(Photo Left – my grandparents; U Khin Maung Latt and Khin Myo Chit (writer) with their son at Aye-Yeik-Thar, Photo Right – my grandma Khin Myo Chit (writer))
My grandparents once lived for 5 years from 1950 to 1955 at Aye-Yeik-Thar. It was a peaceful villa, and later became a well-known place where writers, poets, and some politicians spent their time together, and had a free and happy life.
(Aye-Yeik-Thar in 1952)
From the stories created by the famous humorist Thaw-Dar-Swe, Burmese readers became familiar with the name ‘Aye-Yeik-Thar’. We were also his fan, and his writings so much amused, and fun. He wrote all the Aye-Yeik-Thar members including him and my grandparents as his characters in his stories. He mixed real life stories with his invention.
(Aye-Yeik-Thar members, my grandparents in the middle, and their son at front of my grandma.)
We became interested in Aye-Yeik-Thar, and curious to know where it existed. Although it was not an imaginary place where real persons once lived, it’s a pity that there was no evidence, or there was no mark for that well-known place remained. The place only lasted for 5 years, and although it was gone, her spirit still lived on. About Aye-Yeik-Thar I wrote in ‘A Memory of My Grandparents’ in detail, and here I did not want to replay.
Whenever I came across Pyay Road closed to Hleedan Point, saw the signboard ‘Pyi-Bagan-Tagaung’ with the blue background, among the branches of trees behind the iron fence, my heart recalled the memory of my grandparents. The gate now I perceived that I used to hear from my grandparents as their peaceful villa once resided from that gate to the east, there lived the place Aye-Yeik-Thar. When I had to stop occasionally because of the traffic jammed or stopped by the red light from the Hleedan Central-point, my mind was walking through the gate, and imagined 20 minutes walk to the east, and fancied that the imaginary ‘Aye-Yeik-Thar’ were met there used to be the place Aye-Yeik-Thar.
(Blue Signboard ‘Pyi-Bagan-Tagaung’ was seen, beside Pyay Road.)