Friday, February 07, 2020

Reflections on the Magars in Prithwi Narayan Shah's Dibya Upadesh


Reflections on the Magars          

Vis-à-vis

Prithwi Narayan Shah's Dibya Upadesh


Santa Bahadur Pun[1]
November, 2018 (Mangsir, 2075)


Prologue:

Though it is truly said[2] that "History is a record of the victors", truer still is the saying[3] "A nation, that forgets its past, has no future". The writer had just joined Bijuli Adda[4] as an Assistant Engineer in 1967 AD when his much older and much-read-and-seen-the-world wiser Personnel Officer colleague, Prem Subba[5], handed him a small pocket-sized over-used "you must read" booklet. That booklet happened to be Prithwi Narayan Shah's Dibya Upadesh[6] that has enthralled the writer more and more particularly in his present sun-setting days.

Gorkha King Narbhupal Shah’s mahili Maharani from Palpa delivered a premature 7 months’ baby, Prithwi Narayan, in 1722 AD. A little later, sahili Maharani from Malaibam/Parbat also delivered a son, Virendra Kesar, through the normal nine months’ pregnancy. A controversy, hence, arose within the Gorkha Durbar as to whether Prithwi Narayan, the child born earlier, or Virendra, the child conceived earlier should become the Crown Prince. Fortunately, this controversy ended when the earlier conceived child, Virendra, died in infancy. So when Narbhupal died in 1742 AD, the young 20 years old Prithwi Narayan Shah became the king of the tiny impoverished kingdom of Gorkha – one of the Chaubise (24) kingdoms. He was not only ambitious and visionary but he believed and applied Chanakya’s principle of governing: sham, dam, danda and ved. His ambition to conquer the opulent three-citied Nepal (Kathmandu valley) resulted only in 1769 AD after 27 long years of relentless toil and battles. During that period, in 1762 AD he had to face and defeat the troops of Gurgin Khan sent by Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Bengal, to assist the Sen kingdom of Makwanpur and also the troops of the Kinloch’s mission sent by the Honourable East India Company in 1767 AD to assist Jaya Prakash Malla to break his blockade of Kathmandu valley. Despite his meteoric rise with a kingdom extending from Chepe/Marsyangdi in Gorkha to Chaudandi/Morang across the Kosi river in the East, Prithwi Narayan Shah unfortunately could not reap the fruits of his labour and vision. He died prematurely in 1774 AD at the age of 52 only. The Dibya Upadesh is Prithwi Narayan Shah’s counsel from his death-bed at Devghat on the bank of Trishuli river in Nuwakot so that the kingdom he established “…tumra ra hamra santan le …. yo rajya thami khanan.”

The writer is mesmerized by the Dibya Upadesh's inordinate wisdom, still so valid and applicable 240 years later. Whether they are about the army's soldiers and their officers (dawalath bhayaka le tarbar ma pasi marna maarna sakai nan), maintaining clean the country's courts (taksar pani chokho chalaunu …. Adalath ka paisa darbar bhitra na halnu…) or for that matter preventing the country's money going abroad and bringing it back (yaso bhaya nagad bidesh jandaina …. praja mota bhaya darbar baliyo rahanchha…), he had visions based on sound common logic. He observed the arrangements of not only his ancestor Ram Shah but also of those from the other side of the table, like the able Kathmandu kings Jayasthiti Malla and Mahindra Malla. Though he wished to make Biraj Bakheti his Kazi, he bowed to the wishes of his people to make Kalu Pande Kazi, portraying his character. The writer, hailing from the village of Nangi in the present Annapurna Gaon Palika set-up of Myagdi, the Magarat country, was naturally fixated by the many references[7] to Magars in the Dibya Upadesh. Though the debates continue on whether the expansion of the Gorkha kingdom was unification or subjugation of the then Chaubise and Baise kingdoms, the Magars’ significant contribution during that expansion era is indisputable. But history, the record of the victors, has not been kind to the Magars.


i)             Surathi[8] Singh Rana:

Professor Dineshraj Pant[9] : "….. guru purohit thar ghar bhaiyad bharadar ra afna dada Surath Singh Rana …..".

Father Ludwig F Stiller SJ[10] : " ….. priests, teachers, household, family, nobles and his tutor, Surath Singh Rana ….."

Writer's Reflection: The writer scrutinized Professor Pant's Dibyopadesh ko Mulpath (the original Dibyodesh document) in his book Shri 5 Prithwinarayan Shahko Dibyodesh and noted the name Surathi Singh Rana. Both Professor Pant and Stiller have converted Surathi to the more common Surath. The writer, however, was most puzzled by this Magar dada's name appearing in the very prologue of the Dibya Upadesh when the names of other respected priests, nobles and even Prithwi Narayan Shah’s own teacher/Guru are not mentioned at all. Following the practice of the Mughals across the border in India, the Nepal Durbar till recently also employed dada (male) and dhai-ama (female wet-nurse) to raise children. Hence, the posts, dada and dhai-ama, are perceived to be low-ranking helping hands having little or no significance[11] at all. Yet, surprisingly, the name of Surathi Singh Rana, a mere dada, is recorded in the Dibya Upadesh of the dying Prithwi Narayan Shah.

Nepalese historians from Baburam Acharya[12] to Dhundiraj Bhandari[13] have highlighted the contributions made by Narbhupal Shah’s (reigned 1716-1742 AD) jethi Maharani[14] Chandra Prabha Devi in building the character of Prithwi Narayan Shah during his young critical formative years. Narbhupal Shah lost all interests in running the affairs of his Gorkha kingdom when his army, under the command of Kazis Maheshwar Pant and Jayant Rana (Gyami), failed to capture Nuwakot in 1737 AD. The King sought solace in reading the Bhagwad, performing religious rites and in fact becoming insane in his last two years. During such a vacuous period, Chandra Prabha Devi and not Prithwi Narayan’s own mother[15] Kaushalyawati (mahili Maharani) tended to the affairs of the State, teaching at the same time the art of governing to the young Crown Prince. After Narbhupal’s death in 1742 AD, the young 20 year old Prithwi Narayan came to the throne. Though Nepalese historians have duly lauded the role of jethi Maharani, they all fail to recognize the contribution of Surathi Singh Rana in grooming the young Crown Prince at this critical juncture. Despite being surrounded by honourable men like the royal priests, nobles and councilors, the recording for posterity the humble Dada’s name in the Dibya Upadesh is, to the writer, the fulfillment of the dying Prithwi Narayan Shah’s gratitude to Surathi Singh Rana, his true shadow Guru. Bhanu Aryal[16] was Prithwi Narayan Shah’s official Guru at the Durbar when he was the Crown Prince.


ii)            Magar among the Four Clans of Warrior:

Professor Dineshraj Pant: “... mera sathma char jatka sipahi chhan …. Bahun, Khas, Magar, Thakuri yinma kasko sawar gare chando kaj phatte hola … Bahunko sawar bhaneko bayel ho, patak lagchha ….Thakuriko sawar....Singha ho, pachhadi daga hunchha ….Magarko sawar …tangan ghoda ho, dhilo hunchha ….. Khasko sawar taja turki ghoda ho …. Khasko sawar garya chando hola bhanya jasto lagchha.”

Father Ludwig F Stiller SJ: “….. I have four clans of warriors …… Brahmin, Khas, Magar, Thakuri. Which of these should go to finish the task quickly? ……The Brahmin goes as a bullock … it will be sin …. Thakuri goes as a lion …. afterwards comes his craft ….. Magar goes as a mountain pony. He will be slow….. Khas goes as a swift Arabian steed….. it will be quickly done or so it seems to me."

Writer's Reflection: This fascinating dialogue on how to conquer Nepal (Kathmandu valley), between Prithwi Narayan Shah and his maternal uncle, Udyat Sen, the Crown Prince of Palpa, took place at Gorkha when the latter had come to have darshan of Gorakhnath. An enlightened strategist that he was, the Palpa Crown Prince told his nephew to envision Nepal as the frog, Gorkha as the snake and Lamjung as the garud/eagle. Unless the eyes of the garud are deceived, the snake cannot eat the frog. And that was exactly what the shrewd Prithwi Narayan did by concluding a treaty with the king of Lamjung, Ripumardan Shah. It should be noted here that the Gurungs do not figure in Prithwi Narayan’s four class of warriors. But later the Gurungs do figure when he instructs “…enlist Khas, Magars, Gurungs and Thakuris and only these four jats.” The Brahmins have been singled out probably in keeping with the advice of his maternal uncle as “patak lagne”.

On the four clans of warriors in Gorkha, the Khas, as the swift Arabian horse, has been recommended by Udyat Sen to have the job done quickly but with that wise reservation "or so it seems to me"! Regarding the Magars, Udyat Sen, born and bred in the Magarat country of Palpa, has correctly likened them to the slow "tangan ghoda". Though slow, the Magars are trustworthy as compared to the fast but unpredictable Khas, “or so it seems to me”.



iii)            Biraj Bakheti as Kazi:

Professor Dineshraj Pant: “…. Mero man ma ta Biraj Bakheti lai Kazai dina anteko thiyo. Tara jyada buddhi Kalu Pande kai thaharyo ra Kalu Pande lai Kazai bhaya ko ho.”

Father Ludwig F Stiller SJ: “…It was in my mind to make Biraj Bakheti Kazi. But Kalu Pande was thought to be wiser and Kalu Pande was made Kazi……”

Writer’s Reflection: According to the book Nepali Sena Ligligkot dekhi Bartaman samma BS 1616 – 2071 by Dr. Prem Singh Basnet (Nepal army’s retired Brigadier General): “…Nuwakot ko yuddha hare pachhi Prithwinarayan le Biraj Bakheti lai Kazi dine nirnaye gare. Tara unle bhardar ra janata ko sallaha magda Kalu Pande lai Kazi dinda ramro hunchha bhanne sujhab ayeko le sohi anusar unko satta Kalu Pande lai Kazi banaiyeko thiyo….” Dr. Basnet mentions that when Gorkha under the young Prithwi Narayan Shah prepared to make the first attack on Nuwakot in 1743 AD, the army commander was the Magar, Biraj Thapa. As the Gorkha army was not fully prepared, Biraj Thapa delayed his attack. But Maheshwar Pant immediately reported to the king that Biraj Thapa was delaying because he was afraid to go to war. The young king sacked Biraj and put instead Maheshwar as the army commander. Maheshwar Pant’s Nuwakot attack, like his father’s, failed miserably. Dr. Basnet then continues to make the above statement that Prithwi Narayan Shah actually wanted to make Biraj Bakheti his Kazi. There is some confusion[17] regarding Dr. Basnet’s statement when his Biraj Thapa becomes Biraj Bakheti. But Bakheti could be a sub-thar of Thapa like Gyami being sub-thar of Rana – Jayant Rana/Gyami Rana. However, the historian Dr. Basnet is in no doubt that Biraj Bakheti is a Magar. Both Dr. Dilli Raman Regmi[18] and Dr. Tulsi Ram Vaidya[19] mention that it was Vijaya Thapa and not Biraj Thapa whom Prithwi Narayan made his army commander to make the first attack on Nuwakot. Vijaya Thapa accompanied Prithwi Narayan Shah during his adventurous trip to Benaras/India.

iv)           Salyan Kot’s Rana Pujari:


Professor Dineshraj Pant: “ …. Sallyan Kotki Devi …. … ratma sopana bhayo …. due hatma khadga liyeko sat ath barsaki kanya …. timi kaski chhori hau bhani maile bhanda pujahari Ranako chhori hun bhanin …. duwai khadga mero hatma diyin…. arasi mero mukh samma lyae yo nila bhanin ra timro manko akanchhya purai diyeko chha bhanin ……ma pani biunjhau ra Bhanu jaisi Kulananda jaisi pujahari Ranalai dakya …..”

Father Ludwig F Stiller SJ: “ … went to have darshan of the devi at Sallyan Kot ……. had a dream …. a seven or eight year old maiden … bearing a sword in either hand …. I asked her who her father was. She answered she was the daughter of the Rana priest of the temple …. She placed the swords in my hands and placing an arasi shaped object on my lips said “Swallow it…whatever you wish for you will receive it.”  I awoke…. Called for Bhanu Jyotisi and Kulananda Jyotisi as well as the Rana priest.”

Writer’s Reflection: After the darshan of Sallyan Kotki Devi, Prithwi Narayan Shah attacked Nuwakot (his second but including that of his father, third attack) in 1744 AD and as blessed by the Salyan Devi captured it. This Salyan Kotki Devi in Dhading has another historical significance[20] to the Shah Kings. Gorkha king Purna Shah’s queen came to stay at Salyan Kot with Ram Shah in her womb. Ram Shah was born and raised at Salyan Kot. When his brother, the childless Gorkha king, Chhatra Shah died, the people of Salyan took him and made him king – to become one of the most notable Shah kings. However, this temple of Sallyan Kot with the Rana Magar Pujari does not figure prominently as the other temples[21] serviced by Magar Pujaris: Thapas of Gorkha’s Manakamana, Ales of Tanahu’s Chhabdibarahi, Ales of Sunsari’s Budha Subba (actually Budha Baje[22]), Ranas of Syangja’s Alamthan, Rana/Ales of Lamjung’s Kalika and Aslami/Pulamis (Bhirkote susare) of Gorkha’s Gorakhkali. History researchers have the tendency to conclude that the presence of Magar pujaris in the Magarat country is but natural. The noted scholar, Dr. Dilli Raman Regmi, writes[23] that the Magars on both sides of the Kali Gandak “…were the first tribal people to come into contact with the emigrant Rajputs and Brahmans since the early 11th century. The Magars were totally metamorphosed in the Brahmanical society and held a place in the caste hierarchy below the Khasas…..The Rajput emigrants had not only wrested power from them but also mixed with them by marrying their women. Prithwi Narayan Shah called himself the Raja of the Magar country (Magrat).”  Another noted scholar, Dr. Dor Bahadur Bista, adds[24] … Sankaracharya was able to convince the Nepali king, Shiva Deva, to have Brahmins appointed with exclusive privileges to act as priests at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. The fact that the major temples had to be staffed by Brahmin priests gave them high ritual status at the political level and they were endowed with land grants which gave them economic independence.” Now why weren’t the countless temples in the Magarat country ‘metamorphosized’ with Brahman priests like in the Nepal (Kathmandu) valley? This necessarily requires thorough, holistic and unbiased researches so that “tumra santan ra hamro santanle” know the ultimate truths. In Dibya Upadesh, Prithwi Narayan Shah refers to conquering ‘Tin Sahar Nepal ra Naulakh Kirat ra Hindupati[25] ko Rajya’. But if one combs minutely through the Dibya Upadesh, Prithwi Narayan Shah emphatically says ‘Magarat ko Raja mai hun!’ and “…. Yo fulbari ko chhota bada charai jat chhattisai barnale yo asil Hindustana ho. Afna kul dharma nachhodnu.” Though Prithwi Narayan does mention asil Hindustan, mark the following sentence about not abandoning one’s kul dharma. To get the flavor of that ‘Magarat ko Raja’ it is worth delving into the Shah Kings’ tutelary deity (kul devta) at the temple of Syangja's Alamdevi and also the temples at Lamjung's Kalika and Gorkha's Gorakhkali.

Alamdevi: This temple is on Syangja’s Lasargha ridge just east of Ridi. Lasargha’s Alamdevi is Jainkhan’s fort where Durga Bhavani’s victory flag furls and in the local (Magar?) language Alam means victory flag. The Shah kings established Lasargha’s Alamdevi as their Kali. A celibate Maski Rana Magar is the Pujari of Alamdevi. According to noted historian Dr. Dilli Raman Regmi[26], who refers to Goraksadisa Champu, Jainkhan’s son Suryakhan left Lasargha to establish his kingdom at Khilung. After Suryakhan’s death while the elder son Khancha went east to Bhirkot, the younger Mincha went to Nuwakot, north of Bhirkot and established their kingdoms. Khancha’s descendents again migrated southwards to Ishan and Dhor. But Minchha’s youngest son, Jagatikhan, established his kingdom in Kaski and after defeating the Ghale king of Kahol became known as Kulmandan Shah, using for the first time the Shah surname. As per the request of Lamjung people (probably Gurungs who seem to be fed up with their Ghale king), Kulmandan’s second son, Kalu Shah, became the king of Lamjung. However, Kalu Shah was killed during hunting most probably by the displaced Lamjung Ghale king (Sekhant tribe?). This is when Kulmandan’s youngest son, Yasobrahma, became the Lamjung king. By taking on his side the Gurungs of Lamjung, Yasobrahma defeated the Ghale king and ruled Lamjung. Yasobrahma’s second son, Drabya Shah, defeated another Ghale king to become the founder of Gorkha kingdom (reigned 1559-70 AD), one of the Chaubise kingdoms. Of the more notable Gorkha kings, Ram Shah, who reigned from 1606 to 1633 AD, is known for his famous 26 Tithis and ‘Nya paunu Gorkha janu.’ Prithwi Narayan Shah, the founder of modern Nepal, (reigned 1742–74 AD), after capturing the three cities of Nepal in 1769, moved his capital from Gorkha to Kathmandu.

With this historical background, one can not but connect the ruling Shah dynasty with the Magar Pujaris from Syangja’s Alamdevi to Lamjung’s Kalika, Gorkha’s Gorakhkali and Dhading’s Salyankot and then on to Kathmandu’s Hanuman Dhoka where on each Dashain six Magar pujaris bring the Fulpati (belpatra, ukhuko pat, kerako pat, dadim, fruits etc.) from Gorkha Durbar to Kathmandu. Having combed the Shah rulers minutely, Dr. DR Regmi, the noted scholar, wryly commented that the following two practices[27] of the Shah dynasty are not known in Rajasthan, the home of their so-called Ksatriyas origin in India: i) marrying of first cousins outside their gotra (which the Magars still do[28]) and ii) sacrificing a pig in the sanctum sanctorium of Lasargha’s Alamdevi temple in Dasain! To Dr. Regmi’s above two practices of the Shah dynasty, the writer adds one more practice the Rajasthan Ksatriyas are not encumbered with: that of the “thread-less” Rana Magar Pujaris – by Brahmanic standards a polluted low caste ethnic group[29] - performing religious rites at the sanctum sanctorim of the ruling Shah’s clan deities! 


v)            Gyami Rana:
Professor Dineshraj Pant: “…..Mahamandal ma Gyami Rana thiyo. Tan hamra bhar ko Gyami hos. Mahamandal chhodi de ma chheu aija bhani pathaya ra huna ta ma hajur ko hun tara Jaya Prakash Malla ko nun khai halyen, mari metnyachhu bhani hank pari pathayo….

Father Ludwig F Stiller SJ: " …..In Mahamandal there was a Gyami Rana. ‘Be one of us….Come with me.’ Thus the message I sent to him. And he answered that it was true that he did belong to me. ‘But’ said he 'I have eaten the salt of Jaya Prakash Malla and I will be true to this until death.'

Writer’s Reflection: Prithwi Narayan Shah’s reference of Gyami Rana is Kazi Jayant Rana. Gyami is merely a sub-division of Rana thar. Narbhupal Shah, Prithwi’s father, had also eyed the wealth[30] and opulence of the Nepal kingdom whose western border stretched along the Trishuli river with Nuwakot as the chief western fortress. In AD 1737 Narbhupal sent his Gorkha army under the command of surprisingly two Kazis, Maheshwar Pant and Jayant Rana to capture Nuwakot. The attack failed and the entire blame was thrown on Jayant Rana by the Pande Sardars[31] of Gorkha. Believing these false charges, an irate Narbhupal stripped Jayant Rana of his Kazi post. When suspicion of collusion with the enemy fell on him, Jayant Rana joined the Kathmandu king, Jaya Prakash Malla, who must have happily welcomed such a senior officer from his opponent. Unhappy with the Nuwakot commander, Kashiram Thapa, Jaya Prakash Malla had him replaced by Jayant Rana. As Jayant Rana knew the strength and weakness of the Gorkha army, the shrewd Prithwi Narayan Shah employed Kautalya’s ‘sham-dam’ art by attempting to entice him with “Tanh, hamro ghar ko Gyami hos, Mahamandal chhodi de, Ma chheu aija.” But Jayant, like the true Magar that he was, replied 'Huna ta ma hajurai ko hun tara Jaya Pragash Malla ko nun khai halya, mari metanchhu!' So after the Nuwakot defeat, when Jayant Rana was caught at Belkot, Prithwi Narayan Shah had him skinned alive. The defeated Magar Jayant probably misunderstood Prithwi Narayan’s previous call of “you are one us” for clemency. During the Nuwakot battle, Sankhamani Rana, Jayant Rana's son, was also killed by Dal Mardan Shah, Prithwi Narayan’s younger brother from the same mother. Noted historian Baburam Acharya justifies this flaying alive of Jayant Rana as the prevailing practice among the Chaubise kingdoms for traitors. Stiller, on the other hand, disagrees with Baburam calling it a harsh act in an era when warfare had its harsh aspects. Undoubtedly, this skinning alive of Gyami Rana and cutting-off the noses of Kirtipur defenders are some of the dark blots in the character of Prithwi Narayan Shah.

vi)           Pandes, Basnyets, Panthas and Magars – each in turn:

Professor Dineshraj Pant: “….Pande, Basnyet, Panth bhaiyad Mangar lai maratap dinda alopalo palo gari khana dinu. E mera nun gunka swajha sewak hun….

Father Ludwig F Stiller SJ:   "In giving the kazi's post to the Pandes, Basnyets, Panthas and Magars, give it to them each in turn. They are the true servants of my salt….."

Writer’s Reflection: Of Ram Shah’s Chhathar Ghar, Prithwi Narayan Shah has left out the Aryal, Khanal and Bohara but retained the Pande, Panth and Magar as “….mera nun gunka swajha sewak ….” But he has introduced a new Thar, the Basnets. There is some confusion here between Pant and Stiller. According to Pant and even Baburam Acharya/Yogi Narharinath[32], the word ‘maratap’ is the remuneration provided to the families of those who fell in battles – mare bapat ko khanki. Stiller, on the other hand, interprets this ‘maratap’ as the Kazi’s post to be given turn by turn. On Pant’s interpretation of ‘mare bapat ko khanki’ turn by turn, it is difficult to understand why Prithwi Narayan Shah would give such a counsel – mare bapat palo palo khane! Be that as it may, the Kazi’s post or remuneration, the Magars along with the Khas has been identified as one of the beneficiaries.

vii)         a) Enlist Khas, Magars, Gurungs and Thakuris –

Professor Dineshraj Pant: “Pattipattima sipahi pani Khas, Magar, Gurung, Thakuri inai char jat matrai khichola gari halnu …..ra tarwar parda sahro hunchha ra bairi ta kya Indrako asan pani dagaichha.”
Father Ludwig F Stiller SJ:In their own companies enlist Khas, Magars, Gurungs and Thakuris and only these four jats……. In time of war the enemy and heaven itself will tremble.” ….
Writer’s Reflection: When conversing with his maternal uncle, Udyat Sen, Prithwi Narayan Shah had told him that he had “char jat ka Sipahi chhan ….. Bahun, Khas, Magar, Thakuri….” Probably in keeping with his uncle’s advice “….Bahun ko sawar bhanya ko Bayel ho Patak lagchha….,” Prithwi Narayan refrained from recruiting the Bahuns and had the Gurungs replace them.
With the arms looted at Makwanpur in 1762 AD from Mir Kasim’s Gurgin Khan, Prithwi Narayan Shah duly established four regular Khas Regiments[33] in his army: Shri Nath 1762 AD (BS 1819 Ashwin 5), Kali Baksh (BS 1819 Ashwin 5), Barda Bani (BS 1819 Ashwin 9) and Sabuj (BS 1819 Ashwin 9). Five months later on Falgun 10, 1819 BS he established another Regiment called Gorakh composed entirely of Magars. However, in BS 1840, when the eccentric and at times lunatic King Ran Bahadur established another regiment with the same name Gorakh, the two regiments had to be renamed Purano Gorakh[34] (PG) and Naya Gorakh – with Purano Gorakh maintaining the Magar ethnicity. But Dr. Prem Singh Basnet (retired Brigadier General, Nepal Army) differs writing[35] “…BS 1842 Poush 16 Purano Gorakh, a regiment of Magars (established BS 1819) and BS 1842 Bhadra 13 Bhavani Dal, another Magar regiment, were established.” The other Regiment in the Nepalese army with the Gurung ethnicity is the Kali Bahadur. During the Nepal-Tibet war of 1854 AD, the Gurungs in the Kali Baksh regiment displayed exemplary bravery. Hence, with the recommendation of Prime Minister Jung Bahdur King Surendra Bickram Shah in 1855 AD disbanded the Letar Company and handed over its colours to the newly established regiment Kali Bahadur where all the Gurungs from Kali Baksh were transferred.


b) Gurungs, Magars and Khans very Loyal:

Professor Dineshraj Pant:  "Gurung, Magar, Khanjada, bhaiyad, bhardar, mir umrao, tharghar puranapurana janchi ghunda gaundama rakhnu."
Father Ludwig F Stiller SJ: ”Gurungs, Magars and Khans are very loyal. Their nobles, chieftains and headmen and the very old families should be tested and placed close to the king.”  
Writer’s Reflection: Father Stiller, in his translation, has interpreted the ‘ghunda gaunda’ as the palace periphery – close to the king. The writer, on the other hand, initially interpreted this to mean tested families of Gurungs, Magars and Khans be posted at important forts and saddles of the newly acquired territories. This was because the Magars and Gurungs are found scattered in the east although the home base of both these two races are to the west of Kathmandu. However, the immediate next sentence in the Dibya Upadesh: "Purba-paschhimka khas-bahunlai Darbarma paith huna (pasnu) nadinu kyana bhanaula: bahida manchhyale darbarma bethiti garauchhan", appears to support Father Stiller’s interpretation.
This "Purba-paschhimka khas-bahunlai Darbarma paith huna nadinu” upadesh has been a sensitive much discussed subject. During the Panchayat regime, the Dibya Upadesh handouts published by Shri 5 ko Sarkar, Sikchhya Mantralaya, Puratatwa Bibhag has the following footnote to this statement: “Afna rajya dekhi bahira Purba ra Paschhim ma raheka Khas ra Brahman.” The noted scholar Baburam Acharya, however, has his own interpretation. Acharya says that Prithwi Narayan Shah, busy with his Gorkha kingdom expansion, had his son, Crown Prince Pratap Singh Shah, tutored by Pandit Bajranath Poudel[36] from the West and looked after by the bodyguard, Sardar Swarup Singh Karki of the East. Later, Prithwi Narayan Shah realized that the Crown Prince was tutored and raised in the wrong manner and hence made that statement about the Khas-Bahun of east and west. The other noted scholar, Mahesh Chandra Regmi, merely limited himself with since "outsiders violate traditions.” Some, however, explain that Prithwi Narayan Shah himself asked why and gave the answer: “bahida manchhyale darbarma bethiti garauchhan." Many believe the Shah Kings followed this Upadesh to the letter but the Eton/Harvard educated King Birendra Shah broke[37] this tradition only to face the tragic consequences.


viii)        In Courts, tested Thakuris as Ditthas and tested Magars as bichari:

Professor Dineshraj Pant: “Adalath ma pani Thakuri janchi didtha rakhnu, Magar janchi Bichari thapnu, kachahari pichhe ek ek Pandit rakhi niyasastra bamojim Adalath chalaunu.

Ludwig F Stiller SJ:  In the courts put tested Thakuri as judges and tested Magars as clerks. In each court put a man skilled in the law.”

Writer’s Reflection: According to Dr. DR Regmi while the Didthas ‘rendered function of judicial authority”, the Bicharis “sat in judgement over cases.” Stiller has interpreted the ‘Pandit’ as a person skilled in law and in the writer’s opinion this is not incorrect. Many would, however, interpret Pandit as the Brahman. In Baburam Acharya/Yogi Narharinath edited Dibya Upadesh, pariskarkarta Srikrishna Acharya explained this Upadesh thus: Yintaka Nepalma raheka Thakuri tatha Magarharu atyanta nai sidhasadha, imandar tatha kartabyaprayan jatika rupma parichit raheka thiye. Yiniharu lobhlalachma kunai halatma pani fasdainan ra yiniharu bata anyay pani huna sakdaina bhanne janadharana rahiayeko thiyo. But this explanation surprisingly continued on with: Huna pani yintakasamma Thakuri tatha Magarharu ahileka jasta lobhi tatha lalachi pani thiyenan. Was such explanation really necessary? One may ask, with due apology, what about “ahile taka ka ganaune Adalath” totally devoid of Thakuris and Magars? The writer believes this is an appendix of Srikrisha Acharya and not those of Baburam or the Yogi Narharinath!

ix)           Turks, Magars and Mughals might attack Nepal – I am a Magar king:

Professor Dineshraj Pant: “Nepal ko kitab herda Turkana Mangarat Muglana hunya rahechha ra Turkana aghi bhaigayechha. Magarat ko Raja mai hun…..”
Father Ludwig F Stiller SJ:  In the history of Nepal I say that the Turks, the Magars  and the Mughals might attack Nepal. The Turkish attack had come. But I am a Magar king.…” 

Writer’s Reflection: Stiller, despite finding Prithwi Narayan’s statement confusing, believes that Prithwi Narayan Shah meant that the Turkish invasion by Shamsuddin Ilyas has come and gone, Prithwi Narayan himself carried out the Magar invasion and the Mughal invasion was that of Mir Kasim. Though Prithwi Narayan in his life time acquired large chunks of territories extending from Gorkha to Chaudandi/Morang east of Kosi river, these were territories of the Makwanpur[38] Sen kings who prided themselves as Hindupati Rajas. Besides his own Gorkha kingdom, Prithwi Narayan was yet to become the Raja of Magarat kingdoms that were still in powerful hands. These tasks were still to be undertaken by his strong-willed daughter-in-law Rajendra Laxmi and his father-like son Bahadur Shah who ultimately subdued the Magarat kingdoms many of which like Kaski and Lamjung were, ironically, ruled by their own Shah relatives!

Epilogue:
The writer, a Magar from the Magarat country, is bound to see Prithwi Narayan Shah’s Dibya Upadesh through the tinted eyes of a Magar and hence bound to suffer from the human failings thereto. He makes no claim that what he has written is his final words. Take the case of the Gorkha attack on Nuwakot in 1737 AD during Narphupal’s time. After the Gorkha army led by Kazis Maheshwar Panth and Jayant Rana (Gyami Rana) were thoroughly beaten by the Nepal (Kathmandu) army, Maheshwar Panth’s fine eloquence and communicating ability put the following blame entirely on the Magars in his “binti to the saharai risani’ Maharaja Narbhupal[39]manjur pardo bhayo”:
Shri 5 Maharaja Narbhupal Shahka hajurma gai darsan garna janda saharai risani bhayo Kazi Maheshwar Panth kehi binti garda bhaya kasto binti bhanya hazurka kamma bado chittalai kam gardainan. Kazi bhanya ka ta hami po hun ra hamra thau ma e Kazi huna aya bhani ris gari admildo kam matra garchhan. E Magar sathi li hajurko kam pani hola bhanya jasto mandina. Ma pani jas paunya chhaina bhani binti garya ra binti manjur pardo bhayo.
Lacking severely the flowery languages of the Panths, Kazi Jayant Rana, the typical Spartan Magar that he was, tersely “binti garya ….ra hami Shri 5 Maharajko kumaudo garya rahyachhau bhanya hami yahan nabasi rahula bhani tadki kohi Nepal aya kohi yatratatra lagya.
Bolna sakne ko pitho pani bikchha, na bolne ko chamal pani bikdaina. Thus, Jayant Rana and other Magars landed up to eat the salt of Jaya Prakash Malla, the Kathmandu king, only to be skinned alive seven years later in 1744 AD by Narbhupal’s own son, Prithwi Narayan Shah. The ethnically majority Magars in the Magarat country were one of the principal ally of the Gorkha Shah kings from the time of Drabya Shah (1559-70 AD). Ram Shah (1606-33 AD) in his famous 26 Thitis had included in his 11th Thiti “….Pande, Panth, Aryal, Khanal, Rana (Magar), Bohara timiharu Chha Thar bhayau….”. When Gorkha king Prithwipati’s eldest son, Birbhadra, died as a Crown Prince, the next brother, Dal Shah, nearly succeeded his father. It was Prince Chandrarup Shah with Biraj Thapa (Magar), Goreshwar Pant and Bhimraj Pande who restored[40] the rightful heir, Narbhupal (Prithwi Narayan’s father), to the Gorkha throne. The rivalry, to get the ears of the King, among the Chha Thar, was intense. During Prithwi Narayan’s time with the rise of the Basnets, the clashes[41] were between the Pandes and Basnets and also between the Panths and Magars. The astute Prithwi Narayan Shah bonded the Pande-Basnet through marriage, the Pande’s daughter married to Basnet’s son. Unfortunately, he failed to bond the Panths and Magars resulting in tragic consequences for the Magars until they were decimated from the upper echelon! In hindsight, it can be said that Maheshwar Panth was instrumental in the flaying alive of Jayant Rana. Similarly, during the regency of Queen Rajendra Laxmi, Pratap Shah’s widow, Kazi Sriharsha Panth was instrumental[42] in circulating false rumours about Kazi Sarvajit Rana being the paramour of the Queen Rajendra Laxmi[43]. This resulted in Sarvajit Rana losing his head when Bahadur Shah and Daljit Shah conspired to get rid of both the Queen and Sarvajit.
The erudite scholar, Mahesh Chandra Regmi, has very lucidly put on record[44]:
“Approximately 49 men attained the position of Kajis during the period from 1768 to 1814….. The Basnyat family alone provided at least eleven among the 49 Kajis….The Pandes… supplied at least nine among the 49 Kajis….The nine Thapa Kajis….It should be noted that Thapa is a family name of both Chhetris and Magars….. At least seven among the 49 Kajis of this period were Magars of the Rana and Thapa clans while one, Narsing, was a Gurung. Several Magars were appointed as Kajis during Queen Rajendra Laxmi's regency (1777-'85) including Bandhu Rana, his brother, Sarvajit Rana and Devadatta Thapa. The turbulent period following Ran Bahadur's assassination marked the virtual end of Magar-Gurung representation at the Kaji level. Narsing Gurung was beheaded while the four Rana Magar Kajis were removed from their posts…..”
In 1854, after Jung Bahadur’s take-over, the following are the caste distribution[45] of Senior Personnel: Khas/Chhetri – 61 (with 26 Kunwars, up from 3 in 1841, 10 Basnets, 3 Thapas and 1 Pande), Thakuris – 4 (down from 17 in 1841 AD) and Magars – 3. Furthermore, Mahesh Chandra Regmi, unlike other Nepalese historians, had the intellectual fiber to record his following factual but unpleasant findings:
“….. the Gorkhali political elite comprised a tiny minority……Most of its members came from Gorkha and consisted of individuals and families who had accompanied Prithwi Narayan Shah when he transferred his capital from Gorkha to Kathmandu…….  Prithwi Narayan Shah instructed his successors "not to let any Khas or Brahman from the east and west enter into the Palace" since "outsiders violate traditions."…. The Gorkhali political leadership was dominated by two groups, the Shah royal dynasty belonging to the Thakuri caste and Chhetris…… The political leadership, in essence, was thus a Shah-Chhetri coalition which retained state power in its hands in order to wring economic surpluses from the peasantry and share the proceeds.
With the assassination[46] of Ran Bahadur Shah in May 1806 and the rise of the Khas, Bhimsen Thapa, this Shah-Chhetri political equation tilted much towards the Khas/Chhetris. This was an era of ambitious Regents ruling in the name of infants and demented Shah Kings. After the dramatic 1846 Kot massacre, Jung Bahadur Kunwar, a Khas/Chhetri, usurped all political power for his single Kunwar family to rule Nepal for another 104 years. In fact, after Rana Bahadur’s assassination in 1806 to the downfall of Mohun SJB Rana in 1951, an era spanning 145 years, Nepal was completely ruled by the Khas/Chhetris who were not under the Chhathar Ghar category of King Ram Shah. In keeping with the proverb “Jiske hath me lathi, uske Bhains”, it was but natural for the Khas/Chhetris to wring out the economic surpluses from the poor peasantry. Yet, so succinctly addressed by another Nepalese proverb “Dhan khane Chari, dosh paune Musa”, the descendents of Prithwi Narayan Shah were, unfortunately, at the receiving end, paying the price dearly.
Prithwi Narayan Shah believed “Praja mota bhaye darbar baliyo rahanchha” and the following epic inclusive vision stresses his belief of “strength in diversity”:
Mera sana dukh le arjya ko muluk hoina,
Sabai jatko fulbari ho sabai lai chetana bhaya,
Yo fulbari ko chota bada Charai Jat Chattis Varna le yo asil Hindustan ho,
Afna kuladharma na chhodnu,
Unfortunately, with the introduction of the 1854 Mulki Ain by Jung Bahadur and the Brahman Pandes crowned with the mantle of Shree Chha Dharma Adhikari, the strength in Nepal’s diversity of 36 Varnas as envisioned by Prithwi Narayan Shah were roughly trodden over by the Char Jat. The Shree Chha ruled the roost sweeping aside Prithwi Narayan’s “chetana bhaya, afna kula dharma na chhodnu!”  As for the animist/Hinduised Magars, Kaji Abhiman Singh Rana, who was the first to smell Jung Bahadur’s plot, became the first victim to be felled at the 1846 Kot massacre. By hanging another Magar, Lakhan Thapa, in 1875, Jung Bahadur and his brother Dhir Shumshere’s family[47] buried the Magars so deeply that they have still failed to rise in the last 150 years!  The Dibya Upadesh is the veritable record of the sacrifices and contributions of the Magars[48] during the critical expansion period in the creation of modern Nepal. But history, being the record of the victors, has been unkind to the Magars! One only hopes that as stated by Prithwi Narayan Shah’s Dibya Upadesh …tumra santan le hamra santan lai sunaun ra yo Rajya (char jat chhattis varna ko) thami khanan!”

The End




[1]  The writer is grateful to Hari Prasad Sodariji, compiler of this Dibya Upadesh book, for kindly giving him an opportunity to pen this article for his book. He is also grateful to the many other scholars and friends who provided their invaluable inputs in particular the following persons: Professor Dineshraj Pant (who loaned him his books), Dr. Prem Singh Basnet (retired Brigadier-General Nepal Army), retired Nepal army Lt-General Amar Pant, ex-Ministers Balaram Gharti Magar and MS Thapa, retired-AIG Dr. Govinda Prasad Thapa, Dr. Min Sirismagar, ex-MP Suresh Ale, retired-Colonel Sundar Pratap Rana etc.
[2]  Actually, Winston Churchill had remarked in the 1930s at the House of Commons that history would find Prime Minister Baldwin wrong “because I shall write that history.”
[3]  This is also attributed to Winston Churchill and is particularly applicable to the post-1951 Nepal era. Nepal’s difficult years and her glorious past are all swept under the carpet and one is familiarized only with such names like Tribhuvan (University), Mahendra (Rajmarga), BP Koirala (Rajmarga, Cancer/Eye Hospitals/Institute), Manmohan Adhikari/GP Koirala/Sushil Koirala (Hospitals) etc. giving the young Nepalese and foreigners the sad impression that Nepal had no history prior to 1951 – but a mere result of 1947 when the colonial British left the Indian subcontinent!
[4]  Nepal Electricity Corporation. Bijuli Adda was the term used for the Electricity Utility Office since Prime Minister Chandra Shumshere inaugurated the 500 Kw Pharping hydroelectric station in 1911. This Bijuli Adda was bifurcated into Electricity Department and Nepal Electricity Corporation in 1962 AD to be amalgamated again into Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in 1985 AD and presently in the process of bifurcation – Small is Beautiful!
[5]  Prem Subba is the younger brother of Randhir Subba, former Minister, Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuvan University and ambassador to China during the critical Mao Tse Tung era.
[6] On Dibya Upadesh, the noted scholar, Dr. Dilli Raman Regmi, asserted “Baburam Acharyya writes (LPN, III, pp 629 ff) that as Prithvinarayana reached Noakot he was already a tired man….. The Acharyya however goes on to say that Prithvinarayana undertook to dictate his Divyopadesa at this time ……The writing was unknown before 1954 or so. This was brought to light by a descendant of the old Bosnet family and published. According to the editor’s note, the whole is in the handwriting of Abhiman Singh who had written verbatim as Prithvinarayana uttered the words….. But one cannot vouchsafe for its being in reality the pronouncement of Prithvinarayana.” While historians will continue to question the authenticity of “the pronouncement of Prithvinarayana”, the Dibya Upadesh is still a record, filled with jewels of wisdom, of the struggles by the Gorkha kingdom in the founding of Modern Nepal.
[7]  Prithwi Narayan Shah’s short Dibya Upadesh has the word Magar and Magar related personalities (Surathi Singh, Biraj Bakheti, Sallyan Devi's Rana priest, Gyami Rana etc.) mentioned 14 times!
[8]  The original Dibya Upadesh, that Professor Dineshraj Pant calls Mulpath, has Surathi and not Surath.
[9]  Pant, Professor Dineshraj. Shri 5 Prithwi Narayan Shah ko Dipyopadesh ra Sanchhipta Jiwani. 2073 BS. Manjari Publication, Putali Sadak, Kathmandu. All quotes of Dibya Upadesh in Nepali, unless otherwise mentioned, are those of Professor Pant from his above mentioned book.
[10]  Ludwig, Father F Stiller SJ. Prithwi Narayan Shah in the Light of Dibya Upadesh. 1968 AD. Himalaya Book Centre, Bag Bazar, Kathmandu. All quotes of Dibya Upadesh in English, unless otherwise mentioned, are those of Father LF Stiller SJ from his above mentioned book.
[11]  In the Imperial Mughal court, some wet-nurses of Mughal emperors did become significant. Akbar’s wet-nurse, Maham Anaga, was a powerful figure and so was her eldest son, Adham Khan, Akbar’s foster-brother. Adham Khan was so cruel and uncontrollable that in 1561 he killed the Mughal Prime Minister, Atagha Khan. Following that murder, Akbar, in his fit of rage, knocked Atagha out and threw him out from the second-floor palace window to his death. Later filled with remorse, Akbar did penance and built a magnificent tomb for his foster-brother above the Qutb complex and the walls of Lal Kot in South Delhi. The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857; William Dalrymple, 2006. Viking/Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi.
[12]  Acharya, Baburam. Nepal ko Sanchhipta Brittant Khanda 1. 2022 BS. Pramod Shumshere and Nir Bickram ‘Pyasi’. Kathmandu.
[13]  Bhandari, Professor Dhundiraj. Nepal ko Aitihasik Bibechana. 2015 BS. Krishna Kumari. Varanasi.
[14] While jethi Maharani, Chandra Prabha Devi, was the Khanchi ruler’s daughter, Prithwi Narayan Shah’s biological mother, mahili Maharani Kaushalyawati, was the daughter of King Gandharva Sen of Palpa. These two queens were distantly related and hence Prithwi Narayan was jethi Maharani’s apple of her eyes as she had no issue. Narbhupal’s third Queen was from Malaibam/Parbat and from Tanahu the fourth Queen who suffered the fate of Sati with Narbhupal. 
[15]  While jethi Maharani had no issues, mahili Maharani bore three sons (Prithwi Narayan, Dal Mardan, Prithvipati) and one daughter (Padma Kumari). The sahili Queen from Malebam/Parbat bore two sons (Virendra Kesar and Sur Pratap) while the fourth Queen from Tanahu had two sons (Mahoddham Kirti and Daljit) and one daughter. Narbhupal had 5 illegitimate sons and 2 daughters. Source: Dr. Dilli Raman Regmi’s Modern Nepal. 2007. Rupa&Co. Delhi.
[16] Ibid footnote 12.
[17]  Ex-MP Suresh Ale informed the writer that his enquiries at the Nepal Magar Association confirmed that Bakheti is a Magar thar thus supporting Dr. Prem Basnet that Biraj Bakheti is a Magar. Professor Dineshraj Pant, Dr. Triratna Manandhar and even Lt-General Amar Pant, who hails from Gorkha, could neither confirm nor refute that Biraj Bakheti was a Magar. BK Rana’s book Gorkha Magarharu. 2054 BS. Rajmaiya Rana Magar. Kathmandu does not have Biraj Bakheti’s name in the list of the then important Gorkha Magars.
[18]  Regmi, Dr. Dilli Raman. Modern Nepal Volume I & II. 1961. Rupa & Co. Delhi
[19] Vaidya, Dr. Tulasi Ram. Prithvinarayan Shah, The Founder of Modern Nepal. 1993. Educational Publishing House. Kathmandu
[20] Gurung, Dr. Jagman. Gandaki Prasaban Chhetra ko Sanskritik Sampada. 2067 BS. Paschimanchal Bikash Manch. Kathmandu.
[21] Sirismagar, Dr. Min. Magar Pujari raheka prasiddha Devsthalharu. 2068 BS. Magar Addhyen Kendra. Kathmandu.
[22]  When the writer met the Ale Pujari in 2069 BS he was told that the name-change from Budha Baje to Budha Subba occurred in the early 2020s during the Panchyat regime. The Ale Pujari said that old Tharus, who come to worship there, still call it Budha Baje.
[23]  Regmi, Dr. Dilli Raman. Modern Nepal Volume I & II. First published 1961. 2007. Rupa & Co. Delhi
[24]  Bista, Dr. Dor Bahadur. Fatalism and Development. Orient Longman Limited. 1991. Hyderabad, India.
[25]  The kings of Makwanpur and Bijayapur had taken this Hindupati title – Father LF Stiller SJ in Prithwi Narayan Shah in the Light of Dibya Upadesh. 1968. Himalaya Book Centre. Kathmandu
[26]  Ibid footnote 25.
[27]  Such a singularly striking practice is also found at Mustang’s Muktinath where the worship of Lord Vishnu at the innermost sanctum of sanctorium is performed by Jhuma, a Buddhist nun. It is believed this practice was instituted by the Jumla Malla king who, after reading about the presence of Vishnu’s idol in Vedas, trekked all the way to Mustang to discover it. The Brahmans perform worship only at the outer periphery of the sanctorium – a practice instituted only around 1960s through King Mahendra’s hokum pramanggi. When India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to worship at Muktinath on May 12, 2018, he brought his own Indian priest. One only hopes that Prime Minister Modi followed the ageless local Nepalese tradition of Vishnu’s worship at the innermost sanctum of sanctorium through Jhuma, the Buddhist nun, and not his Indian priest!
[28]  While the Magars marry only their Mama’s daughter, the Gurungs, according to Dr. Harka Gurung, “Mama ko chori roji roji, phupu ko chori khoji khoji!”
[29]  Ibid footnote 23. Dor Bahadur Bista also makes the following comment in that book: “It is interesting that much earlier than Jung Bahadur, some Magars took the title of Rana. Today no-one takes seriously the suggestion that the Rana Magars are of Rajput origin because they did not succeed in securing power and wealth as was done by Jung Bahadur, his brothers and their descendants.” This Rana surname also exists among the Tharus of western Nepal. As suggested by Dor Bahadur Bista, present-day-researchers should delve into it.
[30]  Not dissimilar to the wealth of India, eyed by Muslim marauders to be conquered and ruled by the Moghuls from the north. Later, the weakened Moghuls themselves became a prey to such marauders like Nadir Shah (1739 AD) who looted Jehangir’s Peacock Throne and Ghulam Qadir (1788 AD) who blinded the Moghul, Shah Alam II.
[31]  Bhandari, Professor Dhundiraj. Nepalko Aitihasik Bibechana. 2015 BS. Krishnakumari. Baranasi. The blame should have been from the Panths’ side and not Pandes. But the Panths and Pandes could have colluded!
[32]  Editors Baburam Acharya, Yogi Narharinath. Badamaharajdhiraj Shri 5 Prithwinarayan Shah ko Dibya Upadesh.2075.  Fine Print Books. Kathmandu.
[33]  The Nepalese Army, published by the Directorate of Public Relations, first publication 2008.
[34]  Purano Gorakh Gan – Nepalko Udgam Sthalbata Bartaman Samma Publisher Purano Gorakh Gan, Sunkoshi Chhapakhana Pvt. Ltd Maitidevi Kathmandu BS 2059 (AD 2002).

[35] Basnet, Dr. Prem Singh. Nepali Sena (Ligligkot dekhi Bartaman Samma), BS 2071, Brother Books Prakashan Pvt. Ltd. Kathmandu
[36]  Both Swarup Singh Karki and Pandit Bajranath Poudel were powerful during the reign of King Pratap Shah and even in Queen Rajendra Laxmi’s regency. However, after the death of Pratap Singh in 1778 AD, there was a deep feud between Rajendra Laxmi and Bahadur Shah for Regency in the name of the infant King Rana Bahadur. So when Bahadur Shah became the Regent, while Kazi Swarup Singh Karki was beheaded in Kaski, Pandit Bajranath was de-casted, having his head shaved off and banished to Muglan/Kashi. Later when Queen Rajendra Laxmi again became the Regent, Pandit Bajranath was appointed Nepal’s Political Agent for the East India Company by sacking Gajaraj Mishra who was perceived as being pro-Bahadur Shah.
[37]  Incidentally, the two ADCs of Crown Prince Dipendra, who reportedly shot his own father King Birendra, were a Karki and Bohara, one apparently from the east and the other from the west.
[38]  Prithwi Narayan Shah suffered no bad conscience in annexing the kingdom of his first wife’s father - Makwanpur! Prior to that, when his Makwanpur queen wrote him a letter questioning what she had defaulted to be staying at her father’s palace, Prithwi Narayan sent his brother to bring her to Gorkha. After conquering the three-citied Nepal, he also refused to share the booties with his brothers who had helped him. They, thus, went their ways to surface only later on during the regency of Queen Rajendra Laxmi and Bahadur Shah.
[39]  Pant, Professor Dineshraj. Gorkha ko Itihas (Chautho Bhag). 2050 BS. Shri 5 Ko Sarkar Suchana tatha Sanchar Mantralaya, Kathmandu.
[40]  Pant, Professor Dineshraj. Gorkha ko Itihas (Chautho Bhag). 2050 BS. Dineshraj Pant. Kathmandu – When Crown Prince Birbhadra died, his wife was pregnant with Narbhupal and she was in Tanahu with her parents. Birbhadra had confided this only to his brother, Chandrarup. When the infant Narbhupal was secretly brought back to Gorkha, he was hidden in the house of Biraj Thapa, a Magar. Later on when Narbhupal became the Gorkha king, Biraj Thapa is supposed to have proudly showed the humble cot in his house where the infant Narbhupal slept.
[41]  Vaidya, Dr. Tulasi Ram. Prithvinarayan Shah The Founder of Modern Nepal. 1993 AD. Educational Publishing House, Kathmandu.
[42]  Acharya, Baburam. Nepal ko Sanschhipta Brittant (Khanda 1). 2022 BS. Promod Shumshere and Nir Bickram “Pyasi”. Kathmandu – During the first Regency of Queen Rajendra Laxmi, Bahadur Shah wanted to attack Tanahu and expand the Gorkha kingdom towards the west. As the Queen was not for it, the feud started between them. With the support of Kazi Sarvajit Rana, the Queen imprisoned Bahadur Shah. This cost Sarbajit Rana his head when Bahadur Shah, with the help of Chautara Daljit Shah, took over the Regency by imprisoning Rajendra Laxmi.
[43]  Queen Rajendra Laxmi, keen to protect her infant son, Rana Bahadur, the rightful heir of the Nepal throne “…was a dynamic personality…..handled the swords and guns like an officer…..She rode horses and marched at the head of a procession of soldiers bidding them farewell to go to the battlefield. She had raised a corps of women volunteers arming them to the teeth (for her protection) …… But this was done to the chagrin of the traditionalist nobility who took offence at her manly habits…. (and thus worked) to bring about her downfall. Daljit Shah, the Chief of Chautara, was the leader of this group. Regmi, Dr. Dilli Raman. Modern Nepal Volume I & II. First published 1961. 2007. Rupa & Co. Delhi
[44]  Regmi, Dr. Mahesh Chandra. Kings and Political Leaders of the Gorkha Empire 1768 – 1814; 1995, Orient Longman Limited, Hyderbad, India.
[45]  Whelpton, John. Kings, Soldiers and Priests: Nepalese Politics 1830-1857. 1991. Ajay Kumar Jain, Mahohar Publications. New Delhi.
[46]  Rana Bahadur Shah was killed by his half-brother Sher Bahadur Shahi who in turn was killed by Bal Narsingh Kunwar, Jung Bahadur’s father. Bhimsen Thapa took this opportunity to usurp power by resorting to an unprecedented carnage: beheading the old Raja of Palpa, Chautara Vidur Shah, Kazi Tribhuvan Pradhan, Kazi Narsingh Gurung at Bhandarkhal; 17 children of Palpa Raja killed in the garden in the city; 13 children of Vidur Shah, Sher Bahadur and Tribhuvan massacred on the other side of Bishnumati bridge and as there were no woman Sati during the cremation of Swami Rana Bahadur, 8 days later Bhimsen Thapa had the Helambhu banished Maharani brought and burnt along with her 4 female servants. The Swamis’ mistress from Benaras came and 15 days later she also was sent to Sati. Altogether 93 persons, young old and innocent were massacred. Four decades later, Jung Bahadur’s 15th September 1846 Kot Massacre (where 32 high ranking Bharadars with a few low ranking as well – but all male and mature – were massacred) pales in front of Bhimsen Thapa’s 1806 carnage of innocent women and children also. Regmi, Dr. Dilli Raman. Modern Nepal Vol I & II. 1861. Rupa & Co. New Delhi.   
[47] Deprived of the loss of Jagir within their own kingdom, it was but natural for the Magars/Gurungs to follow in the footsteps of the Nalapani hero, Bal Bhadra Kunwar who, dissatisfied with Bhimsen Thapa, opted rather to serve the Punjab’s Ranjit Singh – only to die fighting the Afghans at Yusufijei/Afghanistan in 1823. The Magars/Gurungs enlisted either in Ranjit Singh’s Khalsa army at Lahore (hence the term ‘Lahure’) or the East India Company’s Nasseree/Sirmoor/Kumaon battalions – the three exclusive Gurkha regiments raised in 1815. Despite helping the East India Company during the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, Jung Bahadur did not allow the Magars/Gurungs to join the 3 Gurkha Regiments the British had raised. (See Jung’s Letter 4 to his brother Bam Bahadur from Europe – Paris, 24th August 1850 in John Whelpton’s Kings, Soldiers and Priests). It was ironically his own favourite brother Dhir Shumshere’s sons who, after assassinating their own uncle Ranuddip in 1885, bartered the Gurkha Recruitment with the British for recognition of their Shumshere government in Nepal. This opened the flood-gates of Gurkha recruitment – before the 1914-18 First World War, the Imperial British India had already raised 10 Gurkha Regiments (7 Regiments of Magars/Gurungs, 2 Regiments of Rais/Limbus and 1 Regiment of Khas)! During the First World War, Britain raised 11 Gurkha Regiments each with three Battalions and during the Second World War there were 52 Gurkha Battalions which were, after the war, rapidly demobilized to 27 Battalions – 19 Battalions for the Indian Gorkhas and 8 Battalions for the British Gurkhas.
[48]  During the critical expansion period of Regent Queen Rajendra Laxmi, she relied heavily on the Magars. During her reign, besides Kazi Sarvajit Rana, who lost his head, the other key Magars were Kazi Devdatta Thapa and Sardars Pratiman Rana and Bandu Rana.

धर्म, संस्कृति र जीवनको बहस

  धर्म , संस्कृति र जीवनको बहस अरूणा उप्रेति अनलायन खबर,   २०७७ साउन १८ गते १०:३४ ‘ नो वर्त प्लिज’ गीतको बोललाई लिएर मैले हिन्दु ‘जागर...