Kalay (; , ''Kalü''), also known as Kale, is a town in the

Sagaing Region Sagaing Region (, ; formerly Sagaing Division) is an administrative divisions of Myanmar, administrative region of Myanmar, located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and longitude 94° 97' east. It is border ...

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

. It is located upstream from

Mandalay Mandalay is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. It is located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631 km (392 mi) north of Yangon. In 2014, the city had a population of 1,225,553. Mandalay was founded in 1857 by Ki ...

and

Monywa Monywa (; ) is the largest city and capital city of Sagaing Region, Myanmar, located north-west of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the River Chindwin. Monywa is one of the largest economic cities in Myanmar. It is also known as 'Neem City' beca ...

on the Myittha River, a tributary of the

Chindwin River The Chindwin River (), also known as the Ningthi River (), is a river in Myanmar and is the largest tributary of the Irrawaddy River. Sources The Chindwin originates in the broad Hukawng Valley of Kachin State of Burma, roughly , where the Tanai, ...

. The town is the district headquarters of the

Kalay District Kale District (also called Kalemyo District) is the westernmost district in Sagaing Division of Myanmar (Burma). Townships Its administrative center is the city of Kalay (Kalaymyo). The district consists of three townships; * Kale Townsh ...

. It has gained importance with trans border movement enabled between Myanmar and

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

following the Tamu–Kalay section of

India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway (IMT Highway), long route, is a 4-lane highway under construction under India's Look East policy that will connect Moreh, India with Mae Sot, Thailand via Myanmar. Imphal-Mandalay-Bangkok route, c ...

built by the

Border Roads Organization The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a statutory body under the ownership of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India. BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries. This include ...

of India under the Look-East Connectivity policy. Consequently, Kalay is now one of the fastest developing towns in Myanmar. Kalay has several notable prisons, to which people from all across the region are transported.

Etymology

The earlier name of the town ‘Karlaymyo,’ renamed now as ‘Kalaymyo,’ means “a town surrounded by four satellite towns” in the

Burmese language Burmese (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Myanmar, where it is the official language, lingua franca, and the native language of the Bamar people, Bamar, the country's largest ethnic group. Burmese dialects are a ...

. "Kalaymyo" means "town of children" in Burmese.

History

According to tradition, Kalay was established as a town on 3 February 966 (Sunday, the 5th of waning of

Tabodwe Tabodwe () is the eleventh month of the traditional Burmese calendar. Festivals and observances *Full moon of Tabodwe **Htamanè, Harvest Festival () **Mon National Day Rakhine people, Rakhine tug of war festival, Yatha Hswe Pwe. *Pagoda festiva ...

328 ME). A votive tablet unearthed in Kalay in 1983, with a

Mon language The Mon language, formerly known as Peguan and Talaing, is an Austroasiatic language spoken by the Mon people. Mon, like the related Khmer language, but unlike most languages in mainland Southeast Asia, is not tonal. The Mon language is a recogn ...

by ညောင်ဦး စောရဟန်း the first ruler was his son, the inscription, refers to the "

Aniruddha Aniruddha () is a character in Hindu mythology, the son of Pradyumna and Rukmavati, and the grandson of Krishna and Rukmini. He is said to have been very much like his grandfather, to the extent that he is considered by some to be a ''Jana ...

, the Great King". Kale was an independent

Shan state Shan State (, ; , ) is a administrative divisions of Myanmar, state of Myanmar. Shan State borders China (Yunnan) to the north, Laos (Louang Namtha Province, Louang Namtha and Bokeo Provinces) to the east, and Thailand (Chiang Rai Province, Chia ...

between the 14th–16th centuries. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Kalay was an important regrouping point for the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

during their retreat from Burma in 1942 because of the relatively easier access to India along the

Manipur River __NOTOC__ Manipur River (; ), also called Kathe Khyoung (), is a river in India's Manipur state that flows into the Chin State of Myanmar, where it merges with the Myittha River, a tributary of the Chindwin river. It passes through Tonzang and T ...

(the alternative was to march through malarial forests from

Kalewa Kalewa is a town at the confluence of the Chindwin River and the Myittha River in Kale District, Sagaing Region of north-western Myanmar. It is the administrative seat of Kalewa Township. Climate Kalewa has a tropical savanna climate (Köpp ...

to Tamu). On September 19, 2007, 200 monks marched through the streets of Kalay as a part of the

2007 Burmese anti-government protests The Saffron Revolution (; ) was a series of economic and political protests and demonstrations that took place during August, September, and October 2007 in Myanmar. The protests were triggered by the decision of the national military govern ...

. Over the next few days, the monks were joined by thousands of people of the Chin ethnic group. On September 24, students marched from Kalay University with posters and protested, demanding the release of

Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi (born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and political activist. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. She served as State Counsellor of Myanmar and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Myanmar), Ministe ...

and two other political prisoners. In July 2015, a monsoon rain triggered a natural disaster, and a

state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...

was declared in four regions of the country. The disaster caused a

flash flood A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas: washes, rivers, dry lakes and depressions. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, or tropical storm, or by meltwater from ice and snow. Flash f ...

in Kalay and surrounding areas. Kalay was devastated by the disaster.

Saophas

* Sao Yawt Hkam 966 – 999 * Sao Han Möng 999 – 1021 younger brother of Sao Yawt Hkam * Sokkate 1021 – 1038 son of Sao Yawt Hkam + Mahadewi Htip Phaya Hseng Pan daughter of Sao Han Möng * Sao Paw Inn 1038 – 1066 son * Hso Min Chay 1066 – 1100 son * Min Chay-Hung 1100 – 1126 son * Min Chay-Hkum 1126 – 1147 son * Moe Min Chay 1147 – 1170 son * Min Chay-Gan 1170 – 1197 son * Min Chay-Htan 1197 – 1218 son * Min Chay-Hkaan 1218 – 1236 son * Min Chay-Fang 1236 – 1270 son * Min Chay-Hueng 1270 – 1288 son * Nga Min-Chay 1288 – 1326 nephew * Min Chay-Htao 1326 – 1378 son * Min Chay-To-In 1378 – 1406 younger brother * Anawrahta of Launggyet (Gamani) c. 1406 – c. December 1406 * Hso Kyaing Hpa c. December 1406 – November 1425 son of Hso Htan Hpa * Shan Say Hu 1425 – 1439 son * Thiri Zeya Thura of Taungdwin 1439 – 1450/51 * Kaung Loi Hpa 1450/51 – 1458/59 son of Shan Say Hu * Hso Loum Hpa 1458/59 – 1480 son * Hso Kawt Hpa 1480–1486 son * Hso Hkawng Hpa 1486 – 1510 son * Hso Hken Hpa 1510 – 1531 son (He has one daughter Sao Thiri Mala born from Mahadewi Sao Hkam Long and one son Hso Hkaing Hpa and one daughter Sao Ke Youn born from Sao Hkam Loun, both his wives were Hso Hkawng Hpa's daughters, Hso Hkaing Hpa died of smallpox, and his two daughters married Hso Kert Hpa the son of Sao Hkun Mawng from

Hsipaw Hsipaw (; Tai Nuea: ᥔᥤᥴ ᥙᥨᥝᥳ), also known as Thibaw (), is the principal town of Hsipaw Township in Shan State, Myanmar on the banks of the Duthawadi River. It is north-east of Mandalay. Hsipaw contains 11 wards, including Sout ...

) * Hso Kert Hpa 1531 – 1545 son of Sao Hkun Mawng from

* Hso Moe Hpa 1545 – 1588 son * Hso Gam Hpa 1588 – 1615 son * Hso Yaam Hpa 1615 – 1631 son * Hso Htaan Hpa 1631 – 1666 son * Hso Hkai Hpa 1666 – 1690 son * Hso Gern Hpa 1690 – 1713 son * Hso Nyue Hpa 1713 – 1726 younger brother * Hso Kyuang Hpa 1726 – 1750 son * Hso Hke Hpa 1750–1780 son * Hso Wen Hpa 1780–1806 son * Hso Hai Hpa 1806 – 1834 son * Hso Kawn Hpa 1834 – 1856 son * Hso Lip Hpa 1856 – 1878 son * Hso Fa Hpa 1878 – 1926 son * Hso Ai Hpa 1926 – 1942 younger brother * Hso Hub Hpa 1942 – 1948 (last) son

Geography

Geographically, the distinctive feature of the town is that the

Tropic of Cancer The Tropic of Cancer, also known as the Northern Tropic, is the Earth's northernmost circle of latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead. This occurs on the June solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun ...

passes through it. This point has been marked by the milepost 55/56 near Kyansitgon village. Set in terrain that has an average elevation of above mean sea level, the town has a picturesque backdrop of the Laytha Hill in the east and the Chin Hills in the west. The city is drained by the Myittha River that flows in a south–north direction, the Nayyinzaya River that flows in a north–south direction, and the Manipura River (also called the Nunkathe River) from across the international border with India; the last-named river has its origin in Manipur state of the

north-east India Northeast India, officially the North Eastern Region (NER), is the easternmost region of India representing both a geographic and political administrative division of the country. It comprises eight states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, M ...

Climate

tropical savanna climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Aw'') dominates the town. Temperature variations are significant, with summer months from March to May recording and the winter months in the range of . The average annual temperature is reported to be . The average annual rainfall is of the order of .

Demographics

The population of Kalay is estimated to be 400,000, comprising 55%

Bamar The Bamar people (Burmese language, Burmese: ဗမာလူမျိုး, ''ba. ma lu myui:'' ) (formerly known as Burmese people or Burmans) are a Sino-Tibetan-speaking ethnic group native to Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). With an esti ...

, 35%

Chin The chin is the forward pointed part of the anterior mandible (List_of_human_anatomical_regions#Regions, mental region) below the lower lip. A fully developed human skull has a chin of between 0.7 cm and 1.1 cm. Evolution The presence of a we ...

and 10% other nationalities and foreigners. The valley town, with its tranquil atmosphere, is inhabited in equal numbers by the Chin community and

s. The original settlers are Shans.

Economy

The economy of Kalay is dependent upon agriculture but it is also an industrial town. Cars, jeeps, trucks, fire engines, trailers, three-wheeled motorcycles are manufactured in the Kalay Industrial Estate. The town is the hub of trading activity with India across the border. Kalay Township is unable to meet its own food requirements, although it exports food to neighbouring towns and cities. It has under paddy, under

peas Pea (''pisum'' in Latin) is a pulse or fodder crop, but the word often refers to the seed or sometimes the pod of this flowering plant species. Peas are eaten as a vegetable. Carl Linnaeus gave the species the scientific name ''Pisum sativum ...

, and under cooking oil crops. The irrigation dam in RāZāJo village will provide water to grow more crops under irrigated conditions. Kalay Township has

teak Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panic ...

ironwood Ironwood is a common name for many woods that have a reputation for hardness, or specifically a wood density that is denser than water (approximately 1000 kg/m3, or 62 pounds per cubic foot), although usage of the name ironwood in English ma ...

(''

Pterocarpus indicus ''Pterocarpus indicus'' (commonly known as Amboyna wood, Malay padauk, Papua New Guinea rosewood, Philippine mahogany, Andaman redwood, Burmese rosewood, narra (from Tagalog) and asana in the Philippines, angsana, or Pashu padauk) is a species ...

''), the large timber tree ''

Shorea obtusa ''Shorea obtusa'', the Siamese sal, is a species of hardwood tree in the family Dipterocarpaceae, native to Southeast Asia. Distribution and habitat ''Shorea obtusa'' is native to Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. It grows in relat ...

'', ''

Shorea robusta ''Shorea robusta'', the sal tree, sāla, shala, sakhua, or sarai, is a species of tree in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The tree is native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet and across the Himalayan regions. Evolution Fossil evidence from lig ...

'' and many other species of tree.

Religion

The religious composition of Kalay and the surrounding township is listed as 35 percent

Buddhists Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE. It is the world's fourth ...

(mainly

Theravada Buddhists ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' (anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or ''Dhamma'' in th ...

), 70 percent

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

(mainly Baptist) and the remaining 5 percent follow other religious practices. The district has 116

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which m ...

, 508 churches, a

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

, two

Hindu temples A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to whom it is dedica ...

, two Buddhist

seminaries A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clerg ...

for

nuns A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of Evangelical counsels, poverty, chastity, and obedience in the Enclosed religious orders, enclosure of a monastery or convent.' ...

, five Buddhist nunneries and a joss house ( Chinese communal temple ).

Social infrastructure

The basic social services of education (primary to high school level, and universities within close commutable distances from the town), health services (general hospital, military hospital and traditional medicines' hospital), modern telecommunication network (telephone, Internet, telecommunication satellite network etc.), Media network of news papers (simultaneous coverage of news with Yangon), TV and radio services are well established in the town. The town's electricity needs are met from the MāNePu Hydroelectric Project, which also helps promote industries.

Transportation

The strategic road between India and Myanmar, built with assistance from the

Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

, is the Tamu–Kalay road. The

, a parastatal organization of the Government of India, started construction of this road in 1997, which was opened by the Foreign Minister of India in 2001. This road has facilitated trans-border movement between India and Myanmar. Apart from this road, the town is well connected by a network of roads with Kalay,

Gangaw Gangaw (, ) is a town of Gangaw Township in Gangaw District in the Magway Division in Myanmar. Gangaw is also known as the City of Yaw, a certain region in Myanmar including Gangaw (), Tilin (), Saw () and villages around them. Gangaw District an ...

, Yagyi and Mandalay. The important road route during the rainy season is the Kalay-Gangaw-Monywa-Mandalay road and during winter it is the Kalay-Myoma-Yagyi-Monywa-Mandalay Route. Rail services also operate between Kalay and Gangaw. This line passes through the Pountaung Pounyar Tunnel. Inland water transport is also available up to Kalaywa, which is short of Kalay. On this route, Morlike, Homalin, Khunte, Mingin and Monywar are also accessible. There is an airport at Kalay, an extension of a British-built Second World War airstrip that was used to ferry troops and supplies into Myanmar during the British reconquest of Myanmar in 1945. The airport is located in the middle of the town.

Myanmar National Airlines Myanmar National Airlines (), formerly Union of Burma Airways, Burma Airways, and Myanma Airways, is a state-owned airline and the flag carrier of Myanmar, based in Yangon. Founded in 1948, the airline operates scheduled services to all major ...

, Air Bagan, Air Mandalay and Air KBZ operate regular air services to and from

Yangon Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...

, Mandalay and Kalaymyo. The airport is at an elevation of ; it has a wide and long runway with blacktopped surface. Data current as of October 2006. Source:

DAFIF The Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File or DAFIF () is a comprehensive database of up-to-date aeronautical data, including information on airports, airways, airspaces, navigation data, and other facts relevant to flying in the entire wo ...

References

{{Sagaing Division . Populated places in Kale District Township capitals of Myanmar