By Maung Maung Aye
As soon as the YBS bus I was taking came to a stop with a sharp squeal of hastily applied brakes at Marlar bus-stop, I jumped it off. Then, I walked along the Pyi Road, entered the Yangon University Campus by the gate in front of Yangon University of Economics and took the road leading straight to the Convocation Hall. The road was sheltered by the shady perennial trees all along. On the left I saw the Eco-canteen, crammed with students and teachers, and on the right, red-brick residences of professors in large compounds fenced with hedges. The clattering sounds and loud voices of waiters attending to the needs of the customers coming from the canteen died away, as I walked further towards the Convocation Hall.
Soon, I got to the junction of the road and the Adhipati Road (Chancellor Road). I glanced at the Convocation Hall. It stood grave and solemn, with two seated shiny, bronze images of the Crested Lion underneath the canopy of the main entrance. While looking at the old, impressive building, I remembered that Yangon University enjoyed a reputation as a top university in Asia in the 1950s. Across the Convocation Hall before the Science Hall was the Thit-pok tree (false hemp), an emblem of Yangon University, throwing her sinewy boughs and branches up into the sky. A group of students in exuberance of gay spirit was fidgeting with their hand-phones to take photosof themselves. Along the pavement of the Adhipati Road before the Arts Hall were yellow Ngu (Indian laburnum) trees in full blossom. The Adhipati Road, lined with green Yetamar (Cedrela febrifuga) trees, was running straight up to the main gate, which opened out into the University Avenue.
Calls of various species of birds rent the hot afternoon air. Now and then, fallen, withered leaves were carried away by the wanton winds. The sun was scorching hot in the cloudless sky. In the intense heat, my nerves got frayed. So I quickened my steps. In no time, I got in front of the Recreational Centre. Alas! There was a deluge of students: some sitting on the benches under the Gangaw (iron wood) trees before the library, some walking by the Arts Hall and the Science Hall and some gathering around the tea-shops in the Recreational Centre.
After casting a sweeping glance at them, I turned into the path leading to the Yangon University Library. The patch of land in front of the library was thick with Gangaw trees heavily laden with flowers. I nosed my way through the students taking shelter under the thick foliage of the trees from the intense heat of the sun and cars parked there. I ascended the library by a short flight of stair-case. At the door, I found an old man wearing rimmed spectacles with a book open on the table placed in front. I wrote down my name and time of arrival and signed in the book and made a bee-line to the counter where staff were sitting. I returned the books I had borrowed to them and went to the catalogue-boxes and rummaged in them for the names of the books I wanted to borrow again.
Then I came down to the reading-room. But, much to my surprise, all the tables in the room were already occupied by students. Some students were with their eyes fixed on the books on the tables before them while some were sitting with the open books before them, gazing abstractedly; some were surfing through the internet for the e-books they wanted to read; some in group working on their projects. With no vacant table, I gave up my desire of reading there and took leave.
When I was passing by the iron gate, I was captivated by the Myazedi stone inscribed pillar (ink inscription) and the statue of Sayagyi Zawgyi ( U Thein Han) erected there. It is learnt that this four-sided Myazedi stone pillar was inscribed in 1013 A.D in four languages –Myanmar, Pali, Mon and Pyu to record the donation of Prince Rajakumara, son of King Kyanzitha, and that it was the first stone inscription which carried Myanmar alphabets throughout Myanmar history. Sayagyi Zawgyi ( U Thein Han), who was an eminent poet in our country, succeeded Sayagi U Khin Zaw, whose pen name was ‘ K’, who was the first librarian of the Yangon University Library.
Successors to Sayagyi Zawgyi were Sayagyi U Taik Soe and Sayagyi U Thaw Kaung. I read the Myanmar version of the stone-pillar and saluted the statue of Sayagyi Zawgyi for his remarkable contributions to the world of Myanmar literature and the Yangon University Library. Then I left the library, saying good-bye to the old man who was standing guard at the door.
In conclusion, I find that the Yangon University Library is one of the longest-standing and biggest well-stocked libraries in Myanmar and that it has been providing many resources to the students and scholars for nearly one hundred years. Especially, at the present time when the student-centred approach is being introduced at the university, the role of the resource centres like the Yangon University Library has become more important than ever. Therefore, I want to suggest here that the Yangon University Library should be upgraded and stocked with more books and made more easily accessible to the customers, young and old.
