Meiktila

Meiktila is a city in central Burma on the banks of Meiktila Lake in the Mandalay Region at the junctions of the Bagan-Taunggyi, Yangon-Mandalay and Meiktila-Myingyan highways. Because of its strategic position, Meiktila is home to Myanmar Air Force's central command and Meiktila Air Force Base. The country's main aerospace engineering university, Myanmar Aerospace Engineering University is also located in Meiktila. As of 2021, the city had a population of 177,442.

History

The name Meiktila comes from Mithila, the name of an ancient Indian kingdom.
The history of Meiktila is closely tied to that of central Myanmar's Dry Zone, home of the Bamar people. The region had been part of various Bamar kingdoms at least from 11th century CE to 19th century CE before the British Empire took over all of Upper Myanmar in 1885.
Meiktila was part of the 1945 Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay, during which the Allied forces under William Slim defeated the Japanese forces. Soon after Burma's independence from Britain in 1948, Meiktila briefly fell under the insurgent Karen forces.
On 22 March 2013, a state of emergency was imposed in the town after two days of anti-Muslim riots after dozens of people were killed and more than 12,000 were forced from their homes, the overwhelming majority of whom were Muslims. This violence later spread to other places in Burma such as Okpho and Gyobingauk Townships.

Geography

Meiktila district is the most easterly of the districts in Myanmar's central dry zone. It lies between Wundwin, Myingyan, Yamethin, and touches Shan State on the east. The chief feature of the region Lake Meiktila, an artificial irrigation and water reservoir, long, wide. The lake is divided into two parts, north and south, by a bridge on the Meiktila-Kyaukpadaung highway. Mondai dam supplies water to the lake.

Climate

Meiktila has a hot semi-arid climate, marginally too dry to qualify as a tropical savanna climate. Temperatures are hot throughout the year, and the months before the monsoon are sweltering, with average maxima around. There is a winter dry season and a summer wet season ; however the wet season rainfall is much lower than most of Indochina because of the rain shadow of the Arakan Mountains to the west.

Culture

Meiktila has 44 Buddhist pagodas as of 2020. The most well-known pagodas are located on the lakefront, although they exist throughout the town in both upland and lowland areas. Below is a table of 10 of the main pagodas in Meiktila:

Pagoda name	Location	Type of structure	Date of present structure	Donor
Shwe Myin Tin	Yadana Man Aung	Stupa with spire	1112	Narapati Sithu
Phaung Taw U	Myoma Lay	Stupa only
Su Taung Pyi	Myoma Lay	Stupa only	1888	Narapati Sithu
Naga Yone Maha Bodhi	Nantaw Gone	Stupa with temple	11.5%	Narapati Sithu
Chantha Gyi	Ashae Byin	Stupa only		Narapati Sithu
Aung Theikdi	Near Seven Waterfalls	Stupa only	2000
Aunt Ta Ku	Nantaw Gone	Stupa only
Wun Taw Pyi	Kyitaw Gone	Stupa with temple	1853	Naung Taung Mya
Shwe Saw Lu	Nantaw Gone	Stupa with spire		Saw Lu Min and Narapati Sithu
Htee Thone Sint	Wunzin	Stupa with spire	1201	Narapati Sithu

Other, lesser-visited pagodas include ones in the Aung Zaya and Yan Myo Aung quarters.
The city's well-known pagodas are Shwemyintin, Shweyinmi, Nagayon, Yele, Sutaung Pyi, Hpaung Daw U Pagoda and Phaungdawoo.

Education

Meiktila is home to the Myanmar Aerospace Engineering University, a national university; and regional universities and colleges such as Meiktila University, Meiktila Institute of Economics, Computer University, Meiktila, Technological University, Meiktila and Meiktila Education College.
Of the city's six public Basic Education High Schools, BEHS 1 Meiktila or Royal High School is considered the most selective.

Military

Meiktila is home to two Myanmar Air Force air bases:

Meiktila Air Base and home to Central Command
Shante Air Base - located north of Meiktila in Pyitharyar