- Monywa
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Monywa
မုံရွာမြို့Monywa
Location in Burma
MonywaCoordinates: 22°6′30″N 95°8′30″E / 22.10833°N 95.14167°ECoordinates: 22°6′30″N 95°8′30″E / 22.10833°N 95.14167°E Country 
BurmaDivision Sagaing Division District Monywa District Township Monywa Township Population (2005) - Religions Buddhism Time zone MST (UTC+6.30) Area code(s) 71[1] Monywa (Burmese: မုံရွာမြို့; MLCTS: muṃ rwa mrui.; pronounced [mòuɴjwà mjo̰]) is a city in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, located 136 km northwest of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the River Chindwin.
Contents
Transport
River Chindwin at Monywa
It is served by the Mandalay-Budalin branch railway line, but is best reached by bus as the road from Mandalay is in reasonably good shape. Monywa is now linked by road to Budalin, Dabayin, Ye-U and Kin-U, and by rail to Sagaing and the Mandalay - Myitkyina line.[2] River transport on the Chindwin has always been important as it is navigable for 640 km (400 mi) up to Hkamti during the monsoon season, and most of the year to Homalin.[3][4]
It got 5.47 inches (139 mm) of rainfall in 19 Oct 2011. It was the new record of rainfall within 24 hours of October in Monywa for last 47 years. The previous record was 5.31 inches (135 mm) of 24 Oct 1967. [5]
Economy
Thambuddhei Paya
MarketMonywa is a major centre for trade and commerce and for agricultural produce from the surrounding Chindwin valley, especially beans, orange, pulses and jaggery (palm sugar). In addition, the local industry includes mills for the production of cotton, flour, noodles, and edible oils. Sausages from Alon called wet udaunk are quite popular, and Budalin longyi (sarong) is known for the strength of the fabric and its checked patterns. Monywa's rough cotton blankets are famous throughout Myanmar (with Monywa providing 80% of the country's blanket for a century)[6], and some can even be found sewn up into knapsacks sold to unsuspecting tourists in Bangkok. Other regional crafts include bamboo and reed products, bullock carts and agricultural implements. The village of Kyaukka is well known for its lacquerware utensils for everyday use.
Black market goods from India, especially saris and bicycle parts, pass through Monywa on their way to other parts of Myanmar.
Attractions
The major tourist attraction in Monywa is Mohnyin Thambuddhei Paya, a Buddhist temple with a huge stupa resembling Indonesia's Borobudur. It dates from 1303, although it was reconstructed in 1939. It is said to contain over 500,000 images of Buddha.
Another attraction is the Phowintaung cave complex across the Chindwin River, approximately 25 km west of Monywa.
Very few tourists visit Monywa as its facilities are limited.
Education
Monywa Government Technical CollegeThe city is home to:
- Monywa University
- Monywa Education College
- Monywa Institute of Economics
- Technological University, Monywa[7] and
- Computer University, Monywa[8]
Politics
The insurgent Burmese Communist Party (BCP) was centred in the Monywa area (west of the Chindwin River) for many years. Although the BCP is no longer active, the Myanmar military presence in Monywa remains heavy.
Notable people
- U Lu Tin (1930-)
Gallery
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Giant reclining Buddha at Bodhi Tahtaung
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Giant standing Buddha (under construction in the first picture)
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Shwezigon-Paya
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Aung Setkya Paya
Notes
- ^ "Myanmar Area Codes". http://en.18dao.net/Area_Code/Myanmar. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ^ "Sr Gen Than Shwe urges officials to collectively strive for turning Sagaing Division into granary of Upper Myanmar Assistance assured to upgrade Monywa-Budalin-Dabayin-YeU-KhinU Road". The New Light of Myanmar, December 3, 2002. http://www.myanmargeneva.org/02nlm/n021202.htm#Senior_General_Than_Shwe_urges_officials. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ "Chindwin River". Encyclopaedia Britannica online. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/112284/Chindwin-River. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ "CHINDWIN". Online Encyclopaedia. http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/CHA_CHR/CHINDWIN.html. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ http://www.mrtv3.net.mm/newpaper/2110newsm.pdf Page 19 Col 2
- ^ Sandar Lwin (21 March 2011). "In Monywa, ‘market economy’ leaves some businesses behind". Myanmar Times. http://www.mmtimes.com/2011/news/567/news56701.html. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ "Ministry of Science and Technology". MOST, February 2009. http://www.most.gov.mm/monywatu. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
- ^ "Ministry of Science and Technology". MOST, February 2009. http://www.ucsy.edu.mm/monywacu. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
External links
- City of Monywa
- Burman photograph album 1897 Old photos of Monywa
- Chindwin River - lifeblood of upper Sagaing Myanmar Times, January 16–22, 2006
Sagaing Region Capital: Sagaing Hkamti District 
Kale District Katha District Mawlaik District Monywa District Ayadaw Township (Ayadaw) · Budalin Township ( Budalin) · Chaung-U Township ( Chaung-U) · Kani Township (Kani) · Monywa Township (Monywa) · Pale Township (Pale) · Salingyi Township (Salingyi) · Tabayin Township (Tabayin) · Yinmabin Township (Yinmabin)Sagaing District Shwebo District Tamu District Naga Self-Administered Zone Categories:- Populated places in Sagaing Region
- Township capitals of Burma
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