&grni Research (Privtit�) Ltd, 
Kathmandu: Jun� 1, 1973. 
Rogmi Resaarch Series 
Year 5, No. 6, 
Edited By 
Mahesh c. Regmi. 
Contents 
Page 
l.. The La st Days Of Prithvi Narayan 
Shah ••• 101 
2. Pratap Malla • •• 104 
3. Resumption Of Guthi Land 
Endowments In Jajarkot ••• 112 
4. Interviews With Baburam 
"charya ••• 119 
RBgrr1i Rss�arch (Private) Ltd, 
Lazimp�t, · Kathmandu, Nepal. 
Compiled by Regmi Research (Private) Ltd for privci'te 
study and research. Not meant'for public sale or display. 
101 .. 
Tho Last Days Of Prithvi Narayan Shahx 
By 
.Babur�m Acha.rya.· 
-''E"ven before the· annexntion of Chaudandi, . Prithvi NaraylJn Shah haJ writt�n to ·GrJver�or-Oenoral,Warren Hastings re'questing a Patta from the East. India 
Coin()any Govorrunent �n,i • st,ipulating to pay revenue for the Tarai territori1Js 
0f · lunbarpurand 'Vijayapur. H�-- also wrote in his lott-�,r that_ he would c:1p1,ur,
B-t1dd�ikorna,  who;.had .murdered his cousin; Kine Kamadatta s�n. Prithvi N<lrayr-m
.�Shah alsr)sE:nt Sr:i.harsha Mishra and Brihaspati Pandit as his .1nvoys t.:J 
: CnJcu'tta ., H,Jwever, Warren Hastin�s serit no reply to this request. Th.:: onv;;yE 
. �her0for·o r-�turn()d ompty�handed.Following the captur.e .of Vijayapur by th�
. Gorkhalis,. the British officer of .Purn&a district,. Ducarel, may. have writt"'n 
·to Govoriior-Gereral Warrt)n Hastings that Morang bebngad to_ the East In-.:i,:i 
. 9omp,anyr"' Obviously for this ,rt.lason, Prithv:f Narayan Shah rcce_ived a l1;.J'c.t2rln· �tigust�' 1774�, from Warren H�stings writtt;n on tp� 25th day af.ter t� 
cc1pture of Vijaya;::>Ur by the G..)rkha lis. The letter. #skoJ him t,:.i withdraw h.i.S army from Vijay8�ur and Ambar�r if h1:: want.ad to maintain friundship .. With 
th�_ bel:ief that he could maintnin his c,:.mtrc: l over ·t,t).e Tarc1i only ·by vlva�-
inf·tne "Briti.sh,. Prithvi Narayan Shah duspatctit;)d hi� en"!oy,. Dµianath Upa.Jhytiy:i; 
to Calcutta imm�dintely aftc:r receiving _tha Jettc:n;·,)1ot,�thst;_anding th0 r':iir.y 
seas,;n, 
..r r. ,'.r_he Kiilgs of iathmandu, Lalitpur arid Bhaktaptu\tiad ,be_t::n minting·.;j\U'(; 
' silvor M6har· coins· weighing 48 la l each for their' ·own uso. They used th0 
Nowar1 script r)n these coins. When establ;Lshing trade rulat,�ons _botwot::;n 
. K�t.hm�du und Tibet, it was agra,,,d �at Kathmandu shc�lJ .mint. e,1ins. i\:r: Tibet ·ana us1;;1 the _Tibetan script ther0on�- Th.as1:: C;)ins us;;:y tq, l,,�··mintad 
··according to the weight anJ alloy of Ner,,ali coins. Prithvi Narayan Shc.1h 
too had started minting N47 pali coins of pure silver of the sam.:r Wi;;,L;ht i:i 
1749. Jaya Prak�h Malla ha::i minted coir.s fc.1r 'ribE t from ve_cy :impuru rri,.Jt <,;. 
in _6rder to raisa mone�- to fight the �ar. }i� progressively -�ba�ed hi's c __ nc 
Such coins La.d been in wide circuI.atiun in Nc�:pa l ·a� Wfa3ll ,�s. in -Tibet, sL1c 
. debasement Js not appa:rent in newly-m1:n�ed coin� .. PrJ t�vi. _Nairayan Sheh I s 
::x""".- .-:,-, ---- -- --.- ... �  . �- ..,..._ _____...;.. ,:__:,_ • -�. . • 
. Baburam hchary:a, Nepalk0 Samkshipta ,Vrittanta (A Concise. Account of' th•pLl l, 
-Kathmandu: P:rarod Shamsher and Nir 'Bik�am 11.eyasi 11• io22 · (1966) � Chapt1�:t- L• . 
11 Prithvi Narayan Shahko; JUitim Din Ra'.Uriko Vyaktitwa. 11 (Last days of �::rithv 
lJarayan Shah an:J His Porscnality), pp. 66-69. 
C0nt.d. •. 
102t. 
r,o licy w,:i's to circuia te � puri:it·coins witti'ta- ·view to pr.)moting �fa ith in cor11-:­
merce . Immfjd ia-Wly a ft, r ann1:3xint3 the Ma lla Kingdoms , he starte d cc, llec ti.n� 
all s uc h  debased coins in c irculation by paying fur �ure silver content: 
rind put pure si lver coinst·tin. , circulation . He intende d to withdraw the de -­
base d  co ins from Tibet · t() o and replacu them by pure coins . ThE;; Tioo wn s ,  
nowever,  r(:fus�d t0 do so , a s  they saw that this would bt: harmful to th( ,m ,  
This ra sulte<.! in th.J virtua l cessation ,.J f tradl:i between Neval anJ Tibe T.. , 
Tt:•c pr'.)b lem c;f coins , had alre ady raised its hea d during the Kirat wr-r , 
Prithvi Narayan. Shah had m t  been able to pay a ttention · to it, a s  he _ w..: s 
, - ·ousy: with thv war .  Immediately aftar re ceiving news of the capture o f  
Vij ayapur, he concentrate·d hist. at ·(,'ention to nicking pure 'fibe tan coins . ? ·, i.:- . l
the puFpose of  ho lding cr_,nsulta tirms on this is suo ,  he sent a trade de le ga".,lJ'lol 
le e! by La l  Giri , to Tibet ·  in October, 17 74 with a ·  ktt. ,� ?' t-� the D0 lu i Lain.'.1 • 
. . ' 
Prithvi Narayan\ Shah't'.had p lanno ci to got· to Nuwd kot and ·oc cupy the Ch:.rn­
bisi Stdtes when Dinana th· Upadhyaya wa s away in Ca lcutta on a mis sion t,:, 
n:! gain control over t he. Tarai aroas of Amb arpur and Vijayapur ; and La l  G-i.ri 
was away in Tibtt for the purposi:l o f  solving tha p rcb lum o'f thd ctobns(.. j 
coins . Only a few trus ted mini�t1.;rs li ku Pand1;; s anj Basny�ts _used to kn:.; 'i 
frithvi N9rayan Shah I s p lans . It wa s perhaps becati St:i he knew tha t he w.::i s 
nc ;.iring his last dnys that .t>ri thvi  Narl:lyan Shah summont;;dt. h:i,s b;-others , 
courtiers �m.: uf:l'ici3ls in N uwa k ::, t  .:mJ Jo .Li v0rl::J n t0uching lt,,; cture in 
December, • ·17 74. This l<.'ic ture is known new a s  1 1  Divinc: I'J(;J ssat6e . t11• The ffi(:I SS <.1 1_;..; 
given by Prithvi • Naray,m Shah is  showing th'-: path of ?rogress  to N c:pc1 1 rm •  
· thl: N8palis c; vun to day . Thu entiN Nep� l.i Jvopla th.:n  f;,:;lt  griuved wh� n 
Pr ithvi Naruyan Shat1: d ied o f  f�ver in the morning o f  Jnnua ry 10 , 1775 d t,  
. lkvighat near Nuwnkot .  
Foll;)wing tho de ath :,f Prithvi Narayan Shah his e ldo st sol'\ ,  Crown :P ri.ncu 
Pratap Simho Shah,  was  proclc1im� d  King o f  Np va l in a ccordance with the rul,: 
c.i! succe ssio_n . , . _. , : 
The views o f  two En8lish gentlemen, who v is it� d N&;1 [) a(within 2 7  years 
a ft,or Prithvi ._ Narayan Shah ' s  iluath, about his pC r$ona lity may be . given h�ri , 
. Colone l Kirkpatrick writes : 11 Thoro arc:-· some a �parent contra dictions in '.1it� 
. chl1racter-whi ch our imperfect, knowledge of  his his tory -::lo �s not enabl-:- us 
· to cluar up : thus , notwithstanding the cruelty he mr.inifestod in his trea t­
ment of the inhabitants of Kirthipoor, in his ungen0rous rigour towards 
tho Pat'l.l sovereign, and on smne other occasions ; he is sDid · to have dis­
graced ,:m� -of  his principal adher1:.nts for wounding one of the e nemy whil(; 
in the act  of  f le.eing; from the fio ld of b attle . ti 
f 
' !
Contd • • • 
lOJ' . 
Dr Hamilton write s : "His (Na :rabhu�b l Shah ' s ) e ldest son was a man of 
insa tiable &nbi tion, s ound judgment, great courage , .a nd \U'lceasing a ctivity.  
Kind and libera l, e spe cially in ;,iromises to his frien ds ·  and dependants , 
ha wa s  regardless of faith to str.:mgers, end of humani ty to his enemie s ;  
that is , to a ll w ho  opposed his views • 1 1 
The f�:Tl)US hi stcrian Sylvain Lavi , who vis ited Ku thnandu 125 years 
n ft;.ff the do :Jth of Pr ithvi  N arayan Shah , writes : 1 1 Prithvi Narayan Shah w� � 
Cc:t:,iab le �i f making tha mo s t  of any situa tion . He wa s a 10an of ' · limitless a�' ,� . J.­
tion and indefa tigable activity. He was bf' · keen inte ll1;ct .  He ma de quick 
dtl c is ions and d id his duty Sl:l lflGssly. He was very libera l in rewarding 
service s . He wa s ruth les s  in sup µre·_s sing his opponen ts . 11 , 
Dr D �R. Regmi says , . 11 Prithvinaraya·n Shah wa s  'a nationalis t - to the cur1; 
of ·  his- hi:;·art .  With him conquest wa s the atm · c;f life ,  pa triotism wa·s thtl 
. guiding· fac tor fo r any actic;n ; Ha CJrnbincjd in him a ll .ro les vf a patr iot 
and a va liant so ldier anµ vn org9niser and a gi;mera l .  Tha t i s  why ' a s he 
a cquire d territ0ries o f  enormo us oxtant ho suw to it tha t  .t h13se ware we ll 
co,nso li dated tni:lc r a centr<l liz e�l rul� ,  end tha t th1:: : � riou ;:; peo ple brcught 
into 'th,:; orb{_t- eh joyad security without a ny  foo li�&; of being sub�ugato d ,  11 
. . .'  . · •  
F:)re ign writtJrs who vis ited Nep al at  ·'different tire s ,  as wi: 11, a s  Np fA:l li 
sc ho lars , ha�e thus \U'lBnirous ly pra ised the p·atrio ti sm and i llus trious [.Jic:r­
sonality of Prithvi Na rayan 9hah .  This rraise · is by no Ill:: ans exaggera'te q .  
104'. 
· Prataf Ma 11�- ,  
BY 
Sury� Bikram Gnyawa li 
The first' . of the coins of Pra tap i"ia lla , :which. have been di s cover�d 
,is· d,1ted 76 1 Nepal era (164 1 1� .n .. ) � . At_ · ttie temp le of Pa s nup atina tn a t  
Makhanto l,  there is a stone-inscription of Laxniina ra s imha Mal la ,  da tu d  
Ashadh 76 1 Nepal  �ra ( 1641 A . D . ) .  This ins cription , whic h  is . in the N�pa l  
language ,  de scribe s Laxminnra s irn ha 1v;.:3 1la a s '· Ma.harajadhir;:ja' . 'l'he assumptioil 
is· that Pratap l'-l<?l la' had imprisone d his fa tht.:r and a scended th.:; tnrone long
befor.::i hi.s  death and minte d coins in his •own name .  
.;: ; . . . •
hccording to Vamshavalis , Laxminarasimha ¥i.a lla was a lunatic and so  
Pra tap Ma lla imprisone d him and' · a s cende d t hb throne hims� lf' . 'I'his a ccoun t  
cre ate's the impression th at Pra tap Ma lla' 1 s a c tion w as justif ic i . 'lhcrfJ i s  
no means t o  verify whether o r  no t Prat ap Ma llo had concocted · tho story o f  
hi_s father ' s  iuna oy in zn· a ttemp t to justify h i:J a ction . Hence,  it is no t 
possible to· s;.-.,y anything morb in this' . regard . 
In order to prove his a cce ssion to the thron..:i , it ha d w come mor1:: 
ne ces sar y for Pra t&p Ma lla to link his n.:imo to Godde ss Tula ja than to mi nt 
hi s own co ins . Acco rdingly, in JAstha 762 Nepal t:}ra ( 1642 A . D . ) ,  P rataf 
Ma lla ins ta ll�d t he banner o f  a li�m ( Simha dhwaja ) with an inscription 
containing a genea logica l account of his dynasty a t th� temple o f  Tu l� J c ;  
which had been con struc ted by Mahendra Ma l la ,  his  forefather . ( Sanskri t 
Sandesh,  Vol .  1,  No . 2 ) .  kco rding to Vmnsha val is , Laxmina rasim:1 ...: :r. > 1.:v 
had  not been able to pas s  Godd e s s  Tulaja ' 1 s � so taric  hymns on to Pra tap 
Ma lla be cause of  his d'Jnth in j ci  Ll , .::i nd, as 3 rl3 sult , t!'lc:se hymns were 
fo rgotten. 
Pra ta p  .Ha lla wa s  a far-sight ed man . ·H� did not lika th\;,) division of 
Kath�ndu Valley. Fo r this reason,  he did not appreciat(;j the e s tablishmr::;.1'; 
of the indep13ndant state cf Pa tan'. He a lso did not want t ht.1 ·1nct�pendcnt 
... ..ate of Bhadgaun to exi st. Howe ver ,  he did no t sucC\Jt;1d in his effo.rts t., 
bring both Bbadgaun and Pa t.an unde r h is contro l , bacaus� he lac ked sn
' .
xSurya Bikram Gnyawa li , NE, a l  at aka Ko Madh. aka lin Itiha s (Mediaeva l 
His tory o f  NF,pn l Valley , Ka thmandu:  Roya l f epa l :i.ca dercy, 019 ( 1962 ) ,  
Chap ter XIII :  "Pra tap Ma lla " , pp . 1.L. 7- 159 . 
Contd • • •  
105' . 
•1rg8niz ed force M1 d, moreover, b1::caus� �a tan wa s rule d by a capeblo K in;;; 
such as Siddhina rasimha Mal la .  il sma ll group wa s  benofi tting from the tlXis­
te nca of .throe separ at8 Kingdoms 'in the va ll�y. 'Ibis group wa s  natur ally
determintld to de fend its privi legtl a t  all costs . The paop +e o f  the Va ll�y 
at th�t · time were too ignorant ttJ rea lize tha harmful consequence s of divi­
sion • 
. . �ccording to one a ccount, Pra tap Mal la ii1vaded Patan long befort; hL: 
ae cbndad the thro na. after impris oning his fat h&r . Th� inva sion t�0k p l�c� 
th,o vacy <;lay King Siddhinarasimha Mulla of Pat?.n ins ta 11.dd th.I:; imagt:i c;f cl 
d1::ity at tho t.:. mp le of.  .  Kri shna , bui lt by him in Falgun 757 ( l637 .-. D . ) .  
This is c0rroborn �ed by a s tone ins cription insta lled by Siddh¥1ar£i simba 
l'1a lla in th0 same temp le . �ccording �; this ins cription, the eoomy ha d  
attD cke d Patan �xactly a t thG' _ t im,� oJ. _ ce labrations for the cons tru ction 
of the.: 
t 
temple' , and 0 cc upied forts , but. Siddhinarasimha Malla had ln ter 
driven out thu a ttackers .  and . libera ted the fo rts·.'Ihe •inscrip tion doe s n-)-r. 
mention' . Pratap 11alla , · . but. tho anenv re ferred to in it was nobo dy c, l&..; .  
In .iiis  stcJnu inscription (Hanuman-Dh-::>ka Pa lac� ) of 769 Nepa'l era ( l6l.i9 J... L . ) ,  
Pra ta p  Ma l la n ls,:; has rufcrred to this a tt,ack  on Pat a.r· · t.:n d his ' · occupc1 ti0 n 
of Siddhina ras imha Malla 1 s forts . The batt le citbd in bo th stone insc riptions 
to ok p lac.:.J b (_ tw0e'n 163 7 A .D .  cind 1649 -A.,D .  
In the val ley ,  the Bagmati r iver formcid tho bou.."lda ry b ut ween Katr.ill1c1nJu 
and Pat aµ.  It does. not �eam probabl, ; , howe'Vt.ir, that thds� two Kingdoms­
fought eac h  other on tho banks of the Bngmat1. r iver . It is , indet: d, .  diff i­
' cult to b�:iliE:ve_ that a battle had tnken peace a cro ss thu Ba gmati eXL1c tly 
nt th o time of the ina ugur at ion of .s temple whi ch wa s not•Jd for its bea at;r 
and when p eoplo from v arfous parts of mrthe rn Ind ia had_ p robably congrh­
gn tud therEJ . The .:ibo vc-mentioned stone inscrip tion of Pratap 1-Ialla . giVEJ R  
rea son to suppo 88 tha t tha batt:i.o took p lace on '1 northo rn hi li . · rt rt;fcn 
to Kuti , in Tiqe;t . Acc ording to the a ccount c;f ro ntemp,)r[:ry Europi;ja n trc.1 -
ve llers ,  the Newa r Kings of Kathmandu contro lle d tW'.J pa s sos cc1 1 le d  Kut i 
and Kerung, throug h which p�ph, ente re d Tibe t '. De sideri , who trc;i vc llu d  
t,J Tibet via Nepa l between 16 16 an �  l.62 1  :� . D .  write s ,  "Unti l re cently, 
th/;¾ Kuti a roa', a long with i ts  fo rt, wu s undur tl:le c0ntro l of the King oi' 
Kathnuindu .  N Jw i t  is under th.;; c ontro' l .1f  lhasa .' 11 ( Dc:sideri,  p .  130) .  i,b-.:.; u t  
�orung , he says , IIIf one trave ls southward thro ugh Korung, one · ·a:rriv-.! s  1..-. 
t'a tan , the s econd of bigg..,st  Kingd:;m of N".::;pa l . 11 (lk-s ideri, P. •. 118 ) .  This V k 11 
1.12.:;c.Js onoJ t.o ns sum.;:, that thd . Kuti .  and Kerung routes wero controll1;: d .b.Y l'c. � -- . r• 
. and Kat�rwndu _ rr:i spec tiv� ly. Th�ir control of tb;i s e  routes mus t . ha v•-.: ii.st  , -J until _ 15 or 20 ye?rs b1;;1f;;,r0 th1:: ba ttlo. Thare wera· re curring dispu-ws .Jv�,:.­
the: poast;3s sion of pa sses er oth3r , areas situ� ted ,:,n th1;: borders of ·r� .bt;; ·ii ­
Kuti .had p r<Jba b ly  :been in the po ssassion of Tibe t  for sum� t.imo during th:, 
rule. of Pratap 1'.ia. l.l� . It is pr-Jbable tha t at that tim"3, h,, might ha v\;; ir..�: ·i:,:, ­
go ted a di spute over some of these aroa s . The . contro l of Kuti was lat(:r 
1,f ,:msferrod - �J Ka thmandu in the w.<.iko s f ow� o f  theso :Jisputes �  This i s  
apparent a lso f rom tha ac count given in Vamshava lis, whi ch stat�s that 
Cont,d �' . � 
1o5c. 
Kathmendu ha d .) c cupied Kuti du�ing Bh;i.m Ha l la I s v isi t ·to 'Lha sac. Paten ust-C:_ 
to .=:am con side rable :rt; Ven-oo f M m  t:rn de throug h Kerung . Pratap Ma l la probi:lO� 
atta c ked the Ke rung �r1::1a in order to dep rive Patan of this  re venue . He a l50 . 
po ss ibly o ccupiell s orro · hi ll fort.s sivuated a long '. the Kerung r:.iu-wc. It is r ��­
not  improbab le tha t Sid d hina ra s imha .MD lla S,:>Ugh t a s s is"t�nc <.J f rom his a lly , 
King Danb .:1 r Shu h ,  s :m of' King Rama Sha ha of Gor khn,  in d•3 fcnding Kerung
against Pra ta p  1al lac1 s a tta ck . In this_ context, i t  is wor -c.n no ting that 
t ho s iZJilt:i ins cri pti,m c ite d  above a lsQ des crib8 s thd defec t inf lic w d by
Pra tap Ma llo I s army o� th.J Gorkh-3 li r.roop 0 . k.cc orJing to tho s tone ins cri�� 
·::.ion , Pra ta p  Ma lla occupied Kuti,  Khasa  and Kerung , c.1s we: 11 a s  other p 12.; 0 � 
• wh i ch wer(j under the c ontro l of. the K°ing of  Tibe t ,  d3cima tad ·the army vf  
Damb ar Sha h  and seized 
r.
Si ddhinar cJ s imha Mall�  1 �1 t for ts . 
'lbe· ston<l ins cription , in a ddition , c9nta insc? referenc e  to Bhadg�w1 
K ingc1 s a c cti ptance o_f Ka tt- 1'1un du 1 s suzerninty . Jagat Pra ka s h  Ma lla , King uf  
Sha dga un, a scende d t h� throne during the s ��ond year o f ·cSiddhinara s imha
Ma ll� 1 s re ign .  He wa s  nursing fee lings o f  vengaance aga ins t K3thm:, ndu I s 
over lor dship of Bhadgaun which had be en continuing s ince R.:Jya 1a l1Ei I s rul · 
It is the refore qui to na tur n l  th at Jag i... t Pr.J lr 3s h  Ma l l.:i shouU have · ent•;rSJ 
into an ali.inn ce wi th S iddhinE1 r.:i simha l•1a ll�. in o rd0r to re s is t 1(athm9cnJu 'c5
�!omin ation . Howl:lver, he once ·aga in had to a c cupt Pra tap Ha lla I s supr(;mc1 -::/ . ,  
by pre senting an e lep hant to him a s a tribute . Previous ly too ,  Jaga t Prc ren ::, • 
}b lla ha d  bee n  de fe a tud in 2 wa r a ga ins t the combin� d fo rc�s of Sriniva s 
Ma l la ,  son of Siddhina ras imha Ma ll:::ic, a nd_ Pra}4;�'.:.:)'1a l lac. [.,,.--1 account of t h i;o 
wa r wi ll be gi VE::n la ter . "''· - ' ·  · · 
:;' , .  .\'::, �';r J 
· This wa r ct i d  not bre ak out  suddenly, •':ior di d it  la st a s hort timec. 
li.ftar muc h du libera tio n, Prata p  Ma lla thottght. o f  b lo,� kinr;- . -c, h(; K8rung r ;1.:� ­
wi th th(� ob j ective of strangulating Pa "tan e ccm:.imi ca lly . Howeve r ,  i t  wc:. t 
n..:,t n s  aa sy t.:i d.)spatc h troops fn·� <.pe:nt ly to ,:m . a re 0  foc ing probl 8ms d 
CCJlllf{1uni ca tions and ho ld on to it as. :1;tcw a s _ cto s �i z·o i t  thro ugh surprifi"' 
,a tt a cksc. · This was the r <➔a son why Sid dhina rasimha Ma l la wc. s . s u c c e s s ful in 
re capturing tha t a re a c. in no t\mec. � _ . .  . . . . - l �� 
Pratap Ma l la did no t dare st ar't' uno thdr wa r D c, · •:i.ns t Pat.a.rt· a s  long .-- E­
d.idLihinara s imhD N.:i lla ·rult.3 d . _When Sid inar,1 s imha .r n � � la runounc�d th0 w ; ti  · 
. 11e. was  s uc cr�-.:ded by his SDn , Sriniva s a  Ma l l<-1 ( 77 7 NE::p.:.i i  er1J or 165 7  .:• •  JJ , .' 
i 
.2ra t.ap Ma lla thE::n s tart.E:'d a se cond round o f  w�r a g::! i ns t  PL. tan . .c, . rliur , ; r:: .­
Il::.i lla ha d cause d much hara s sment to Jag at P;ra ka sh Ha lla o f  Bhadgaun by '.Ji. , "  
ing mo s 1, of the · routes i n  the va l ley, f o  tna t  thG lattor wu s  c ornpG lld d  '- · 
re vive his a l liance  with Pa tan . · f.oa l i z in g tha t i t  wa s no t po s s ib le f :,1 
'.)ne i so la te d  Kingdom to win n victory o ver t he combined force of th0 ·.J tti'­
two K ingdoms ,  sinc e  a 11 three Kingdoms werd oqua liy st��ng , the fa r s i ght� � 
Pra tap Malla won over SrinivG sa  l-'la l ln to hi s  s i de s  and then de c la re ,J wa r· 
.:.m Bhad gaun in 16 2 2  A . D . 
C0ntd • • •c 
101'.,� 
Wh ile the wc1r  between Bha dg �run on th,) ono hDnd tllld Kathm:l ndu and P a tti r1 
on th� ., the� was in pro gr� s s ,  fath·.➔r Grot:be r, a Europe an tra veller, ro ach,;;.._]
Ka thm�ndu on his �ay back to Rome from China • .  He has writton an account vf 
· this wa r .  From his account, it appe ars that the joint armies' · 0 f  Prata[) ?ifa lla 
and Srinivasa Malla W',.)re commande'd by tho latter . Fathor Grueber s.aw th�s1:: 
jo int armies standing on th8 banks of the Bagma ti river .  With t. he help •)f 
thG tc loscope given by Grueber, ?r.a tap Malla loolred a t  th� disposition .")f
Jag at Pra ka sh Ma llll ' s  tro0ps . Pra ta p  Ma lla thtm prvpo sad an iiruoodia te a t.tock . ,
In �p prec iation of  thr� se servi cas ronder� by Fatho:1r Gruber , Pratap Ml;l l.c1 
sought to provide him'· with a ccommoda tion and �rmit him to . stay in Nt.na l .  
But Fa ther Cruebar had tci leav� Kathmandu in a f0w days a s  ho hn d bc6n 
r 1::c2. ll.£' d .from Romr;' . But tr ccording tc th0 t:1 ccount g iv.en . .in V.amshava'lis ,  t.:ii:c  , ;  
· WG r stJrted when Pra�y.�  Ma lla atte�p t�d to impose a n  economic b lockade o n  
Patan . an d  Bbadgaun b;, 1:t>locking a 1 1  routes . .;.:'ini vasa Malla an d  Jaga t Pr;:kli t.h 
�Ic:. l\l!_ re ac iicl d  to t�s move by �'Iltdring into an allianc� and launc:;hing an 
attack on Kathmsndu (Shrawan 778 Nepa l er3 ,; 1658 A . D� ) .  'l'he rout-= to BhaJ­
gaun was rE:opened fo llowing this ntt.:i ck . · Some timv · 1ater , Pratap l'ia lla • W.)!l 
Srinivasa  Nalla over to his s ide and r�upenud · the rout� leading tr.) Pnt:::n'. 
This ·rtlcunci lia tion batween Kd thmandu en d  Patan na turally muc!nt tht.1 iso la-­
tion of Bha d gaun. 'lhe indEip\:ndtmt. axi�tcmce of Kathmandu i tse lf would hci.v ... 
ooen at  shu k' , haJ · Pra tap .tvia .Lla not succt:tedad: in winning the support - of 
Srini va sa Na lla • 
Following this allian c� ,  th0 joint army of Kattun-.!ndu and Patan at :.,ack•.:;J  
Nala . Jaga t Prakas h  M ·  l ].a reta lia w d  by a tt.a cking a village a t  Changu and 
setting it- on firo (:Pa-..: gh  780 Nel,)a l era , 1660 il. .D . )' . Eight per.sons were 
ki llG.d, .a�d 21  cc1p · ,- . : ' , . ..  _._ '. �lw:ing' . this ba ttle . A :few months la t11;r, thl::l jo int 
army of  Ppatap Ma ll.'.l and .:it:iniva sa Nalla -occupi�d Bande gram and then Chorpuri
Jagnt Pra kash M.:.i l la , f ind ing hims� lf help less in the f ac8 of the stc:3n dy a\;­
VcJncc of th•.;- jo int forces of Ka thmandu and Patan, f ina lly acrnit ied defoat 
and pr0 s;;intod m.:mey and (� lop h,ints as trioute to Pratap Ma lla . � daba l  c0in 
of Fra't.: p Malla ,  minte d - in 78 1 N(!pai �ra , 1.66 1 ·  .k ..D. ) ,  tha t  is , .::ft.er hi s 
vic to rv i-n this war ha s  been dis covvred.  In this coin, Fratap Ma lln has JG s­
crib-:3d. himse lf as 11King of Kings . '1 � (Rn jara jendra ) ,  
Th� above-llldntionod wars wo re. · no t wars in ' · ti10 true' · sense -:.;;i  the tem . 
but were just lf tJ,ordinnry qua rrels . Nobody can bl;! d.• scribt:id t.1s vi ctori, ,{i,s . .  
o r  conqueror roo�i;ty o n  a c count o f  his having triumphed in such minor _qu�rri.� ls '., · : 
h-a tap ·Ma lla is no t reno-wn� d in his -wry s s a conqueror . or .warrior . H:::. is famo u i  
for something f: lse·. He is  fumous fo-r his lovg of li"tt;rature , construction of l 
buildings :, c t·c·. 
f .  : , Contd • • • · ' · 
, 
108 . 
. • Sco !'6 S  of temp l-e s bui lt by ·pra tap Ma ller are s ti l l  extant . I t  wa s h.J 
who . bui lt the farnou& Hanuma n�Dho ka at the site o f  tho a nc ient pa la c� in  
Ka thmandu, a l Jng with t he co ur t-yard known as Nya s a l  C hok in si de it . Tho 
court-yard named- Mohan Chok and th : i do l  of Krishna seen ins ide Nya s a l  
Ghok we re a lso bui lt b y  Pra ta p Ma lla . S o  wi:: � tha temple s o f  Indr apur 
and Jaga nnath loc a ted in front o f_ rthe same pa la c e . Pra tap Ma ll::i a lso bui l·.; 
a e;arde n a long wi th a µond insi d12 th� ·pa lac -::i .  Th ·· ga rdon - wa ;:; known .::is 
Dhnnd (_!rkha l .  Th=_, temp i<) o f  Ba la ju was bui lt by Pr::i t;:ip E:1 Unr. J..fter t h0 
c ins truction of thi s  temple , the Kings of  N .... pz l  s t.u pped v i s r· ting t l-i.e t .  rr)'  
c.f l;e....  dhcmi la kantha . This cust'.)m is s ti ll obseri.'.ed by tho  Kings o f  r o pr, l ,
�ra tap Ma l la bui lt severa l �omples · in Pa s hupa tina �h and Guh� s hwari temp lj
are as and nd ded to th� ir b�auty . Ho cons truc t�d StiVera l now tomple s  a nd 
other p lace s of re ligious impo rtance and  reno vated naw onesr. The Va jra 
( thunderbo lt ) ins ta. llod by him at Swaryf �bhu is_r s. till into ct . . 
Prc1 tap Ma lla wa·s :a Sans kri t scho lar .  This is  c le a r  from t he s co re s  
o f  Sn ns krit verS t' S  compo se d  by him pd rsona lly a nd inscribe d b y  him a t  
va ri<., us p V.: cC= s . Tnis wc1s a t  D timo wh.::n the �tudy . o f  Sans kr i t  w b s  on th , 
.ie c1in0 in N epa l . The Vamsh avc1 1i s s tate th at th0 . :a :...13 Kinc;s invite d 
Sa ��krit s ch0 lars fro� Indi a frJm time to tim� to mee t  th� s hJrtagu of 
su ch le orne d  men in Ne pa l . fro tap } a l lar1 s fonilil0 s s  for po�try must have 
grea t ly uncoura ge d  tho s tl ' dy of Sans kri t in Ka thmandu . 
Bl:ing fonJ of compo sing poams in SDi:1s krit, P ra ta p }'ia lla pro1=1d ly 
Je scrib0d himsolf .  Ds  King of  /oets (Kavindra ) . In 0ne o f  hi sr_Mo har co 1.n.3 
Jc:t�d 7 75 Hep a l era ( 1655 - A . D . ) , h•.:, ins c ribed thi s new ti t.Le , 
The cons truc ti,)n wo rk3 initi£J tE: d  by Frr:tap Ma lla rut -on ly enri ched 
thf; beEmty o f  t h-:i to,m , but also benefite d i ts inhabi tantsr. 'I'he- con stru e� 
tion of_ Ranipo khflri in 789 Nepa l e ra ( 1669 A . D . ) no t. on ly a dde d to the 
· beouty 0 f  t he town, . 1mt a ls o  -maJe it very ea sy for it::,r: inhabitants to b a ·.;n
c 
.:md mee t o ther .  rt ligious noe dsr. The st one ins crip r,ion d..1s cribing -r,ho c'-:'ns� 
truc tio.n of Ranipo khari is in tht..:: Ni:,p a li longua gv . Tnis leads ons to as sµlt 
tha t  the a rocl a ro und this ta nk wa s in hnb iteJ princ ipa lly by hil lsm.J n, a n....  
tha t it wa s cons truc ted s �0 c ia l ly for t 1�i r user. 
?ratap .Ma l lc1 usu a l ly pe:, rforme d the Koti hom and Tu l.Jdnn rt: lig fous c0r-i' 
monie s , to wr.i c h  prie s ts from different pa rts of lmlin  wer,2 invi tadr. ThJSJ 
o c ces ions. r.prov idoJ opportuni ty to · the peo p le 0 f  �!opa l  _.to a cquaint th0mse l"�� 
',nth vi sitors from dif fe rent parts of India , and contributed to the excnaor· 
of ide a s  and cultura l vi sits  between them . Thu ritua l g if t of go ldr(�' 
porformed by him a t  the tDmµ le of Pashupa tina th in Ma gh 7 77 Nep a l  e:ra 
( Janua ry 165 7 .A .D . r) is we ll-known . The sea la insta lla d  to we igh th<'.l gol J _r00 
in ther. ?<?urS �J o f  t his ce r-.::mony i s  sti ll in exi s te nce a t  tha t temp le .  On :>" 
c; cca s ions , Jr;imas we re stage d . 
Co. t d  • • • 
I 
Pratnp Mallao1 s re ligious tolerance was commendable . Of cour,se ,  r6 li-
6ious to lerance has been a specinl trai t  of ·every King of Nepal .  But tho 
· form- which this virtue- -to'Ok during the reign of  Pratap Malla i� . of i,.nter­
COniilunal importance . He ·wel-oaned the Jesuits· and' even offered "bit.am perma­
nent accommoda tion in· Kathinanchl'• . S yamarpa Lama of 'l'ibe t obtained pGrmission 
from him to corist�uct the shrine of Swayambhu one y-oar before Pratap Ma li9 
becallll:: King .  ·Sc holars from different parts of India found shelter in his 
pa laceo. Lambakarna Bhatt& of South India was his preceptoro. Vamshamani 
Upbdhyaya and other schol�rs of Mithinla also obtainend shelter from Pra tap 
Ma lb .  There is an interesting story about Pratap Malln 's respect for 
Buddhism. In Shrawan 769 Nep al ara ( Ju ly 1649 .k.D . ) , Pratap Malla, accom-
. panied by his i..tuaon l,;i lamati, visited the · ancient Vihara at Thamel to · 
peruse the ShntMn ha strika Pragnyapa·ramita writt.an in Marga 344 (N0vemb,:;r
1224 li . D. )  by Sri Jina s hrignyan, c residtmt of Nagaoosha ,  situa te d  bdtwe�n 
Thimi and , Bode . Highly · impres sed  by this work, Que�n La lamati promptly 
composed som11 verses expressing her a dmira tion tor it . On listffning � 
th�se v�rSt:!S , Pr£?tap _Malla too compo sed so� Vl:.'rses . eulogizing this grec'.:lt 
work . 'l'he documt:nts. containing th�su versus can ,.'3t.i ll b.:: seen a long with 
. that · book . On - the· •occasion of the IndraJatra f1.;:stival, girls i\; pr1;1sentine; 
th;.; virgin Goddess (Kumari ) ' visit the Vihc1ra of '£hanr- l  in the cours«; of  
· . their dri vu around the city on £. chariot �nd theso v�rses are recite d in 
thu ir pr0s(lnoe ( Sanskrit Saoo1:;sh, Vol �  l, No . 5 ) .  
Pratap Mallci damonnstranted a liberal approach on tht:o. question of 
marriage .  In his stone inscription of ·769 Nepal erd ( 1649 A.D. ) ,  instc ll� d  
at th o  temple o f  Krishna near Hanumandhoka , _h6 has . .re ferred to his two 
quet::)ns mn�d Rupamati and Rajama ti • .  The stone inscription, -a ·reproducti on • 
of whic h  was first published l?Y Bhagwnn La l  Ihdraji , (Sanskrit Sandesh,Vol'. l, No . 3) re fers ·to the existence of Kanw lpur, the ruins of which ·n , :  
• s till found in Cooch Bihar . The name of Kamalpur was later chang�d to th ·:• 
more famoµ,s ono o f Bihar. It was first n�med Kocha or Cooch Bihar in ,ordd· 
· to  distinguis h it from Bihar situated in nor�hern India . This wz.s donti 
because tha s tatv of tho Kochns ,was established in this Bihar • . Du ring tho· .
ec:irly 10th cent.ury, · the lu'ghan Kings of Gaud (Bengal) - defeated Ni lair.bar ,  en" ;
last King of Cooch Bihar, and ,iJnprison:;do. him. Th(;Jn followed a period of 
chaos in Cooch Bihar . During this period,  savara l tribes from the north­
ea st region invaded Coo ch Bihar. Fin::i lly, _th� Kocha� succeeded in as tl3b l:j. ­
shing thc.ir rule, bucause t hey were the strongest of th0 invad�g ,tribt::s � 
Hajo , the most powerful Koc ha leader, also occupied what is  now Assam • 
and eastern Bengal .  Since he was childless, he was su�c�eded by the son 
of his daughter, Bisu ·. During •B1su 1 s roign, . :thu .Tantrik cult became popubr 
in Cooch Bihar .  It  was under the . influf.:lloce of this cult J.hat .Bisu changtcd 
his nal?X3- to Bishwavasu 'or Bishwa Simha . BishWiJvasu ·divided)rl.s Kingdom 
betwen -�is . two sons named Haranaz:ayan and Shukladhwaj� . Cooch Bihar wD s 
given to Naranarayan as  his share � Naranarayan was suc ceeded by his son 
Con td • • •o 
✓ no. 
Laxzni Na rc:ya n  in 158 0 A . D . La:xmi Nar.:Jycn wa s d-.::f •�a t0 d by ) the Mughn l Emper,r 
JtShangir in a· wc r .  After his dan th in  162 2  .A.. IJ . , Biran.:1 r-,;1,r311 .::, � cendad ta.; 
throne of Co och Biha r .  He d ied in 162 7  A . D . ,  ruling only for 5 year s .  H� 
�a s succeede d  by his son Prnna l arnyan.  Rupnma ti J was tho G ldor s is ter 
of t. he same Prana Na rayan . In fa c t ,  the dyna s ty to wh i c h  s he: b0long1:J d a nd 
whi c h  W3 S de s cr ibed in Pratap Mal la I s s tone ins c ript bn ,referred ·to  a bove 
wa s tha t of Nn r nna rayan and his s ucce s sors . Thus , Pra ta� Ma lla marr i8 d  the 
daughwr 1)f  Biranaraya n, K ing of Cooch Bihar : 
This ma rringe .fi tte d in wi th t ho tr2d i tion fo l lowd d by th� ancient 
Kings of N-:)p :i l .  _ Shi:vn deva II:  a Lichchhavi K i11g 1Jho rul0d during t he eig r,-;;n 
cc.:ntury, b a d ·ma rri.:::'d 'Va ts a wv i , dc1ughter of GuptD Ad itya San ' s  daught t:: r  
.:=md a· Prince s s  of  the Haukhi.iri dyna s ty o f  no rth \:lrn Ind ia' . Jaya de va ,  who 
wa s born to Shiva d1::vn from Vatsa DE;vi , r..ad married Rajyamati , .daughter oi 
King Harshadeva of Kamnrupa . 
In his s whe insc ri p tiun,  Pratap Hc:i lla .:i ls o  in sc ribe d t.h1: na·me of 
Ra j amat i ,  his concub'inl:l , .  in adai tion to tha t  of Ruparna ti .  Th� s ty le s us A 
in 9e s c ribing t kl;; S G  two que1::ns arc diff erent' . Whi le t l1t::J de s c ription o f  
Rupama t i  is couched i n  pu l it ci" an d  dt:. cen-c. langua g1:., , tn� s tyle us�d  i n  Jo r­
traying Raj am3 t i  is vo ry obs cene' . 
b. 25-pa isa coin ·  ( Suki ) of  76 9 � ..... pn l era ( 1649 ) ,  cont.:. ining thE: nam--
of Rupamati , h D s  be,m d is cov(;. r-::d . 'Ih0 apove -mentionu d s tono ins c ripti on d., 5' 
cri1 � ng h�r whi ch  i s  ins t� ll2d a-c, th� temp le of Kri s hnn i s  a l so da te d  thd 
sam0 yeBr. ·The ins cript io n Sti:..::ms to s how that bo th Rupama ti a nd Rn j amati 
ha d died by t hen . Thu s ta tu0s o f  bo th quedns ara inst a l le d  at ti);; temp le 
of Krishn.:i' . The s tone ins cr ip tion indi ccte s c le ar ly tha t th6 ins t� i;i.at ic! 11 
· of th0i r statue s hc;i d  been p rompte d by the ir I I  d0pa rtur,: fo r the' . htJov.ens 1 1  • 
: , or a ll  these r�.:· sons , i t  is reasonab lu to a s sum.3 tha t thu Suka co ins bu...:r­
. ing .  th,..; na me: of Rupamati had • been i s s ue d  to coPU110rnu r D 1..., hL:r� th , 
Pra tap Mal la latrir married t,;.10 o h er wiv.os .  This  i s proved by · tn'­
in s cription conta ino d en  a p i l lz r  insta l led by him in front of Hanuman 
Dho ka ( Sa nskri t Sondf.r n h , Vo l .  2 ,  No . 4-6 ) . It n.:ime s the two s ubseque nt 
qu�ens  of Pra ta p  Ma lla a s luianta Priya D8vi and Prabhawati  D�vi . It de s cri '  
"'1n "'1tapriya De vi ns tht1 Prin ce ss  of  B i ha r-Naga ri : ( .Bih.:i r Nagc:1 ri sya Ma hara ,j­
kur .:iri )' . Thi s  indica :tc: s  th::l t s h•J to o  wa s a Princ t:lss  o f Coo c h  Bihar . 
The inscrip tion cl lso m0n tb1i's the name s  o f  .Pra tap Ma lla I s sons '. Th-:' ::i ,; 
nre Bhupendra ML! l lc:1' , C hakravatin•dr:i Ma lla , ha hipa ti.ndrJ iVia l ln , Nr ip ,,::ndr:J 
Mo lla .::l nd Pa rthiv0ndra :tvla lla . By the time t h0 ins crip tion wa s ins ta l b d, 
Chakra va tindra ha lla had ci lre ady a iea . Acc ording to Vamsh avalis , Prnte? 
Ha l la had madf-: a ll his so ns Kirig fo r a period of  oni:l xr, a r  by rota tior. . 
Con td • • •  
. lllr. 
� Mohar coin b1.1aring his name, . datd d  78 9 Nepa l drc1 ( l669 A.D. ) has been 
dis cc.ivdrt.1d .  · Chakrava tindra Ha lla is stiid to havu died ai't.; r he hard ly pa ssed
on� dcly uf his rule . Sine� th� Barn� 1ns crip tion gives th� title of }la har�j­
kurnari )  to Bhup,;;ndra Ma 1la,  tnis leads ond to a ssuioo h 1J was regar d&d as 
Crown Prince . ·1'4onl.i of ::.h� o ther sons of Pra tap lfw l la ha s ooen g iven any
spoc ial title'. -
The definit0 dc to of Pratap Mal la ' s doo th is  no t  known . Howe�a r,
from a l l  3Vai lab b  n c counts , it a ppears this t he <He d  aro und 795 Nepn .L 
1 8rD ( 16 75 A. D.  ) . � Mohar coin of his son, Nripundra & lla ,  whic h  ws 
i s s u,->d during thc t y..:inr h.:::.s bol:jn discov�r.ad . Pra tap Ma llc,1 thus a p pears 
to hav� ruh:d for . a tota l perio d of 35 ye ars '. 
. -
'!he re is no doubt . tha t .l?ratc:ip Ma llo WB S a - capablt e nd l.ea rned rule r  
o f  Kathmandu .  His wo�ks contain many· ..:: goi:: tic- c.:nd ero tic exprus sions M d  
�ro full of s imiV.-s .  This was , however, a foature _ of t.h;;.1 co ntumporary S t  n3krit 
pootry, which was on th ,:i de cline .  If we art= to inturp ro t  t i;i ,, s:uni l� s us .:<i 
by him, w1;; may ha ve to arr·iv� at the groundlt.:ss conc lusion that h� htid 
3 , 000 quee ns ,  o s  tht:: Vams'heva lis say. During tha reign of .P:i,atap Ma l le ,
th1; s to ry  of th..:: vnst  har;;;ims of tht:: Mugha l emperors of  Ind ic1 hc.1d rdachi:id 
Nopa l .  It j p por1rs that a ft,;,ir ruading this story, th;:; gulliblH author s of 
Vams hava li s  commhte.d the mis ta kC; o f  at.tempting to link t h1;1 glory of N�\)r; ... 
Wi tn t h'3 h�rans o f  the Mugha l emperors . Ther--J i s  a ctua ll:,· no ::.hred of 
truth in thi s s tory . Pra tap l1n lln wus intilr•_: sfu d only in let1rning <Jnd ti :·, ._ _ 
a broad o ut look . T�is is apparunt a lso fr Jm th: ;  she ltclr givEin by him tc 
scho lars· from difforent parts  of India in bis pa lac"' . Hti w as a l.so int�r-<, t.: d
in Tantr ism� His matrimonia l r�la tionship wi th Coo ch Bih3r was  probab ly
th� indirect �sult of hi s lov� for th� Tantric cult , for thi s  cult' �; � 
b� come VtJry popular in tha t KingcL;m a t  that timu , A large number of t 1.=:np l;;. s 
of diffElr '.::nt d0 iti1:is are s ti  11 seen in Ka thmandu . 'l'hd da i ly ru l i g ic us f unc­
tions , d.:i nce s and festivals a t  those tttn plt:s  provi dcici spirit ua l.  sc1 tisfD c ­
tion a's w-., .a as entertaimn,;;nt to th1.:J colllllon peo plb a t  tha t tim .0.. • 1hd r1,;,'L ­
gious life o f tho peoplg was m�rke d  by a spirit of to l�rancv : Nobo dy h�r­
bored re ligious in to lerance .  
�lthough i � is not po ss ibl,.:: �o ::: scribe Dny sp,.:ic ific ma jor achL., v,;;,m ,_ .1' . 
to Pi;-atap Ma lla ,  and a ltho ugh h;,;' 001Js '. no t app&cr  to hav� initiated a n:,· lj__,�- ­
ticu lar a ction aim. d at changing the cours.; of hi·sto r.r, his ruk do,� s  s •:; . L 
to be a page in tht, hi story of ancient Nepal. H1.: was do fini W ly t oo  gr•. : ut,u ti i.,
of the King s o f  th0 .thr�a Kingdoms cf Ne pa l . 
· 112n. 
:·Resumption Of Gutb.i Land Endowments In �b jarkot ·
Submitted Kharidar Surt· anidhi 
urvey Office . .  
. . . 
. • . . N ot. 11: of the .regulations issu ed in' :the nane of this office is _ 6S 
follows : - · . : . ' .· 
. 
Lan.:is grantod to any pr.. rson a s  Guthi and 
'Ma fi '(tax-free ) in Ja jarko t by th;.;, Raj a 
of Jajarko t or by any Bhardar, insp1;Jcto r  
( Jancha ki )  or eo ll� c tor ( Tahosi ldar ) ,  o the r 
than lands , being usti d undur roya l ordor  o r  
otht :r  autho rity which h :i d  been s ::inctionod 
preVious ly; sha ll b,;; 100a sured and s urveyed 
by the s ur vey team in the presence of local 
functionarie s ( Thari , Thani, Mukhiya and · 
· Jimmawa l ) , owners of ad joining lands_, the 
·:p0rsons who have beon uti liz ing (such.  Guthi 
· and Maf,i  lands ) so far •and the tenants . A stato'rr>dnt s igned by.·  them.  sti\ a.  ll be prepa.ro d  
ind icating the ar1:,n .  o f  the land s (used a s  
Guthi and Mafi ) ,  th� rea s0n for tho grruit 
and conditions ther0of,  the c1mount paid 
eve r,.J yoar and th� year from which such 
paymonts wor e m[lde . The lands shall b_e se­
questered, racoIIUW'ndat ions made accordingn· 
to thu l�tt, and a r0port sha ll bu submitte� 
· ( t.::, th..: government ) through t.h.J Sadar Daf dar- · 
khan.'.! (office ) n long with copi� s of  tha state ­
. �nt montioncd abo ve and o f  a ll a v.;il;ibl0 
orders and do cum�nts . Action sha ll t oo n  be 
taken as dir0ctud . 
·. When surveys . war"' conluc te d  in thv o ld Rajy� of Ja ja rko t :  in accurd !.:nc� 
wit.h t� se rogulat.ions , it wc, s d i 3 � '.) Vcredt· tha t thu Ra jas o f  Ja jarku t haJ 
granted tni:j fo llowing lands , fetc hing a to ta l  inc1.Jroo . of 24 rupees and 13 
aruu:is , a s Guthi for t M  fo llowing r.3as0n sino� t h;,; t.ime o f  thti .Baisi an� 
Chaubisi ruler s . t· Thes-3 grants bavo not. bc:on cvnf:i. rrw d ·by roya l sea l and 
the signatures of f o rmer Mukhtiyar s .  Th� lands have bevn used accordi.ngl.Y• 
Contd • • •  
113 • .  
Af"tt:r cr.,.nducting surveys in the manoor mentL;rn'!d ab,;ve , I hav,: Stl­
q�i., st:}r\)d th :. lend s, anJ, s inco ::v) •.:, ::-:l0r or uth..: r doc urf):::nt is avai 1',b11: ,  1 
r'9cordod o stat0munt from tht: p(.-Jrs:> ns using t,oo lands end those paying 
ro nts thereon, as wo ll as ,-,f ownors of a djoining lands <1s witnl,jsse s .  I 
submit a certified copy of this stawmoot herewith • .  
Since 1the lEinds have baen usvd without any order or •Jther docUI1Ji::nt, ;  
the users cannot boo. pcnni ttdd t;'.) retain them acc0raing to Section 18 c:.,f  
t.h� Law un Mi sc,·; ilano0 US l,.;;ind Matt1Jrs (Jagga Jamin Goshwa ra Ko ) .  It.  thus 
e pp;.::;ri rs n�Ci.:Ss f:ry to �nwr th-, sa lands (in the tax D ss-:ssment r�c'.Jr{.;s � L  
Ri iknr· Jo. 
Hvw0ver, I feel  tha t tho lnn::ls s h:_ ulc.t beo· confirmed in t.hb namus J::. 
tha users und�r Section 9. of this law, since th\;:y ha.iVd bcsn using i ,:,. • si.-, ,� . . 
f0rmcr t� s  • .Mo ruov�r, the people · may undE;1rgv mi�r.y if another po rsu.r. 
invokos th\:! devatf.l_ oro� (who Wi:l re being propitiated with the producb ol' 
thG . csincerned .  la.nus ) , 
It is not pro per for me· t'.) maki.1 a definite recof!llllend.stion, . since ttu. .; 
invc, lve s · tho grc:nt cf land ,)n t! Mafi ( tax-froe ) basis . It is for {Y,)ur 
Hiz,hn;;:ss ) t: . d e cido whether or n�t 1z> mDke such a grant,·. 
Yl.i3m,)randum Of ( s,. ruar Daf dorkhf.:na Off ice ) 
This office has made investiga ti-:1ns ,m thi s  rrlport .  Section 18 o f  th·. 
Law On Misce ll mF:ous Land Matters prescr:i.bos : . 
_ In cllse anybody grruit·s lr;nds t.-., any perS) n · 
· , ,n a Mafi ( tax-fr�e ) ba si s thro'ugh his ,.,wn 
qrder withuut 0btaining any ordor ( fr0m the 
·guvGrnment) ,  or him.self appro priatos lan..:: a s  
,Birt.:. by submitting fn lse pa rticula rs ,o· he muy 
ba · suntoncod tv capi tnl punis hmsnt ur tJ im­
prisl)nm·.�nt f-:;r life a t  thc1 discretion ,:.,f tht: 
Prini: Minis-wr.  
In cast: any pors��n . acct;pts such land as ..1 gift 
or dona tion, or purchases i�; -with · fu l.1 KnOW­
leJg(;:; that th-.J iand had beun a cquirdd in thu 
manner muntioned ab0ve , he s hall bd 'punishe d  
_with a fine �qual t� th� valuo o f  t lk3  iand . o· · 
Rorits duu 0n thE:: . land · sha ll also be realiz1:;d 
from him. 
Contd • • • . 
ll.4 . 
· In ' ca �h ho ' �a s d:Jn.:.: sot· without .any kzuw 10.Jgc 
of  tha manner in which th� lan.l ha : . be1.;n D.c­
quire d ,  · ht:: s ha ll no t be dt:ic:maJ t.J hav.., c,..,m­
mL t-::d EJny of fons1:Jt. Only th..; �Ilk.J u111, (d the 
"''2:'.'lt dul:l • ;n th-.. l.:in-.: s hnl l be :rualiz,j d f rom 
.1im. Such lane.ls sna i.L b�; r1:: suil)';. J sn� rbc0rdtd 
in thti ' of fici al :r�gistur . 
i.., ri�p,..:,rt ha s  now b.:.>Cn r. • ceiv..: c! to t ht: .,ffuct  tha t- th(:; R.nj c  uf Jaj �rko t 
hl.,:J 1:mJ0wuJ t.h,', following ;.uncJs as Gutili in th..; mann�rt. m<.Jntium:i d  b1;:1l.;w 
with,-'ut thd SEln ctivn e;f  th-., tn,m l-'mkhtiyar , anw th�t th!.? lam.i s br,: bE:: inE: 
US':"Jd accordinglyt_ (by tht: ro cipi1.mts) . 
It thus EJ ppuers that th:os� lan�s , -�n:iow.J d 'f�s Guth i  by thEJ Raj a  o f  
Ja jnrkot on  hi s (i 'Wn initiativtJ wi th:) ut a r,_;y::, 1 orclc::r o r  th� EJpi;,ruvEJtl of  
th•..l t h,m Mukhtiys r which . •, r -;i  buing usi:i J a c c• ) rdingly (by th� r�ci[.)Lnts ) 
.,
·shvul.:i b0 resunr"d nccord ing to l.:1w an-..i entu roJ in t.h;;; r,.::g istl;lr .  
How1;;vtir; th •J Law on Misc ,.: llaneous L:ln,:I Matters o .Ls •:., cont ains th,.: 
f,"J llowing provis ion :  
Lc1nds whi ch h aJ bum obtairu J during ta-i tin: 
of fonrier Kings 0n any c0nditi. 1.m an ; wni ch ar(;j 
being us& d a ccl)rdingly sha ll bu C 'JDfirITl(; J accor:.. 
din g  to thE: grmt,  if any, ;,r c, ls1, on the oosis  
of p•)ssessivn after consulting m-m�r s ,:Jf ndjoin-
ing lands . In cast,;; ( the: la n:.i ·:.wn ,;;ir ) mokti s a N-
que st for a f r�sh grant, it naed .mt bt,: issued . 
If a p .::1rt of  the samf.. plot of lan1.i i s  b0ing us;.-; d 
on th;- - bo s 1.s ,::,f .::i gr<1nt .;, nJ th0 rt:Jst, un th ., b ,i sis 
of p0ss,.:ssion, that part fur which tht=:r� 1.s o grant
s I1a .L1 b1;:, c ,mfirm1..:d . Th,.; ot her !!art, , fur  wnich th�rl:i 
is n.J g r�n t, cnnno t b� o.mfinn;;:,1 i.;;vtln if it h!i S 
bt1en in t.hd E,ius s1;;;tssi::-n ( vf th.a: cunc -: rn�d lmuownGr ) 
for 16 ;p..;ars ·  past �  I t  sha ll b,:: co.I)Vi:ir'tt:. J inti:, Raikar . 
Th-.: I"..:: porT. m::nt,i..1ns tha t thu grc.:nt :.i(.)es m t  cunt.Din tb0 s ig nu1.uru vf t h.,J 
t,hl;;)n Mukhtiyar , but, that t.h1:t lands havu be�.11 t3ndowt;d a s  GuthJ. by th,.J Ruj ,� � 
of Ja ja rkot  sinc1.1 th� tim .:i uf thd Bc.iisi and Chaubisi rul-:i rs ; anj Dr1; b ,;,;i,Ilg 
us•:JJ  accordingly. 
( Tha Se dar Daf dnrkhem� Offic0 ) th1:refori:; rnpres1.:mts tha t thC; l::;n ds 
mDy be c0nfirm(-d or rr)SUI!k;?d nt tho discI'€:tivn ( of th,t· &int? Prillk:, Minister) 
C,Jntd • • • 
115. 
'l'his mtJmorwndum was urn.1urs�d by th"' M�i.uki .ndda . - ( Th,;; l'ri.mi;i Minist, ..c r)
thtin issued th-3 following o rde r :  · 1 .
Thdse lands sh�ll  b.:. entdred in th8 registe r 
(Moth) . The anount of. 24 rupees and 13. a nnasr:
required fur thd performance of th� �rescribe d 
re ligious functions on the basis �r tho usunl · 
c ·) ll(;;cti . ins sha ll b"-' grnnte.:i from th� Tahasil 
i.dda (Revm1ue Co ll,;ction Office ) of · ( Jajarkot) 
' RB jya J Ch�itrn Sudi 15, 1949 (�pril 1893 )  . 
·rhis rGport has ci cccrtlj.ng ly baen forwnrded to th , Jajarko t S-qrvoy Offic 1;; .  
Particulars • Oi Lands And Revenuc::s 
( 1) Two Guthi �ndJwmf.mts in Bnrhakot-Dara : Formerly, Aghi lli Devata ( g0da1;;s:.;r)
WI!li:.rged on this lanJ. Whenever it di j not rain in wintt;r or s ummor, tn-:. 
villagers W•)uld assembb and µray (to this go ddossr) for rai n .  It w-_)ul :  
thim start rnining. This used to heppen frequently� Aft , r  the entry cf 
th3 G: irkhn governmc,nt , th�' matter· w as r ;presc:ntod t0 Subba Jog Man,
who ha d com.• to attack Jumla. The Subba then mado a Guthi endowmo..::nts ,
with trhe income from which a temple (deva lr) was cons tructed and rC;li­
gious ceremo niel:f are being performeJ .  J�coording to  a statument signbJ 
by the local people, thu total incom..:, .from thu two Guthi t;ndowm-.;nts 
amounts t,J 2 rupees, 11 annas Md J paisa. Ttio breakdown is as fo llc,ws : 
( ,1 ) Guthi C;lndoWI!k;nt of Suba ko ti Duvata, known a s  Dhc1n-:!-Kholu Kh�t, 
cult i vot oJ  by Suru DiycJNr. Th..: total· incomG , a ccording to tht: 
rat<3 Jf 14 ,_, as prtJvak·nt in th,:; �jya, is . .1.4 anrias an� J¼ p-:iisa . 
( b ) Gut.hi ,:;n,jowment of Rangamac,.hula Devata, known as Katti-Khc;t, 
cult ivntt:ld by Chame Diyaro, to ta l  aroa being 11 m·ur"is and 5 pat. r,1 :r,
total incom1:1 being 1 rupa�, 12 annas .3nci Ji  p� isa , at thu rc:tt: , ;, :t  
16 .  
· ( 2 ) Twv Gut.hi 1;:,ndr,YWmcmts in Sa iyan-Dara : FoI'lll3i'J.y, befor.3 t� entry orf 
thti Gorkha governmE:nt ( into Jumlar) , Maibi-Devata �merged on this lan-:, 
and s.tartea harassing t h<;.' loca l  inhabitan-ts . The Nayak of ·th•.?. D.sra 
then encbwed this laud .as Guthi ., construc t--·d a temp l.t:, (deva 1) and 
initillted r1 , ligious ceru.ronias. ThP• peo ple t hen felt r�Uoved, acco r­
ding to a st.:-,tument signed by tht? local peo plo . 'Iba total inc_ome from 
tho two Guthi encbwtocnts aoounts to 15 annas and 2 pais a. Th� break­
down is [J S follow s : 
Contd • • •  
116 . 
( a) Guthi • mdowment of Shri Bha irav Dovata in Yas legaun, Kh&t l�nds 
cultivated by J&gbir Sim. T he  tota l  incomo is 7 annas and 24 pa isa at tho rate of . 16 .  . · . . · · . · .· .
, . .  
(b) Guthi t:: o·dowment of Shri Bha uta-Chhahari ,  2 muris of Khet land 1a10wr.. 
as  Ra�s�, cultivated by Bauru Padhya.  - The tota l inc�is 7 a.nn,· s • 
and 24 paisa at th� rate of 16 . 
(3) Onv Gutni i:mdowm�nt of Kamcil Jaisi in Khagt:ina-Dara : -
Forrn1;;rly, (befo� the entr-J o f  t.h� Gork:ha govomm-.:int into Jumla) , t, (: ..:  
Raja of Khaguna granted this land to Kamal Jai si. Latar, h1:1 confi.�c..:, -.;,, u 
th� land� Gri�ved at this, Kama l  Jaisi committed suiciac on this lanJ 
which hc1 s now baen endowed as ()uthi . He became a Pr1:1t (0vil spirit) 
and b1:tgan  to harass the Raj a of Khag,ma, ' who thb n granted the land :1 f:>  
Guthi to Kama l Jaisi, constructed a templ� (deval) on th� land and 
initicited roligious ceremonies . Th1.:: Ra ja then f8 lt relieved, accordini,; · 
to a �statrna12:nt s ignad by the lo clll peopl-:; . 1'h0 total  income is 2 rupt.......:51 
13 ann�sr- and 2 paisa. Par:ticu la rs ar� as follows : -
. ( a ) 18 rnuris o f  Khet- land, call� d  Hadt:ikakal, in .l,url;ri villagci ;  'cult i.118
1 
' 
by Dharm£; DasJDisi . Tha total incomB is 2 rupees, 8 armas and .Li  
:. paisn at t.he rate o;  14. 
(b) 2 muris of Koot :i.and in Paigha village , cultiv� ted by Ranabir 
Khatri . Tht:�al incoroo is 5 anna s  <!nd ½ pnisa , at too rato .,f 16 , 
( 4 )  Two Guthi ondol-nnun-ts in Maru-Dara : 
Fornerly, b,:,frJri;: ( t.hr.i '3ntry of  th6 Gorkha govl:lrnmont in·to Jumla ) , t.niS 
devata cmi�rgod ( on this land ) and swr-Wd haro ssing thtl lo cal inhabi­
tants . At thnt timo, th�J Raja  of Jajarkot andowed the · fo llowing lonas 
as Guthi, constructed a temple ( deva l) for this fuvata and initi ... to.J 
religious cer\3m,Jnivsr. Th� inh<;lbitant,s then felt relievt:td ; according t,.;,
a statement . s igned by the local. p,.:opliJ . Tho se two Guthi ,.mdowrniilnts yi...;l  
a total inco11£; of 5 rupees , 5 annas and 3 paisa. 'rh� br�akdown is ? S  
follows : -
( a ) The Gut.hi 0ndowroont o f  Kaka lata-Kamakha·  �vata yields l rup��, .w 
annas an,:; 3 paisar. This inc luJ0c 11  annas nnd 3 paisa on  5i" rnuri� 
of Kht1t land callti d  Dona li, and 1 rupae nnd 3 annas from 8 muriS ,
8 patbis md 6 manas o f  Khat land callvd Patihalnn, at the rata 
• . ·  _of 14, both cultivatGd by Harshabir Roka Sadr.
" 
Contd • • •  
117 . 
( b ) Th0 Guthi ondowmont of Puigha-Bij uli-Da ka-Mas ta  D.Jvata yiE: lds 3 
rupee s nnd 7 c1nna s . _  This inc ludes 2 rupees ,  13 annas and lj- pa is a ,. .. 
from 204 muris of Sera Khet lancl ut 14 paisa (pur muri)., · cinci 9 
annas _ and 2 ½  p.:iis3 fr0m Jtt muris of � land cc1 1 l.ed Dohn-li a t  
16, bo th _cultivJtuJ by Mairam Rokaya . 
( 5 )  A Guthl undowmdnt of Mahc1dev Jaisi in Satiya-Dara . 
Formerly, (before th� t:1ntry _ of  th,� Gorkha g0 vt:rnm,;)llt intc Jumla , th� 
Roj a  o f Jaj arkot had gr�nt..;;d this l.:md tu l"lahad... w  Jllisii. Hvwevor, h� 
rt: sum0d ' it "subs� quentl.y.  Griev0 d at t.hi s,. Mahad,,v J3 isi committ�d 
suicid e  on thi s land which ha s now bfa., n t:lnuow.:id as Guthi . He b-.: ci.m0 � ·  
pr1::t ( o vil  s �: iri t )  and b�gan to harass t-ht) Ra j..:, o f  Ja jar,ko t .  Thi- R.:'l j&  
thoI'.oupon g ra�ted the lcrid as Gu thi to Mah adev Ja isi and use it  fo r 
worshipping (God ) Ma hndev . Ho thm felt r� lioved,  according to a st::it0 -
m,➔nt signed by  tho lo ca l  people . This Gu thi ondoWIOOnt ha s an  income 
of l rupee , 6 annas and 2 '.J paisa from 8 muris and 15 pa this of !(1--i t:: t 
land,_ _ a t  tht: ra�e of J.6; which is cultiv� tcd by Kol  Kh.'.ltri . 
--
( 6 ) Guthi �ndowment of Sri Ch :1turma sn Devi i.i1 Jagatipur-Dara . ilit on� t.ii1Li-.·
this land had been cultivD to d  by A Br� hman wurn3n ca lled Chaturlllcl\ sa .  
However, t,h,"- Naynk of th,:, vi i.lii go evicted her and s tartod us ing th• '  
lD!_lO himse lf . Grieved at this ·, th.fl Brahmani· woman went to the land :1n ·_ 
Comraittod s:ui cid�:-. :Shy _ _ b"camn li pret (evil spirit)  and bega n to hc:1r .::·,i.5.:.; 
-r,ho Nayn k. Th-0 Nayak, as- .::i re·sult , was unab ll:l to use t he land and S "i 
relinquished it . He a ppointed o ther - persons to cultiva te tht.: land, b: 1 
ovorybody w ho cult.ivatod the land underwnt su ffering und therufo r6 1· ... L ; _ _ _  .. . 
qui shed 1 t .  Th,e land thertifore rema ine d unc-ultiv ated for 100 or 120 , , _. N::i. 
Iri ( 19/34) (Vikrmna , or 18 77 -4� . D. ) , Ra ja J�g Ba ha uur Sha,h 
granted the land ( to a d;;;scondm t o :'  th,� Brahm�n woman Chaturm..:iisa ) ,
saying ,  1 1SincG sht: wa s y::rn.r ancesto r., pr,Jpitiat,.::; her" ai;i.d us1:: the lan -
tf you can. I g iw it a s  Guthi ( in tho nama of ) Chaturmas::i .i11 I.. tt.:mp l. .­
( d ..w al)  was c0nstructed on tn..: land and r<:: liigiuus c�rvlll0ni.:s wur" 
· iniW.atc·d . Mano w,; S worshippdd in the months of hsh�Jh and Marga whc::..-1 
. c rops wtir·(j sowni· ciri;j hi.lrvt:isted .  Rel� f,  wa s  thau- felt, a nd tht1 l.an� w£is 
· t hus r.0c 1.sim0 d. and culti"'lat�d , ·.:i ccording to a· st0tl3ment s ign'31.:! by t. t1,. 
loccJ l  puopli:: . 
This Guthi -:ndowment yiu lds an incom:: of l rupe�, 9_ annas and 2i2 
p -5isa fromi· 10 muris of � land ca ll�d Yasba gv r at' :tfu.:, rate of 16_. 
( 7 )  Guthi 0.:ndowments :i..r:i Jaj nrkot : - ·  
( a )  Pn ini Guthi . Thos� are Guthi endowments made in different y - Drs 
by tho &lj Bs of Jaj a rkot . Th� incom� of tnass Guthis is UScld tJ 
perform regular and cer"-"m'>nia 1 r1.; ligious fure tions , according t0 
Contd • •• 
118 
,· ·• :� st:..  temenf sigrwct'_'by ·tht:• local  p1;; opl� •. T he to:bE. l incoioo o f  
tqes(j � Guth i e·ndo'tlllen¥ ; numbe ring 5 ,  ii 9 rupeas, .l.4 annas and 
l� paisa •. The breakdown i s  c1 s  f0 lL:,ws : -
( i ) Guthi endowm�ritr. made by Raj a  Dip Narayan Shah for his Ishtau�veta 
on 5½ muris vf Khet lond caU.ed Yahu. The to.tal inc oll);;l is l 
rupe(;; and 6 annasat tht.: ra � of 25 . , 
. 
. (.i i ) Gut.hi encbwzoont �de by Raj Dip Narayan Shah uf  Jajarkot fd Srima lika Ikvi vn: 2¼ muris u f  lcinJ. Th"' ti....•t.:il  inc...,Uli:= L, 9 ;-mr. " �  
at th� rate of 25 .  
( iii ) Guthi �ndowment ma.d e •by Ra ja  Dip ·Narayan Shah for Srika lika 
Devi on 2 2·1 . mlJ.ris of Khc t lonJ cal le d  Sankhola . T he t0tal inc•.AnE, 
. . • r ·' . . is 10 annas': at ; th� r�' . -)f 25 ..., : :· 
(iv) Guthi · enqowrnent made by Raja  Dip Nar.:iyan Sb:ah for Sri ShivJshw.'.1!' 
Mohad1Jv en 17 muris, 12 pathis .  and 4 manas of . Khat : land. Th,� 
. totul incolll(;; is 3 rupa1:: s, 8 Ei nnas and 1J paisa .  Ti 1is in clua ;;; s  
3 nnnr1 s frrJm 15 pathis :;,f Khet land altedr. Pip<..-Jyula at  tr:;;  
rat.; --:if 2.5 ; -:Jna rupeo, 3 ann8s and �fi1  paiSci from 5 muris , i2 
pathis and 4 mana s of Khet lend ca lle d Pauwa-Ndra at  ttw r.Jt..)
of l rupee and 14 annasand 2 rupees ,  . l anna and 3 paisa ou 
11¼ muris �f -Khet land ca llod Ret at th� rato of 18 rupe�s � nd  12 annas . 
· ( b )  Guthi endowma�t made by · Raja J\Ulg Bah� d�r Shah in 1931 (Vikram[1 ,
· . . .  1874 A .D. ) for Sri Dipcidurgeshwar :t-'iah a:le:v on l5·,f'm1,1ris 0f Kh et 1 :: ,  . . :  
,. . yielding a "totul inc ome of 3 rupe.:s and 13 anncls . This includ es 3 
•·  � rup�es nnd 10 nnnas fr,-;:-: 14½ muris ot Khet .  land, ca ihd Sodnr--lk "' r ,
a.t the rate of 25, and J ann�s from 15 path:ip · ot' -Khe-t le.ind , cc.: 1 1· /.Pipa-Jyula, at the rate of 25. 
Th ursday, 
. :B'arlgun Badi 30, 1949 
· (Fttbrua ry 1892 )  
·- Ru gmi  Ros·earc h Collections, Vol.  62, pp � ·  107- 121 . 
-· · 
119 • 
. · .- ; . 
Inte rviews With Baburarn .Ac haryax 
On Ba isakh 10, _202 7 (April 22 , 1970) , Prof . Tulsi _Ram Ba idya of the 
Lepartinent of History of the Tribhuwan University, Dhanaba jra Ba jra- .' 
c ha ryn, an expert on history, Prof . Chudamani Bandhu o f  the Departm ent 
of Nepali , Bas ude v .  Tripat:hi , Secretary of  tht Institute of  Nepa l Studie s 
of' t�� Tribhuwan Univars ity, a nd Suparintendent Madhusudan Risa l tape­
recorded tha _ fo llowing interv iews with Itiha s  - Siromani Baburam Ji.chary ·  
a t his r ..." s idenc::; a t  Bn ttisputa li i n  Kathm:indu o n  b�half o'f tho Ins titut,:i
with t h� ob joctivo of  pr0s erving · cJS much a s  pos sib lu of hi s  comproht:m-
siVt:; knowld dge o f hist ory.  -
Question : What ·  hi_sto.rica l evidanca is • nvD i lab lt: about Kirata rule in Nepa l? 
- - ' 
Answer : None . There was no c ivi lization her e during tha Kirata perio d . 
History is not- po ssib le  in the ah'3onc e ·  of c ivi lization. His tory be gins 
with tho dawn of civi lization during th� Lichhavi perio d.  The Kira ta 
period pred.a tes' thd dawn o f  ci vi l. iza tion. · -� 
Quustion·: We b8 .isvc: t ha t  tho name s of t hl'1 four Adhikaranas ( o ff'ic ,::: s 0 r 
courts) , Kutha ra , Shulli, Mapahok and Lingv.1 la , ruforunc e s  to whi dl a'r... 
found in Li ch;c hhavi ins crip tions ,  · consti tutt:l evid�inc.J 0f Kir� ta rule:·.
1'hes ,3 a ru,_ in  a senso ,  contc:mporary ru for1;·nces . Th� sc .&ihikgranas t.hus 
seem to ha ve be�n . e stablished d uring the Kirata perio d .  
- ,  
. &isw(;jr : This is no t t� case-. How could. ther u be ·Adhikaranas -- during th� ­
K ira ta perio d? Wa must considor oow and when civiliz ation did . _t: f)pec:.r d:.iring 
this' : period . 
Qu,.;stion : .  I t  i s  dofinik thcJt th•.J Kira ta po rio d  c ,:;ntinuad for some' ' tim ' 
af t..-�r the Buddha . Th6 Arthashastra of Kautilya · an d · othor sources inctic�t - 1 
that c ornmdrc illl l'\:; lations between Nep,:i l and Inc ia · ha d sw rtud by that 
tirnP . In _our opinio!), c ivi _liza tion had emerge�_ to S J rr1to 0xten-t even d'ur:i ub 
the Kira ta :-perio d  a s  _a rosult of corr.mt:1rci8 l and other c,Jntacts .  
Answer·: Wher,e is tber\J any reference 1:.9 Kira ta ? . 
0 
Q\1(1s-tion : Whsn Wu Considcr ttio Lichc hhavi chrono logy, e nd inc lude t h..· 
perj,od of about 800 yoars o f  KircJta rule, _we: will certa inly arrive a t  
that period . 
xinstitute of N�pa l and Asian . Stud ie s, Tribhuw�n Univers ity : Baburcim 
Acharya ra Uhanka Kri ti (Baburam Acharya And His Works ) , Kirtipur : 
tho Institute , Falgun 29, 2029 (March 12 , 1973 ) . 
Contd •' • •  
120 .  
J..t1swer :  How ce;n you do so ? 
- . !? : . : . ·. . 
Quest ion : There �re
\.: , . al .s o'  t' _h. e•  Gopalavamshavali and other sources .  
. . 
. Answer : T� Gopa lavamshava li is' not '  re�ia b�i. 
,. ·. . . . ' ' . . . . . · Ques tion : Even if it may no t  be: ruliab le , i. it ha s, in  ,:) ur opinivn, much 
· noteworthy mat�ria l .  In Ifop3 l ,  :t he re moy not have been a ny system ,)f 
histori c a l  re searc h, but name; s wer� certainly re corded . The 32 name s -.>:t' 
· Kirata s Mt.;:ntioned in the Gopalavamshavali a re .r:io t in th.:; tir.::.i. :'. lon ?1.�. : �-
.Answer : Thoy are not Kirnta� at all. How can you make such a n  interpr•::i­
tationi? This is quite unreliable . I do not D ccept any of  this .  When 
the light of civilizati9n dawns , you have archituctu:rei. L believa that 
pivilization dawned from the day whe n Gumbaha l •,n s C ;)nstructed .  I do no t 
regard :the earlier history o f  N,:pa l a s  authentic .  When did , civilization 
dawn in Kumauni? Kumaun was not civi lization until the tirrt: of Ka lidasa • 
. They say ·thst Kumf.!un is  th1.. same as Kartripur"' � But this i,s not true . 
Ka lid3sa has mad,:;; no refer ,nc€: to Kumaun in his works . We get a ro forenc . ! 
tr, Garhwa l at la s t .  People C•)IOO to the banks of t he Ganga, stoal go ld 
and go btick . Civi lization has not dawned at that .tim� . I visited Garhw1;1 L 
. Ther� i s  an 'inscription of the s ixth cen tury., in th1:;; Kuti l.a scrirt , tho t  
t00 in Uttar-K..: shi . W\J f.>unu no thing abovd t hD t  p lace . During thoi. sixtn 
· century, c ivilization had spread only up to Uttar-Ka shi ,  not abov� that 
place; nor te, Badriiia th . How t htin co uld th(;:N have been civilization d ur­
ing the K irata p�riod ? In �epal,  c i viliz atio.n had a lready dawned auring 
the first c�ntury. �a civilization me ans th� civilizatiun of aryavarw .  
''I'he Aryas di d n.) t como ' here ; unly thc::1ir c ivi lization did .  In our hill  
regions �· civiliz ation h <' ,� dawne d  earlio r. Kas hrniri c ivilizatic.n wt, .� t h;:; 
firs t to reach hure . Lt.� t us not talk about Kashmir; for thoN civi liz o ­
tion c�mmenced during the Vedic  period itself • .  tas t o f  Ka�hmir, Nepa l 
was th1:1 first to be civ iliz tid . Th.a: oldest co ppo r inscriptivns are ·  found 
in Jtimla · ancl Humla . We cannot get oldt.>r inscriptions evon in Kwnaun and 
Garhwal. Evon words pre s,;rve (historical)  ma t,: rit 1 . •  I havti already saiu 
that tht:3 tarm Dangol refers tri Dak shinnko ligrE:ma . F0nnerly, because of 
Mahayana ., Kshatriya s and oth...:rs a ll b�cama one . They a re now civilizud · 
becauso of Mahayana . I have disco'Y\3ru d thv maaning o f  11 Gwala 11 • It rea lly 
refers to Koshanugrarna , of m ich it is the corrupt form. I bc lie W: thct 
lfopa li history began with t:o shonugram� . Bt· ' fore t· his, in my·  ou inion, Nc:rolh�s no history. 1,1 .
( To Be Contin�d ) 
.... .{.S .B . Mahc1rjan ) .