Sunday, 17.4.2005
According to Eden Vansittart, in The Gurkhas,
(p. 15-16) “ The sixth and last king of this dynasty, by name of Hari
Deva, had at this time ( about 1100 A.D.) a Magar in his service, who
through the machinations of the ministers, was dismissed. This man
returned to his home and praised Nepal as having houses with golden
roofs and golden pranalis or dharas. The Magar Raja, by name Mukunda
Sena, a brave and powerful monarch, having heard of this, came to Nepal
from the west with a large number of mounted troops, and subdued Hari
Deva, the son of Rama Sinha Deva.”
[This is based on the ‘Notes on Gurkhas’ and ‘Notes on Nepal’ of Eden Vansittart written in 1890 and published in 1895]
Similarly,
John T. Hitchcock in his The Magars of Banyan Hill( p. 4 ) writes,
“…….it was in this southern area, anciently called the Bara Mangranth,
that Magar first made their appearance in written history. During the
twelfth century, they sacked the Kathmandu Valley that long had been the
seat of urban, civilized culture in Nepal.” [This is based on the study
conducted in 1960-62 by the writer]
According to Rajaram Subedi in Baisi Rajyako Etihasik Ruprekha Mukunda Sen was a Thakuri. P. 38
According
to Dr. Jagdish Chandra Regmi in his Nepalko Baidhanik Parampara Mani
Mukunda Sen was a Thakuri king who ruled in 1540-1575 AD.
According
to Francis Buchanan Hamilton in his An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal
and of the terroteries annexed to this dominion by the House of
Gurkhas(first published in 1819) Mukunda Send was a Thakuri king who
came from Chitaur.
---------------------------------------
BK Rana on Mani Mukunda Sen------
1)
According to Bal Chandra Sharma [Aitihasik Ruprekha] > Ratna
Sen was the last King of Chhitaurgarh, Rajasthan, India.
2)
His oldest son Jaya Sen fled and took shelter in Prayag. Jaya Sen’s
descendants while chased by the Muslims arrived ‘Rib+di+kot’,
neighboring kingdom of Palpa via Butwal ,Rishing and Ghiring. [ Magar
Kings are cited as ‘Bhure Takure Rajas’ by historians]
3)
Sharma has also written that Rudra Sen defeated Palpali King. But
who was that Palpali King ? There is no mentioning at all. Magars ?
Unclear history !
4) Mukunda Sen is described as a
Sen Magar in "Naradsmriti Granth" [Keshar Library, Kathmandu]. He had
attacked Kathmandu twice in 1521 BS. And in Chaitra 11, 1522 BS he
annexed Kirtipur. Described as Magar Rajadhiraj Mukunda Sen.
5) Gopal Rajvanshavali also cites SENS as Magars. There are some Sen Magars in Nepal today.
6)
KUSUNDA ORIGIN MYTH: Once upon a time there was a king who had
three sons. Upon the death of the father the first son became king. But
whatever he did everything came out to be bad. So the second son went
and argued whatever you did that came out bad so you are no longer King.
You live in the jungle begging and hunting. This is how the oldest son
became Kusunda. The second son in turn became the king. Everything he
did resulted in good. The king went to offer a pig to Chandi. He didn’t
find people to kill the pig. The third son said ‘I will kill it’ and
killed it. The descendants from third son became Magars. The
descendants of the second son became Thakuris. [Influenced by Shikhar
Nath Subedi’s “Thargotra Prabaravali” . It could be found in some
bookshops in Bhotahiti, Kathmandu.
7) RAJTARANGINI :
It is the oldest written authority for the history of various dynasties
which ruled KASHMIR from the earliest period down to the time of the
author who began to write his chronicle in SAKA YEAR 1070 [AD 1148 , BS
1204] Atha Aramudi iti prashiddha mayabi Nepaldeshasya Raja [Ad 782
-813] [Kasmireitihas pp99]. Prof. Raja Ram Subedi, and Prof. Jagadish
Chandra Regmi believe Aramudi as Magar King of Kali Gandaki Area.
8)
Maggwar Bishaya [Nepal Sambat 221 or BS 1157] Shree Dhanap Nayak
Shree Shoab Rane. Mahesh Raj Panta and Aishowryadhar Sharma recognize
him as RANA MAGAR. Dhan Bzra Bazrachayra and Mahesh Raj Pant recognize
Shohab Rane as Rana Magar.
9) Dailekh District and
‘Virstambha’ memorial, Thapa Magars are cited suggesting that they
were in great numbers. – Prof. Ram Niwas Panday believes Khas are
descendants of Magars of Dullu Dailekh.
10) F. B.
Hamilton, Dor Bahadur Bista, Rhisikesh Shah believe Kings as the Magars
in cultural background. Eden Vansitart, Percival landon, Jhon Whelpton,
Jiro kawakita, Brian H. Hodgson also have the same belief.
Sincerely,
BKR
BK Rana responds----------------------------
Dear Dr. Thapa,
Analyzing
linguistic and cultural attributes of Magars of Palpa, some five years
ago, I had written in a handout that Mukunda Sen could be a Magar by
his ethnic identity. The handout was prepared in light of ongoing
activism on Magar Identity for National Population Census of 2058.
Back
in 2039 BS, I was for a week in Palpa Argali [Argauli] on an
Intensive Agricultural Research Project conducted by APROSC/HMG Ministry
of Agriculture. At that time, I had been able to meet with some Magars
who claimed they were the descedants of King Mukunda Sen. They said
"Mani' Mukunda Sen instead of Mukunda Sen.
Those
Argali Magars appeared to me Mongoloid, strong built and tall, however,
the naming of Sen kings are Sanskritized ones. Those Magars owned nice
plots of irrigated land [Khet] in Palpa Argali.
Sometime
later I had asked Surendra S. Ranaji who told those were different
Magars, however, he did not elaborate what Magars are the Argali Magars
actually.
One of the Kusunda origin myths also
suggests that Magars and Thakuris [Sens, Shahs, Mallas] are brothers. I
have not been able to find any mentioning of Sen king's in Kalhan's
Rajtarangini.
The conventional wisdom on Sen Thakuris
is 'Chhetris' but lacks any scientific foundation. Dor Bahadur Bista, in
a meeting in 1992, had told me Magars and Thakuris are brothers. His
book 'Fatalism and Development' may be reviewed. But, Dr. Hark Gurung
takes Bista's elaboration otherwise.
Sincerely yours,
BKR
Magar Studies Center on Mani Mukunda Sen------------
"MSC" < wrote">magarstudiescenter@yahoo.com> wrote: - >From: MSC
To: MSC
Subject: Who was Mukunda Sen?
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 05:31:19 -0700 (PDT)
Dear Magarbandhus,
On
12 Apr 2005 a music CD entitled "Maulakali Gaindakotai ma" was
released. During the deliberations it was said that Mani Mukunda Sen,
the King of Palpa, had once camped in Nawalparasi jungle. His soldiers
installed the "Maula" to perform Puja to Kali deity. Since that time
people have been worshiping in that temple. But the detail information
about the King is missing. Who exactly was Mukunda Sen? Magar? Or
Thakuri? Some available information on this issue contradicts each
other.
Is there any Magarbandhu who knows about it? Please share. But
be careful there are information available which may not be true or not
fact based.
Happy new year and Happy Chaite Dasain.
Govind
