Located beside the Khagrachari-Chittagong road, the Manikchhari Mong Circle Royal Palace now stands in pin-drop silence. However, the stone-paved pondside, the picturesque royal residence, and the nearby temples and monasteries hint at a time when the palace was abuzz with activity. This royal palace in Khagrachari is deeply intertwined with the history of the 1971 Liberation War.
During the war, King Mong Pru Sein transformed this palace into a medical facility and opened the royal treasury for freedom fighters. Despite his significant contributions, late King Mong Pru Sein did not receive any formal recognition for his efforts.
Located 65 kilometers from Khagrachari and 53 kilometers from Chittagong, the Manikchhari Royal Palace is easily accessible. From the Manikchhari market, a short walk through the central lane leads to the palace.
Upon visiting the palace, one finds an expanse of about five acres engulfed in quiet. Entering through the iron gate, a stone-paved pondside appears on the left, though the pond is dry and unused for a long time. Nearby lies the single-story main palace building and a semi-pucca administrative building. A short distance from these structures are the intricately designed Nanuma Devi Hall and the palace’s Buddhist monastery. Inside Nanuma Devi Hall, decorative 20 wooden pillars, 17 Buddha statues, seven chakras, and 16 peacock-adorned paintings hang beautifully. The main palace building houses a throne with tiger-paw-shaped wooden legs adorned with tiger claws, an intricately designed bed, large elephant tusks, swords, firearms, bows, royal attire, and other valuable artifacts.
Adjacent to the palace flows the Manikchhari stream. Across the stream, in Mahamuni, lie the stupas of the late Mong kings and their family members. There is also a Buddhist temple built in 1883, housing a massive Buddha statue made of eight metals brought from Burma.
Mongsa Marma, an elderly resident of the Manikchhari area, recounted that the palace once teemed with soldiers, elephants, and horses. However, following Queen Nihar Devi’s death 33 years ago, the palace began losing its luster and royal atmosphere. Today, a modest fair is held around the Mahamuni Buddhist Temple during the Chaitra-Sankranti festival, which once drew crowds from far and wide.
According to royal sources, the palace was established in 1861 by Kioza Sein, the eldest son of King Kongjoy, after his death. When the fourth Mong King Niprusein had no male heirs, the British administration appointed his daughter, Nanuma Devi, as the Assistant Mong Circle Chief. In 1302 of the Magh calendar, Nanuma Devi dedicated the Nanuma Devi Hall to her father, where state ceremonies, tax collection, and other rituals were held. Though the hall was in a dilapidated state until recently, it has now been restored to its former splendor.
In the book History of Khagrachari Hill District by Ekushey Padak-winning writer Prabhanshu Tripura, page 209 mentions that on April 2, after the Pakistani army occupied Chittagong, many residents fled to seek refuge. A portion of these refugees found shelter in the Manikchhari Royal Palace. King Mong Pru Sein provided them with food, shelter, and medical care. He actively supported the Liberation War, joined the Mukti Bahini (freedom fighters), and assisted them as a refugee in Tripura state. He also contributed weapons, a private car, and a jeep to the freedom fighters. The Indian army made him a Colonel-ranked commander and deployed him alongside a tank battalion in the war. He participated in battles at Akhaura, Ashuganj, and Bhairab and entered Dhaka on December 17 with the Indian army.
According to the palace residents, the gates of the palace, once always open, now require permission from the royal family members for entry. Most family members reside in Chittagong or other places. Presently, Mejo Kumar Suiching Pru oversees the palace’s maintenance.
Freedom fighter Ran Bikram Tripura said the palace turned into a sanctuary for the distressed during the Liberation War. Its massive cauldrons cooked meals day and night, and the Nanuma Devi Hall became a makeshift hospital. Queen Nihar Devi, the wife of King Mong Pru Sein, personally tended to the sick and injured women. Despite the immense contributions of King Mong Pru Sein, he was never recognized as a freedom fighter, a fact that remains unexplained.
Marma researcher and writer Chinghlamong Chowdhury noted that the Manikchhari Royal Palace is a heritage site of the Mong Circle, rich in history. Especially during the Liberation War, it was no small feat to provide arms, vehicles, food, money, and a hospital for the wounded. The Mong kings also contributed significantly to establishing educational institutions and other public services. Although the palace was restored by the district council a few years ago, preserving its legacy remains the responsibility of the royal family and the public.
