Setkya Mintha

Maha Thiha Thura Dhammaraja (, ; born Phe Khin; 27 October 1812 – 4 April 1839), commonly known as Setkya Min (Sekkyaa Minn, ; meaning Chakravarti) or the Prince of Nyaungyan , was an heir apparent of Burma and son of King Bagyidaw and his consort Hsinbyume. He is worshipped as a weizza along with Bo Bo Aung.

Life Maung Phe Khin (မောင်ဖေခင်) was born on 27 October 1812 in Mingun, near Ava, to the Crown Prince of Sagaing (who later became King Bagyidaw) and Hsinbyume. Miraculous events were reported at his birth and his body was said to bear the signs of a future world emperor. King Bodawpaya, his great-grandfather, conferred the title of Thatoe Minhla Shwetaung (သတိုးမင်းလှရွှေတောင်) to him, and gave him the fiefdom of Nyaungyan. His mother died seven days after giving birth.

Veneration

Many believed Setkya Min had not been drowned. They said that he had been miraculously rescued by the powerful weizza Bo Bo Aung, who brought him to a hidden sanctuary where he learned esoteric practices and eventually became a weizza himself. Using his spiritual powers, Bo Bo Aung transported Setkya Min to the heaven where future kings are said to bide their time before returning to Earth. Therefore, this legend is an example of the sleeping hero.

Anti-colonial movement Setkya Min is associated with the anti-colonial movement in Burma. Throughout most of the colonial era, the figure of Setkya Min represented anti-colonial resistance, and a series of rebellions were led by people claiming to be this mysterious personage. After the British had annexed all of Burma and deposed the last Burmese king in 1885, these rebellions largely sought to restore the monarchy and the king to his role as the foremost promoter and supporter of the Buddha's Sasana.