21 Facts About Htaw Lay

At Moulmein, Htaw Lay became one of the most senior indigenous officials in the colonial government.

Htaw Lay moved to Yangon in 1853 after the British annexation of Lower Burma.

Htaw Lay successfully used his influence with the colonial government to stop the occupation forces' pillaging of Buddhist shrines around Yangon, and with the help of his son-in-law Maung Khaing, spent the rest of his life restoring the Shwedagon Pagoda.

Htaw Lay had three younger brothers and two younger sisters.

Htaw Lay's father had been a senior official in the service of Konbaung monarchs since King Alaungpaya.

Htaw Lay returned to a war-ravaged Dala as governor after the war's end in 1826.

Htaw Lay's kingdom had been defeated and left crippled in debt.

The Ava court believed that Htaw Lay was involved in the rebellion.

At 62, Htaw Lay became one of the highest ranking indigenous officials in the early colonial administration.

Htaw Lay remained in office for the next 15 years, working from his home office in the later years.

Htaw Lay led a group of local leaders to restore the pagoda at a total cost of 10,000 rupees.

Htaw Lay retired from office in 1853 right after the Second Anglo-Burmese War in order to devote full-time to restore the shrines in Yangon, which the British had just seized.

Htaw Lay's overriding zeal was to restore the Buddhist shrines pillaged during the war.

Htaw Lay was joined by his son-in-law Khaing, whom the colonial government had just appointed governor of Dala.

Htaw Lay had written to the British commander and to the India Office in London to stop the desecration but his pleas were ignored during the war.

Htaw Lay got the Phayre government to stop the looting of the treasure chambers of Buddhist shrines by the occupation troops, and to provide some compensation for the damages done to the Shwedagon.

Htaw Lay and Khaing went on to lead the restoration and re-gilding of the Shwedagon with public support and donations.

Htaw Lay became one of the founding trustees of the Shwedagon Pagoda Trust.

Dalhousie saw the value in loyal, "pious and capable" indigenous figures, and included Htaw Lay and Khaing in the list of figures after whom the new roads and streets of Yangon were to be named.

Htaw Lay's descendants became one of the leading indigenous families of colonial Burma.

Htaw Lay's great-granddaughter was the wife of Maung Kin, the first Burmese to be knighted and the first Burmese Chief Justice of the High Court.