Egypt is an ancient civilisation, and our member Ms A. Roy, a teacher, visited the land known as the ‘Gift of the Nile’ in 1970. Here she reminisces about her trip down one of the most important rivers in the world.
I had always wanted to see the Nile, having read about it in history books as a child. During our trip in Egypt, we made time for a cruise along the river and a trip through the desert. We set off on a train from the Giza Station in Cairo to Aswan. The next day we visited the Abu Simbel temples where we saw the famous statue of Rameses II, a piece of engineering marvel. The statue is built in such a way that twice a year, on 22 February and 22 October, the sunlight enters the temple and illuminates Rameses’ face for 20 minutes. In the evening, we reached the Nile and got onto a luxury cruise. As we set sail down the river, my excitement knew no bounds. Our first stop was the Kom Ombo temple. Here in a museum, we saw mummified crocodiles and learnt that in earlier times the reptiles used to be revered. In the evening, we returned to the boat and spent the night there. The next day we disembarked and travelled through the desert on horseback to see the Edfu temple and the amazing pyramids. At evening we returned to the boat.
We set off very early the next day in a bus to see the Valley of the Kings. It was a three-hour journey through the desert, and along the way we saw large tracts of cultivated land on both sides of the road. We were dumbfounded to see such greenery in the middle of the desert. It is no wonder that Egypt is called the ‘Gift of the Nile’. At the Valley of the Kings, we visited the tomb of King Tutankhamen and were stunned by all the gold and the splendour there. In ancient Egypt, pharaohs would be buried with all their worldly possessions, and it is said that Howard Carter, the British archaeologist who discovered the tomb, took 16 years to account for Tutankhamen’s riches. We then visited Nefertiti’s tomb in the Valley of the Queens, the Karnak temple, and Luxor before returning to Cairo.
As mementos, I carried back with me some sand from the desert and some water from the Nile in a small container which sits alongside my collection of river waters from India. I also brought back a sample of the papyrus tree from a papyrus factory and showed it to my students. In their sense of wonder I recognised my own when, as a child, I would read of Egypt and dream of visiting it. My trip to the ancient land remains one of the most memorable ones I have made.

Our member Mr. J. Ghatak has a connection with Burma for the last three generations. His recent visit to Rangoon evoked childhood memories and a sense of reconnection with the past which he has shared.
Across three generations, my family has had deep ties with Burma. It all began with my grandfather, who went to Burma to serve as a Deputy Accountant General. After a fruitful stint, he relocated to India, where he continued his career as an Accountant General and held various other esteemed positions.
My father, following in his footsteps, took up his own journey in Burma, albeit in a different capacity. As a professor of Mathematics, he taught at Georgeson College, an American missionary institution, and also imparted knowledge to eager postgraduate students at Rangoon University. As children my brothers and I attended the Bengal Academy School, my sisters went to a convent school quite close to our house in Rangoon.
The year 1941 was a significant year for our family, as whispers of impending conflict reached our ears. Fearing our safety, my father decided to leave Burma behind and seek refuge in Kolkata, where we temporarily stayed with my grandfather. From there, our journey led us to Lucknow, where my father found a new home at Lucknow University, continuing to shape young minds with his passion for mathematics.
Rangoon left an indelible mark on us – the memories flood back with vivid clarity. The city, with its picturesque lakes and well-maintained roads were beautiful. The bustling Scott Market, now transformed and renamed, was a hub of activity, where the sights and sounds of daily life was evident.
On a recent return visit to Rangoon, I was filled with nostalgia as I retraced the footsteps of my childhood days. Walking the halls of my old school, now under a new management, I was transported back in time, reminiscing about the carefree days of my childhood. Though our attempts to visit Rangoon University were thwarted by student protests, the mere sight of its grandeur from afar stirred emotions deep within me.
But our journey didn’t end there. Venturing beyond the confines of the city, we went on a trip to Bagan, formerly known as Pagan, which is now a famous UNESCO accredited heritage site. This ancient city, steeped in Buddhist heritage, was soul-stirring. Pagan kingdom was the first kingdom to unite the regions to later constitute Myanmar. Exploring its sprawling ruins and cruising along the tranquil waters of the Iravati River, I regained my childhood connection to this land.
In the end, our visit to Rangoon served as more than just a trip down memory lane—it was a pilgrimage of sorts, allowing me to reconnect with my childhood days and relive a few moments where my ancestors also had spent a part of their lives. And as I boarded the plane back home, I carried with me not only cherished memories but also a renewed sense of gratitude for the journey that brought me full circle.