’m sheltered by your care.
You’re always my true friend;
When I need you, you’re always there.
You have a place of honor
Deep within my heart.
You’ve been my superhero, Dad,
Right from the very start.
By Joanna Fuchs

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During my trip to Singapore in 2007 Dec, it was at Singapore Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple. The temple is also famed as Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, a newly built $60 million one located in Chinatown. I went there to pay homage and donate some cash. I saw these glass oil lamps in 100 Dragons Hall (the ground floor of the temple). The lamps are courteously arranged in lines right in front of Quan Yin image. Hundreds of oil lamps are lighten and being offered to the images all day long. To me, the vivid colors of the flame is simply speechless. I just couldn’t stop myself clicking the camera button. I got quite a lot of shots there.

Steadily growing LIGHT gives a total LIFT to your soul…

A shot with f/14 and 1/10s… I really love the vibrant pulsating color of the flame…

You will see hundreds and hundreds of these glass oil lamps in the temple… the grand ball room of the temple’s ground floor is also chirpy with the light from these lamps.

THE TEMPLE & THE GOVERNOR

The temple is a giant one located in Singapore Chinatown. The precise address is 798, Tampines Road, Singapore. The Venerable Shi Fa Zhao, the abbot of the temple, also recognized as the founder of METTA FOUNDATION, a non-governmental organization aimed to support old (aged) people. The mission is pretty similar to typical HOME FOR AGED however METTA FOUNDATION provides a lot more amenities. Supplementary medical care and annual oversea trips around Asia are major distinctive points of METTA FOUNDATION. The foundation is governed by the Ven. Shi Fa Zhao, abbot of Singapore Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple, funded and sponsored by successful Chinese businessmen around the world. In addition to this, the Venerable Shi Fa Zhao is CHAIRMAN of Singapore Buddhist Temples Council. In the late 2008, His Majesty King Bumibol of Thailand awarded Ven. Shi Fa Zhao with Honorable Doctorate Degree in Philosophy (Ph.D – Phil) from CHULALONGKONG ROYAL UNIVERSITY.

The grandness of 100 DRAGONS HALL…

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Photo Information
Camera – Nikon D40
Exposure Time – 1/1600s
ISO Speed – 1600
Focal Length – 200mm

SHOOTING

This is a result of a CONTINUOUS shooting. I detained this ideal moment in KANDAWGYI NATIONAL PARK on a sunny SEPTEMBER afternoon. I was there to shoot KARAWEIK BARGE as per request of my friend who wants to use KARAWEIK photos for some purposes. I was walking in the park accompanied by my driver. Saw these birds flying here and there. Honestly, it was a coincident shot. I have tried couples of shots with “A” Aperture Priority Mode. The results were not satisfactory. So I changed my mind. Finally fixed on “S” Shutter Priority mode.

PARTICULAR DEDICATION

Tomorrow, 5th FEB, is a promising birthday of my ever smiling sister, Ma Khin Min. She is a profound lover of BIRDS. She couldn’t stop loving my early bird shot, The Birth of A Morning, back in Oct 2008. So, I am here submitting this shot as a special dedication for her birthday.

My sis… May you have a very happy birthday…

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Volunteers sweep and clean the pagoda every Saturday… It’s not a one-time task… it goes on the whole year round…

This is the assembly place for SATURDAY SWEEPING VOLUNTEERS… Religious people of young and old enthusiastically contribute in this good deed…

MAINTENANCE is an important issue for those in charge of Myanmar’s pagodas and temples, which play an integral part in the lives of the country’s Buddhists and are also popular as tourist attractions.

The maintenance of the pagodas continues throughout the year. Even sweeping is a great task. Fortunately, many tasks such as sweeping and cleaning, is also provided by volunteers who take time out of their day to help preserve their heritage. This SATURDAY SWEEPING VOLUNTEERS ORGANIZATION is founded 100 years ago. Every Saturday morning, we see hundreds of volunteers tirelessly sweeping and cleaning the pagoda compound.

I envy these people and this post is dedicated to the SATURDAY SWEEPING VOLUNTEERS ORGANIZATION. Don’t you want to be one of them?

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This is typical WILLIAM…

The time I started to walk…  A memorable shot taken on MAUNG MA GAN beach…

Forever favorite portrait of my life…  My grand parents hang it up on the wall and people who come to their house asked, “Is it advertisement of child milk powder?” Lolz…

THE BIRTH of YE LWIN OO

On 1983 Jan 12 (Wednesday), a Capricorn guy was delivered to this human race. With all the great blessings of Buddha and being the eldest grandchildren for a big Chinese family, this guy has grown up in a so-called privileged atmosphere. Until 1988 everyone called him WILLIAM, a name given by his youngest uncle, HENRY. 1988, he turned to his kindergarten days and requisite to have a proper Burmese name. That’s the time he became YE LWIN OO.

YE LWIN OO, HAILING UP

Along with the supports of big circles of families, I did enjoy my life. I have amazing parents, the biggest reasons of living on this earth. I hailed from a very beautiful beach town called DA-WEI (formerly known as TAVOY). In 1998, we made Yangon our home. Education wise, I now hold a Bachelor degree of Business Administration (B.B.A) in Strategic Marketing. And yes, waiting for the opportunity to continue my MBA soon.

YE LWIN OO & PHOTOGRAPHY

2004, my sophomore year at Assumption University, I fell in love with this exquisite art called PHOTOGRAPHY. That’s the time I started holding camera. I spent days and nights reading photography books and online articles. I have a big loop of photography friends who always shares me all those professional shooting tips. U PE KHIN (MYANMA RAILWAYS), THA KHIN GYI (EMO), NAING NAING TUNN (EXPOSURE), MOE MIN (COSMIC RAYS), KO GEORGE (GSWAR), MYO HAN HTUN, MYO KYAW HTUN are people whom I learned a lot from.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Tomorrow, 12 Jan 2008, is my 26th Birthday. This post is my own birthday wish, my own dedication and yes my own aspiration. I have decided to submit my childhood photos taken by my personal photographer, Mg Mg Hla Htun (TAVOY). These are taken when I was ONE year old.

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Photo Information
Camera – Nikon D40
Exposure Time – 1/1000s
ISO Speed – 400
Focal Length – 200mm

GREETING FROM YELWINOO.COM

In swift of a December’s zephyr, we have left 2008 unconsciously. During 2008, I had sipped my head down in a small little bucket called photography. I had created couples of dozens posts big and small on my PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHY BLOGPAGE. And yes, I have been truly ecstatic doing what I love. I had lots of sleepless nights, being insomnia and writing enriching descriptions for the photos.

In Oct 2008, I had been endowed with abilities to translate my so-called forsaken days into my little own paradise called YELWINOO.COM. MYO KYAW HTUN @ KO PHYO deserves praise for his supports all the time. Without him, without my camera and without all those sleepless nights, YELWINOO.COM won’t come to this triumph.

SHOOTING

The shot was created during my recent trip to CHAUNG THA beach. Our group hired a small ferry boat to voyage PHO KALAR Island. It was merely 2 minutes boat trip. Once I disembarked from the boat, I saw these kids playing around the boat anchored on the shore. The way he was trying to climb up the boat… it was superbly energetic and eclectic. He seems never give up to this world. With no fear, no creepiness, he was just enjoying his evening with his little brother.

So… my friends, let’s accelerate our precious 2009 with ENERGETIC and ECLECTIC mood and may happiness & joy come to you throughout 2009…

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