Bandoola park
Yangon was once known as the "Garden City" in Asia region but it had been gradually degraded on lost of time. But the enthusiastic efforts and systematic programmes have been formulated recently by the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) in order to shape the former glorious beauty and to keep up with the international developed metropolis. As a result, there are about 47 parks in municipal-areas of Yangon city and classified to 3 grades based-on size, location, beautifulness and happy-environs.
Among the 8 parks in first-grade, Bandoola park is the oldest one and famous for years, contemporary with the foundation of this capital Yangon.
After the Second Anglo-Myanmar war (1852), the lower Myanmar became the British-ruled Myanmar. The old Yangon of king Alaungpaya and Tnarawaddy was transformed to a new-city and beautiful layout plan in scientific manner by a young Scott, Lieutenant Alexander Fraser from Bengal engineer-regime with the help of Dr. Montgomerie in September 1852. Fortunately, during the early-phrase of construction of a new -city; the water locked area on the South-East of Sule pagoda was designed as the public recreational garden. The rough-ground was leveled and holes were filled with cart-loads of earth by spreading over a considerable area to stabilize the ground. One of the ponds was intentionally left and shaped to be artificial lake with trees on its' bank. Originally, that park was known as "lake-square". Then, further improvements were added for better, beautiful and enjoyable-environs of recreation centre in downtown area and renamed "Fytche-Square" in honour of the then municipal-commissioner who succeeded the former one named Phayre in 1867A .D. The park became more cherishable place with its' exotic collection of trees where the citizens could rest and congregate in the cool of the evening. Later, the park was entitled as Victoria park to commemorate the diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria at that year. After the independence, the name of that square was changed to Bandoola park to commemorate the famous General Maha Bandoola who sacrificed his life and limb at Pan-Wah battle and was known for his braveness, royalty, masterful martial strategies and tactics comparable to Nepolian and other famous war-commanders in the world history.
The most prominent of this park is nothing else but the striking oblique of independent monument which was laid its' stake or first-stone on January 4, 1948 by the then prime-minister U Nu and completed in 1950. The Opening ceremony was presented by declaratory statement. The record was inscribed at its' base reminding the historic-event of motherland. Thus, this monument is believed to be the foster-brother of national independence and largely considered to be the centre of Yangon capital.
Nowadays, Bandoola park is the spacious land with beautiful horticultural flowers and shady-trees in a well-lay-out plan. The pavements and cement palls arc set in rectangle-crossing rimmed by beautiful multi-colours flowers and carpeted with well-kept grasslands. The modern and mood and relief of everyone. So, Bandoola park is worthy to visit leisurely any way where the Chinese-community gathers to take exercise in early morning, assuming themselves in the group of martial-arts dance called Tai-chi, computerised entertainment and amusement of fantasy world now add the hilarious mood and relief of everyone. So, Bandoota park is worthy to visit leisurely any way where the Chinese-community gathers to take exercise in early morning, assuming themselves in the group of martial-arts dance called Tai-chi..
Book Title : Aspects of Myanmar Culture Presented By : Tim Mg Oo (B.A. English) Licensed Tour Guide