| Kalay | |
| Native Name: | ကလေး |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map: | Burma |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Myanmar |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Established Date: | 3 February 966 |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Myanmar |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kalay District |
| Subdivision Type3: | Township |
| Subdivision Name3: | Kalay Township |
| Area Total Km2: | 2337.74 |
| Population: | 348,573 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Coordinates: | 23.1944°N 94.0236°W |
| Elevation Ft: | 450 |
| Elevation M: | 140 |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | +6.30 |
Kalay (Burmese: ကလေး), also known as Kale, is a town in the Sagaing Region of Myanmar. It is located upstream from Mandalay and Monywa on the Myittha River, a tributary of the Chindwin River. The town is the district headquarters of the Kalay District.[1] It has gained importance with trans border movement enabled between Myanmar and India following the 165km (103miles) Tamu–Kalay section of India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway built by the Border Roads Organization of India under the Look-East Connectivity policy.[2] 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.[3]
The earlier name of the town ‘Karlaymyo,’ renamed now as ‘Kalaymyo,’ means “a town surrounded by four satellite towns” in the Burmese language. "Kalaymyo" means "town of children" in Burmese.
According to tradition, Kalay was established as a town on 3 February 966 (Sunday, the 5th of waning of Tabodwe 328 ME).[1] A votive tablet unearthed in Kalay in 1983, with a Mon language by ညောင်ဦး စောရဟန်း the first ruler was his son, the inscription, refers to the "Aniruddha, the Great King".[4] [5]
During the Second World War, Kalay was an important regrouping point for the British during their retreat from Burma in 1942 because of the relatively easier access to India along the Manipur River (the alternative was to march through malarial forests from Kalewa to Tamu).[6]
On September 19, 2007, 200 monks marched through the streets of Kalay as a part of the 2007 Burmese anti-government protests. 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 and two other political prisoners.[7]
In July 2015, a monsoon rain triggered a natural disaster, and a state of emergency was declared in four regions of the country. The disaster caused a flash flood in Kalay and surrounding areas. Kalay was devastated by the disaster.
(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)
Geographically, the distinctive feature of the town is that the Tropic of Cancer 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 450feet above mean sea level, the town has a picturesque backdrop of the Laytha Hill in the east and the Chin Hills in the west.[1]
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.[1]
A tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) dominates the town. Temperature variations are significant, with summer months from March to May recording 100F112F and the winter months in the range of 55F80F. The average annual temperature is reported to be 79F. The average annual rainfall is of the order of 67.77inches.[1]
The population of Kalay is estimated to be 400,000, comprising 55% Bamar, 35% Chin and 10% other nationalities and foreigners.[1] The valley town, with its tranquil atmosphere, is inhabited in equal numbers by the Chin community and Bamars. The original settlers are Shans.[8]
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.[1]
Kalay Township is unable to meet its own food requirements, although it exports food to neighbouring towns and cities. It has 80000acres under paddy, 10000acres under peas, and 40000acres under cooking oil crops. The irrigation dam in RāZāJo village will provide water to grow more crops under irrigated conditions.[1]
Kalay Township has teak, ironwood (Pterocarpus indicus), the large timber tree Shorea obtusa, Shorea robusta and many other species of tree.[1]
The religious composition of Kalay and the surrounding township is listed as 35 percent Buddhists (mainly Theravada Buddhists), 70 percent Christian (mainly Baptist) and the remaining 5 percent follow other religious practices. The district has 116 Buddhist monasteries, 508 churches, a mosque, two Hindu temples, two Buddhist seminaries for nuns, five Buddhist nunneries and a joss house (Chinese communal temple).[1]
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.[1]
The strategic road between India and Myanmar, built with assistance from the Government of India, is the 165km (103miles) Tamu–Kalay road. The Border Roads Organization, 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.[2] Apart from this road, the town is well connected by a network of roads with Kalay, Gangaw, Monywa, 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.[1]
Rail services also operate between Kalay and Gangaw. This line passes through the Pountaung Pounyar Tunnel.[1]
Inland water transport is also available up to Kalaywa, which is 24km (15miles) short of Kalay. On this route, Morlike, Homalin, Khunte, Mingin and Monywar are also accessible.[1]
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, Air Bagan, Air Mandalay and Air KBZ operate regular air services to and from Yangon, Mandalay and Kalaymyo.[1] [6] The airport is at an elevation of 499feet; it has a 79m (259feet) wide and 1677m (5,502feet) long runway with blacktopped surface.[9]