Burma officially gained independence from Britain on January 4, 1948. But instead of waiting until midnight or sunrise, the transfer of power took place at 4:20 a.m.
The time was not chosen for practical reasons. Several historical accounts say Burma’s young leaders consulted astrologers to determine a day and hour considered auspicious.
The political decision to seek independence had been made much earlier. On January 27, 1947, a Burmese delegation led by Aung San negotiated with British Prime Minister Clement Attlee in London. They agreed on the shared goal of a “free and independent Burma”, whether inside or outside the British Commonwealth.
Why 4:20 a.m.?
As independence approached, Burma’s young leaders reportedly sought advice from several astrologers about the right time to begin life as an independent country.
The date itself was said to have been moved from January 6 to January 4, 1948. The ceremony was then scheduled for the early hours of the morning. Some accounts put it at around 4 a.m., while Sebastian Strangio gives the more precise time of 4:20 a.m.
At that hour, Burmese and British troops gathered at the Secretariat complex in Rangoon. The Union Jack was lowered and Burma’s new flag, bearing six stars, was raised.
Sao Shwe Thaik became the first president, while U Nu became the first prime minister. Burma also chose to become a fully sovereign state outside the British Commonwealth.
In other words, the date of independence was settled through political negotiations, but the hour of the ceremony was also influenced by beliefs about an auspicious time.
Independence Came After Aung San’s Death
There was another reason Burma’s independence in 1948 was particularly significant. The man who had led negotiations with Britain did not live to see it.
In February 1947, Aung San met with Shan, Kachin and Chin leaders at the Panglong Conference. The meeting was an important part of efforts to determine Burma’s future before Britain withdrew.
But on July 19, 1947, Aung San was shot dead inside the Secretariat along with several members of his cabinet. Nine people were killed in the attack.
The independence negotiations continued. Several months later, the Anglo-Burmese Agreement was signed in London on October 17, 1947, setting January 4, 1948 as the date for the establishment of the Union of Burma.
When that day arrived, Aung San was already gone. The process he had helped begin, however, still led to independence.
Burma Was Not the Only One
Choosing an auspicious time also appeared in the independence stories of other Asian countries.
India became independent on August 15, 1947. Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, chose the date for the transfer of power. Indian astrologers, however, considered it an inauspicious day. The date remained unchanged, but the transfer of power was timed for midnight between August 14 and 15.
At 11 p.m. on August 14, the Constituent Assembly began its session in New Delhi. Jawaharlal Nehru then delivered his famous “Tryst with Destiny” speech before power formally changed hands at midnight.
Indonesia had a different story. Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaimed independence on Friday, August 17, 1945. Sukarno associated the number 17 with several things he considered significant, including the 17th day of Ramadan, traditionally associated with the revelation of the Quran, and the 17 obligatory prayer units performed each day.
Calendars and clocks, therefore, were not always treated simply as administrative markers. In societies where astrology or the calculation of auspicious days held significance, they could also become part of decisions about when important events should take place.
Astrology After Independence
The practice of consulting astrologers did not end when Burma became independent. Under General Ne Win, for example, the government issued 45- and 90-kyat banknotes because both numbers were divisible by nine, a number considered lucky by the general.
A similar practice later appeared in decisions of greater consequence. In 2005, when the government moved the capital from Rangoon to Naypyidaw, the first convoy left at 6:37 a.m., a time linked to astrological considerations by the government.
The renaming of the country from Burma to Myanmar in 1989 was also reportedly made on astrological advice and announced on May 27, a date whose digits add up to nine.
From banknotes to the relocation of the capital, astrological calculations continued to appear in decisions made by Burma’s government after independence. The 4:20 a.m. ceremony on January 4, 1948 was an early part of that pattern, when a major decision about the country’s future also came down to a seemingly simple question: when was the right time to begin?
