During British colonial rule, exiling defeated kings was a common strategy to prevent resistance and consolidate power. These kings were sent far from their native lands, minimizing their chances of rallying support or reclaiming their thrones. Stripped of power, wealth, and status, exiled kings lived in modest accommodations under close surveillance. They faced cultural and linguistic isolation, surrounded by foreign customs and languages. The trauma of losing their kingdoms and the isolation often led to despair and helplessness.
In this blog post, we will explore the exile of King Thibaw of Burma to Ratnagiri, a seaside town in Maharashtra State of India, and delve into the hardships that he and his family faced during this period. I also share my experience and reflections from my visit to Thibaw Palace in Ratnagiri.
Exile of King Thibaw
King Thibaw Min, the last monarch of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma (now Myanmar), ascended the throne in 1878, at the young age of 19, under turbulent circumstances. His father, King Mindon Min, had established a relatively stable rule but had failed to name a clear successor, leading to a power struggle upon his death. Thibaw’s ascension was facilitated by Queen Supayalat, who, along with her mother, orchestrated the elimination of potential rivals.
Thibaw’s reign coincided with a period of increasing British interest in Southeast Asia. The British, having established control over Lower Burma after the Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852), were keen on annexing Upper Burma to secure their economic and strategic interests.
Queen Supayalat and her ministers conspired with the French against the British, alarming them. Determined to protect their interests in Burma’s rich resources like teak, rubber, oil, and rubies, the British took action.
In 1885, a tax penalty on the British-owned Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation by the Ava kingdom (Konbaung dynasty) led the British to declare war. The Third Anglo-Burmese War ended swiftly with British troops capturing Mandalay, the second-largest city in Burma. King Thibaw surrendered on 29 November 1885, marking the end of the Burmese monarchy.
Following his surrender, Thibaw, along with Queen Supayalat, their daughters, and a small retinue, was exiled to Ratnagiri, India. On their journey, the queen’s pregnancy necessitated a pause for safety reasons. Consequently, their ship docked in Madras (now Chennai), where Princess Myat Phaya was born, on 7 March 1886.
King Thibaw, Queen Supayalat, and their three daughters arrived in Ratnagiri in April 1886. The British constructed a 30-room mansion, named Thibaw Palace, for them at a cost of nearly 170,000 rupees. The royal family was kept under house arrest in this mansion. King Thibaw occupied the rooms on the first floor, where he spent much of his time writing law books. Their movements were heavily restricted, and they lived in isolation, without much social interaction with or support from the outside world.
The psychological toll of the exile was profound. Queen Supayalat, in particular, suffered from depression, and Thibaw’s health deteriorated over the years, exacerbated by the isolation.
King Thibaw regularly wrote to the viceroy, seeking to regain his kingdom and requesting to increase his pension. His pleas were consistently ignored. He also sought permission to participate in the Delhi Durbar of 1903 alongside other Indian princes, but this request was also denied. Despite the beautiful location of their mansion, the family lived under financial strain. It was rumoured that the king sold his valuable Burmese rubies, which reportedly remain with the moneylender families in Ratnagiri.
King Thibaw died in 1916, aged 58, after 30 years in exile. He was buried in a small grave in Ratnagiri, next to the Christian cemetery. Queen Supayalat and other family members returned to Burma in 1919. After her return, the queen lived in relative obscurity despite having retained a certain level of respect and reverence among the Burmese people. The British authorities allowed her to reside in a house provided by the government in Rangoon. She passed away on 24 November 1925, in Rangoon.
The lives of King Thibaw’s daughters
King Thibaw’s daughters endured difficult times after their family’s exile to Ratnagiri. Here are their stories in brief.
Princess Myat Phaya Gyi
The eldest daughter of King Thibaw, Myat Phaya Gyi, married Gopal Bhaurao Sawant, the gatekeeper at their Ratnagiri residence, at the age of 23. King Thibaw’s fury could do nothing to stop the marriage. After the king’s death, she returned to Rangoon with Queen Supayalat and her sisters in 1919, but she later returned to Ratnagiri to be with her husband. After a challenging life, she died at 64. Her daughter Tu Tu (1906–2000) married an Indian driver named Shankar Powar and lived in poverty.
Princess Myat Phaya Lat
Myat Phaya Lat, the second daughter of King Thibaw, was born on 4 October 1883 at Mandalay Palace, the last royal palace of the Burmese monarchy. She married Khin Maung Lat, Thibaw’s nephew, an Indian police officer, on 20 February 1917 in Ratnagiri. Myat Phaya Lat died on 4 April 1956 in Kalimpong, India.
Princess Myat Phaya
Myat Phaya, the third daughter of King Thibaw, was born on 7 March 1886, in Madras, British India. She married Prince Hteik Tin Kodawgyi in 1921, with whom she had a daughter, Phaya Rita. After her divorce in 1930, she married lawyer Mya U on 25 June 1931. Later, she served as Patron of the King Thibaw Funeral Committee in 1949. Myat Phaya passed away from cancer on 21 July 1962, at her home in Maymyo.
Princess Myat Phaya Galay
Myat Phaya Galay, the youngest daughter of King Thibaw, was born on 25 April 1887 in Ratnagiri. She married Ko Ko Naing, a former monk, on 1 July 1920, and they had four sons and two daughters. She was known as Rebel Princess, as she boldly demanded, in the early 1930s, the return of her father’s kingdom and the royal jewels seized during the annexation. In retaliation, the British exiled her to Moulmein in Lower Burma. Myat Phaya Galay died under suspicious circumstances on 3 March 1936 at her mansion in Moulmein, raising many questions about her untimely death.
For many years, the Burmese military junta did not acknowledge their former king. It was only in 2012, after a brief period of restored democratic rule, that President Thein Sein of Myanmar visited Ratnagiri to pay his respects at King Thibaw’s grave.
Thibaw Palace at Ratnagiri
Located 2 km from the Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Thibaw Palace sits on a small hillock, offering an idyllic setting away from the town. It is surrounded by lush gardens, and the Arabian Sea stretches out beyond, giving a serene feel.
The palace is a three-storey building made of laterite and lava rock. It features sloping roofs, semicircular windows crafted from Burmese teak, and intricate designs. The projecting corridors on the upper floors enhance its beauty, and a central courtyard with a fountain ensures fresh air flows into the rooms. The airy connecting passages have open arches, and the tiled sloping roofs with wooden frames make the rooms appear spacious. Owing to lack of electricity and technology at the time, constructors have focused on optimizing natural lighting and ventilation.
The palace resembles a scaled-down version of the grand royal palace in Mandalay, both in size and splendour. Currently under renovation, Thibaw Palace is now maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and has been converted into a museum. However, details of King Thibaw’s life are scarce, and the few statues on the first floor seem out of place. Although the palace still houses some offices, it is not maintained well. The palace is beautifully lit and decorated during the annual arts festival in January.
Thibaw Palace visitor guidelines:
• Photography is not permitted inside.
• Visiting hours: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• The palace is closed on Mondays.
• Entry fee: Rs 20 for adults and Rs 10 for children.
Nearby, Thiba Point offers a mesmerizing view of the Someshwar Creek, Bhatye Bridge, and the Arabian Sea, making it a popular viewpoint for visitors.
My visit to Thibaw Palace
Arriving at Thibaw Palace, I was struck by its enduring grandeur. The architecture, with its traditional Burmese design and intricate wooden carvings, stood as a poignant reminder of a bygone era. As I wandered through the corridors and rooms, I felt a sense of melancholy. Despite its beauty, the palace has a sombre atmosphere, as if the walls remember the sorrow of the exiled royal family.
Walking through the airy connecting passages, I imagined King Thibaw, Queen Supayalat, and their children living in this secluded mansion, under house arrest. The spacious rooms, now silent and empty, had once witnessed the daily struggles and yearnings of a family stripped of their power and prestige. I envisioned them gazing out from the windows, perhaps catching a distant glimpse of the Arabian Sea. The sight of the sea might have offered them a small comfort, a reminder of the vast world beyond their confinement.
In the central courtyard, where a fountain once brought fresh air into the rooms, I paused to reflect on the resilience and dignity with which King Thibaw and his family must have carried themselves. Despite their dire circumstances, they maintained a semblance of royal decorum in a foreign land.
As I continued exploring the palace, I could almost hear the whispers of the past. The air seemed to bear the weight of grief and loneliness, the untold stories of the king, the queen, and their four daughters. Their lives, filled with hope and despair, courage and resignation, were imprinted in the walls of the palace. Each room told a story of resilience.
I imagined King Thibaw spending his days writing law books. Queen Supayalat, despite her depression, would have tried to keep the family together, holding on to the remnants of their royal life. The children, growing up in a foreign land, must have faced their own challenges.
Visiting Thibaw Palace was an emotional journey that connected me intimately to the human side of history. It made me to empathize with the personal struggles and sacrifices of King Thibaw and his family. Not all palaces are settings of fairy-tale lives and endings, and Thibaw Palace stands as a poignant testament to the endurance of human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.
Leave your comments and queries in the comment box, or email me at paul@endlessexplorer.in. I will be happy to revert.
Thank you very much for the tragic story behind this beautiful palace at Ratnagiri. I was posted as the Officer-in-Charge, Coast Guard Air Station Ratnagiri Project during 2016-17. I used to go around this palace for my daily walk. I could gather only little piece of history from the ASI notice board. Your initiative in taking efforts to trace the history and document the same with photos and text is commendable! Keep it up Dev! Keep going places!