(My grandparents U Khin Maung Latt, and Khin Myo Chit (writer) at Aye-Yeik-Thar.)
While my grandparents at Aye-Yeik-Thar (Peaceful Villa) in early 1950, grandma was ill. Her health became weaker and weaker, and need changes. She had to leave Aye-Yeik-Thar for a while, and go to the place warmer, and drier. Luckily, grandpa’s sisters lived at Upper Burma, and they welcomed them happily. My grandparents, and their son stayed comfortably there for six weeks.
(Grandpa was rich in family. In the photo, grandpa (left from the viewer), grandma (4th from the right), grandpa’s elder sister as a nun (sitting in front of grandma), and grandpa’s brothers, eleder sister and their families at Monywa.)
Here, need to be added. My grandpa had three brothers, and two elder sisters, and he was the sixth son of U Nyunt (a government officer of Bombay Burma Teak Company), and Daw Khin Thwet. He was born at Monywa, Upper Burma in 1915, the same year of my grandma was born. Grandpa and grandma were traveling to Monywa many times when we were young. They took us, and let us meet with their relatives stayed at Monywa.
(My grandparents, and their son at Aye-Yeik-Thar.)
One of his elder sisters was a nun. I did not know when she became a nun. (I should have asked her!) There were other siblings, and his relatives of my grandpa stayed at Monywa. So, when we visited Monywa, we enjoyed playing with our cousins. We visited to their houses, and they welcomed us very warmly. They too visited to our house in Rangoon as well. So, we together enjoyed their Rangoon trip.
When my grandparents, and their son stayed for six weeks at Monywa for grandma’s health, they had a chance to visit Bagan, Popa, Nyoung Oo… and wonderful places of Upper Burma. They also had a short visit to Myingyan where the tomb of the Sunlun Sayadaw lay.
(Grandpa’s book in 1950.)
Those visits might give grandpa materials to write about our land of Burma. He wrote a book, ‘Our Land’ in Burmese, and it was appeared in 1950. Grandma wrote a short story in English, ‘Home Coming’ after she regained her health. It told her feeling while she was ill, and she really thought she was dying at that time. Grandma also wrote about her visit to Myingyan, and her experience of practice meditation. Her heart filled with gratitude for the Sunlun Sayadaw who showed the method of meditation.
(Grandma wrote both ‘The Working People’s Daily’ and ‘The Guardian’ newspapers about her thoughts, and herself with the title ‘Quest for Peace’.)