A Day at The Noble-Myanmar Literary Festival 2015


(National Theatre at Myoma School Road.)
 
From 17th January to 19th January of 2015, the Noble-Myanmar Literary Festival was held at National Theatre, Myoma School(Kyaung) Road, Rangoon. It celebrates the Burmese writers, poets, and cartoonists, refers to joyful gatherings of people. Number of people together especially for the book lovers would come, and rejoice over happy event. 
Two days before the festival, a friend of mine, Ms. Nilanjana Semgupta emailed and informed me that she was going to give a talk about her coming book; ‘Khin Myo Chit to Aung San Suu Kyi’ on 19th January at 9:50 AM at National Theatre. Khin Myo Chit was my grandma, and a writer of Colourful Burma, Anawrahta of Burma, etc. I promised her that my parents would also attend and listen to her talk.
On the 19th January of 2015, the second day of the festival, I came there with excitement. The National Theatre was a place especially the annual Academy Award Ceremonies were held. When I was at the entrance, outside the National Theatre, I saw cartoon exhibition at the left hand side, and the souvenirs shops where notebooks, bags, key-chains, cups, plates, and T-shirts, etc were shown at the right hand side of the front corner. I bought  bags, and  key-chains for my brother.
(Lovely souvenirs.)

Inside the National Theatre, the talk program was started. Mr.Harald Bockman firstly talked about the Noble Prize, and the Noble Prize winner of DawAung San SuuKyi. He also mentioned the name Mr.Kuloy who was from the UNICEF, and also the publisher of Tamarind Press. 
(Mr.Harald Bockman showed the photo of Mr.Kuloy the audience.))
 I knew Mr.Kuloy very well. He was an old friend of my grandparents. He published my grandma’s two books; ‘A Wonderland of Burmese Legends’ and ‘Flowers and Festivals Round the Burmese Year’. Mr. Harald Bockman also showed the covers of my grandma’s books. 
(My grandma's book 'Twelve Seasons' was shown.)
(Grandma's book 'Burmese Legends.')
After his talk, came Ms.Nilanjana. She talked about her book; ‘The Female Voice of Myanmar: Khin Myo Chit to Aung San Suu Kyi’, and showed some photos of grandma to the audience. 
(Ms. Nilanjana Semgupta.)
(Her book, 'The Female Voice of Myanmar, Khin Myo Chit to Aung San Suu Kyi.')
She mentioned my name in her talk when she pointed one of the family photos, and added that I was present here today. After the talk, we met her, and said thanks her, and congratulate her. 
I was again outside the National Theatre, and I saw there were talks and discussions programs of writers and poets held in three separate places/tents at some corners, delivered before an audience. It was a public speaking, and a joyful gathering of all the people who loved poems and novels. They were coming together, and enjoying listening the talk, and discussion. A writer or poet expressed feelings, ideas or opinions, or relate experiences to the audience. Some read a short story as a play-reading. Some talked on a given topic such as modern art, children stories, philosophy, or post-modern, etc. We could hear their talk at distance, because they used microphone, and large sound boxes. But all the talks and discussions, or play-reading programs were held in the same time. It was not possible to attend and listen to all.
(Interesting reading program.)
 There, cartoons, drawings and photos were shown at one of the corners. It was like a small gallery exhibiting the artist’s work. The various cartoons which hung on ports or walls at the left and right hand side of the open ground. The viewers did not want to miss a bit of that pieces of cartoons and drawings, and took photos of some as favorite. I saw some cartoonists drew the caricature of their cartoons-lovers. We all had a good chance to meet our favorite writers, poets, and cartoonists at the Noble-Myanmar Literary Festival, and listened to their talk or took photos with them.
(Photos Exhibition.)
(Cartoons Exhibition.)
 There were rows of book stalls, and hundreds of bookshops at one of the temporary roofs, made with strong cloth, which attracted people to browse them the whole day. People walked through the never-ending book fare paradise.
(Books books everywhere.)

People would not worry for their lunch, because there was a Burmese cuisine shop at the near corner, and we enjoyed the delicious Burmese food, and could take a rest there. People could watch Writers’s Theatre, plays, and music at night in the National Theatre. It would be played until mid-night. 
 

(Lunch Time.)

Epilogue
People enjoyed and wandered for hours in the Noble Myanmar Literary Land. Where people may wander and browse for hours and come away finally loaded with bundle of books, and pretty little things. I was happy to wander around the festival grounds never boring watching colorful things all-around me. I left the place when I became tired, and left behind me was the air thick with the sound of talks of writers and poets which were still marching on.


(The last glimpse of 'Noble-Myanmar Literary Festival.)

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