बगडीको जलसा ( The gathering at Bagadi)

Portrait of Maharaj Bir Shumsher JBR. Photo source: www.royalark.net

Maharaj Bir Shumsher JBR was extremely fond of classical music. He had arranged musical greats including Taj Khan (Dhrupad) and Dhundi Khan (Raga) to stay at his palace and train his servants to sing. The two artists were formerly under the employ of the Nawab of Awadh. 5 of his servants had been trained to sing in private occasions inside the palace; they were Muga Nani, Ishakpadi Nani, Harimaya Nani and Haseena Nani.

Taj Khan and Dhundi Khan with their trainees at Maharaj Bir's palace. Photo credits: Purusottam Shumsher JBR

In Poush of 1956 BS (1899/1900 AD), Maharaj Bir organized a grand gathering of musicians and singers from all over the Indian subcontinent at Bagadi ( near modern-day Birgunj ). Almost 100 singers and musicians participated in this event, of which Ustad Rehmat Khan of Gwalior was declared as the winner. He was awarded a lot of coins and jewels as his prize.

The winner of the jalsa, Rehmat Khan, with other participants. Photo credits: Purusottam Shumsher JBR

A list of all known participants of the "Jalsa" are given below, with their style or instruments in parenthesis.

1. Gholam Hussein (Dhrupad)
2. Inayet Hussein Khan (Raga)
3. Faisal Hussein Khan (Raga)
4. Mohammad Hussein (Jaltarang)
5. Jagannath (Pakhawaj)
6. Wazir Khan (Thumari)
7. Ali Raza Khan (Sitar)
8. Sanad Khan (Raga)
9. Baldev Chaube (Raga)
10. Rehmat Khan of Gwalior (Raga) (Winner)
11. Mohammad Khan (Raga)
12. Micha Khan (Raga)
13. Alibaksh Khan (Raga)
14. Miya Jaan Khan (Raga)
15. Abdul Razzak (Raga)
16. Mehdi Hasan (Raga)
17. Govind Raut of Gwalior (Khyali)
18. Kalandar Baksh of Rampur (Classical Dance)
19. Abdul Razzak (Tabla)
20. Kalimard (Sarangiya)
21. Habibullah (Sarangiya)
22. Sansaad of Rampur (Classical Dance)
23. Ahmandbaksh (Classical Dance)
24. Maulbaksh (Classical Dance)
25. Amir Khan of Gwalior (Sitar)
26. Pir Khan (Raga)
27. Sanad Khan (Jaltarang)
28. Mir Khan (Raga and Sarangiya)
29. Narayan Rao (Tabla)
30. Nihalser Khan of Gwalior (Sitar)
31. Mundru Khan (Sarod)
32. Chunnu Khan (Sarod)
33. Shadf Ali Khan of Lucknow (Khyal)
34. Nawibaksh (Sarangiya)
35. Bilayat Ali (Tabla)
36. Khursid Ali (Tamora)
37. Raiyat Khan (Khyal)
38. Bishnupad Khan (Raga)
39. Martanda Raut (Raga)
40. Sakhaaye (Pakhawaj)
41. Ruhu (Binn)
42. Ganesh Chaube (Tabla)
43. Rambhakta Juwa (Raga)
44. Aldak Hussein (Binn)
45. Ali Ahmad Khan (Tamora)
46. Bene Singh (Pakhawaj)
47. Krishna Mishra (Pakhawaj)
48. Santaram Bhatta (Pakhawaj)
49. Nahakul Mishra of Bettiah (Dhrupad)
50. Budhho Khan (Tabla)
51. Shina Hussein Khan of Rampur (Raga)
52. Husseinbaksh (Sarangiya)
53. Gholam Hussein (Tabla)
54. Gholam Haider Khan of Sasawa (Tabla)
55. Ahmad of Rampur (Tamora)
56. Magu Jaan of Lucknow
57. Alibaksh (Sarangi)
58. Inayet Hussein of Gwalior (Tamora)
59. Begum Jaan of Lucknow
60. Jajjan Jaan (Sarangi)
61. Bandi Jaan of Lucknow
62. Nuni Jaan of Datiya
63. Aashabandi (Sarangiya)
64. Kanhaiyalal (Sarangiya)
65. Pahalman Ahmad Saddar (Sarangiya)
66. Azimuddin (Sarangiya)
67. Fatteh Khan (Sarangiya)
68. Shumsher Khan (Sarangiya)
69. Pyare Sayat
70. An unnamed Indian Band of pakhawaj players based on Sama-Veda

Commander-In-Chief Kiran Shumsher JBR

The 26th Commander-In-Chief of the Nepalese Army, Gen. Kiran Shumsher JBR was the son of the then-Northern Commanding General Juddha Shumsher JBR as his eleventh son. Born in October, 1916 at Jawalakhel Durbar, he started his military career in his early youth (1933) and rapidly rose through various ranks to become Major General in 1943. He served in the Second World War as the commander of the Mahindra Dal Battalion in the North-West Frontier.

He was appointed the Director General of Health, Transport and Communication and the Royal Mint from 1946 to 1950. During the insurgency in 1950, he was deployed to maintain peace in the Eastern Nepal. Because of his success and proper handling of the military operations, he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Commander-In-Chief. In 1951, he was again promoted to the rank of Commander-In-Chief, when he was just 35 years old. He was also appointed as the aide-de-camp (ADC) of King Tribhuwan and King Mahendra. He embarked on an official visit to Malaya while being the Commander-In-Chief and inspected the Far Eastern Command and the Gorkha regiment there.

Commander-In-Chief Kiran Shumsher at a hunt. Photo credits: Bardan Shumsher Thapa

After retiring from military duties, he was appointed the Planning and Development State-Minister in 1956, during the premiership of Mr. Tanka Prasad Acharya. He was appointed the Vice-President of the National Planning Commission while it was being led by Prince Himalaya Bikram Shah as president. He was also appointed as a member of the Upper House of the Nepalese parliament.

Kiran Shumsher (Standing in the Left) with Krishna Shumsher (Standing in the Centre)
Photo credits : Bardan Shumsher Thapa

He breathed his last on November 1983 in Kathmandu and was cremated with full military honours in the Aryaghat at Pashupatinath. He is survived by his sons Prasiddha Shumsher, Prabal Shumsher, Pramod Shumsher and Subodh Shumsher.

List of honours awarded to Commander-In-Chief Kiran Shumsher JBR:

1. Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE) 
2. Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)
3. Commander of Legion of Merit 2nd Class
4. Mentioned in Despatches in the Second World War
5. 1939-1945 Star
6. Burma Star 
7. Defence Star
8. War Medal
9. Assam-Burma Medal
10. Order of the Star of Nepal 1st Class (Nepal Tara)
11. Order of Om Ram Patta
12. Order of the Three Divine Powers 1st Class (Tri Shakti Patta)
13. Order of the Right Hand of Gorkha 1st Class (Gorkha Dakshin Bahu)
14.  Coronation Medal 1955
15. Coronation Medal 1972
16. Nepal Pratap Vardhak

Archduke Ferdinand and his hunt in Nepal

"The Great War for Civilization" or more famously known as "World War I" claimed millions of lives from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. The immediate cause of the war was the assassination of His Imperial Highness The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand ( the heir-apparent to the throne) and Her Serene Highness Princess Sophie in Serbia. Nepal sent 14000 soldiers to fight for Britain, against Austria-Hungary.

His Imperial Highness Archduke Franz Ferdinand with Her Serene Highness Princess Sophie

The Archduke had a morganatic wedding with Sophie Chotek in 1899, who he met at a ball in 1894. The marriage meant that Sophie couldn't be seen in public functions anywhere near the Archduke when in royal duty, because of her non-royal lineage. The only exception was when he was fulfilling his military duties. So, under the pretext of inspecting the Serbian army, the Archduke went to meet his death, But, 21 years before he was shot in the neck by Gavrilo Princip, he came to Nepal to shoot tigers ( March, 1893 )

Shree Teen Maharajah Bir Shumsher was the lone tiger in the huge forest of Nepal in 1893. With the threat of Khadga Shumsher completely eliminated, Maharajah Bir was enjoying his supreme rule over Nepal. His simple-minded brother Dev Shumsher was next-in-line, while the cunning Chandra Shumsher was the Jungi-Laath and the Western Commanding General. At that time, Nepal had no formal ties with any country except for Great Britain. Archduke Ferdinand was also on a trip around the globe. In 1893, he first reached India, where he was received by the Maharajahs and Nawabs. After almost a month in India, the Archduke expressed his desire to hunt tigers in Nepal.

The Archduke's wish desire was met with a great difficulty in the Lal Durbar. Because of the pressure to maintain close ties with Britain and the East-India Company, the Mahrajah couldn't welcome the Archduke in person, nor could he send one of his "rolewallah" brothers (included in the roll of succession), lest the Viceroy be provoked. Then, it was decided to send Commanding Colonel Keshar Singh Thapa, the maternal uncle of four brothers; Khadga, Dev, Chandra and Bhim. Keshar Singh Thapa was exiled from Kathmandu and was sent to live in Salyan as its Bada-Hakim (Chief Administrator). So, it was decided, Commanding Colonel Keshar Singh Thapa would be the chief of the organizing party, and his son Captain Prem Shumsher Thapa his assistant.

The hunting party of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Nepal. He is pictured holding a rifle. 

In the month of march in 1893, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand came to Nepal and shot animals in Kailali and Kanchanpur. During his hunt, a total of 17 tigers, 6 leopards, and many swamp deers, boars, antelopes, spotted deers and blackbucks were shot. Pleased with the hunt and the hunting party, Archduke Ferdinand, he gifted C.Col. Keshar Singh Thapa a Qatari sword with its scabbard with the royal monogram upon it and fourteen guns; while Capt. Prem Shumsher Thapa was also gifted a sword. He also sent a letter to Maharajah Bir (via Keshar Singh Thapa) thanking him for the hunt and also requested for his autographed potrait, to which Bir graciously acquiesced.

 The same Archduke was assassinated 21 years later in Serbia, by Gavrilo Princip. That assassination is regarded as the trigger for World War I.

Subarna Shumsher : The unsung hero

When it comes to revolutionary leaders in Nepal, most people think of Bisheshwar Prasad Koirala, Kunwar Indrajit Singh, Ganesh Man Singh or even Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda". There is no doubt whatsoever about who the greatest revolutionary leader of Nepal ever was : Subarna Shumsher Rana. 

Born as the only son of Commanding General Hiranya Shumsher JBR at Tangal Durbar in 1909, Subarna Shumsher joined the military in 1930 as a captain . Gen. Hiranya Shumsher was the second son of Shree Teen Maharaj Bhim Shumsher, the son of Gen. Dhir Shumsher and Nanda Kumari ( the sister of Commanding Colonel Keshar Singh Thapa ). Subarna was exiled to India along with many members of his family by the then Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher JBR, when Juddha Shumsher was sending many C-class Ranas to exile. 

After Subarna and his relatives reached India, they were scarce on money. However, at that time, India was about to be freed from the British Raj and almost all bungalows and palaces were being sold in a hurry. Subarna's cousin General Mahabir Shumsher JBR realized this opportunity and established Dalhousie Properties Ltd. as the chairman and MD, from which he bought those buildings in a cheap price and sold them with a huge margin. The money earned from this was later used to buy weapons from Myanmar and cover the living expenses of all the revolutionaries residing in India.

Many people fail to see the connection, but the political career of Subarna Shumsher resembles that of the Chinese leader Dr. Sun Wen, or more commonly known as Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. Both of these leaders spent a large portion of their lives in exile. Both of these leaders were the principal donors for revolutions. Both of these leaders became the executive head of states for a brief period of time only. The striking difference is that Dr. Yat-Sen supported the three people's principles, while Subarna Shumsher supported socialist democracy.



Subarna Shumsher established the Nepal Democratic Congress on 4th August, 1948. Then, BP Koirala had already created Nepal National Congress on 25th January 1947. These two parties merged on 9th April 1950 to form Nepali Congress. The first ever conference of Nepali Congress was held in Bairganiya, India, where the revolution was formally announced. Subarna Shumsher supported the living expenses and bought weapons from Myanmar (Burma). Large quantities of alcoholic products, food and ammunition also came as foreign aid. 

During the revolution, Bisheshwar Prasad Koirala insisted that the Nepali Congress should focus on non-violent struggle "Satyagraha" instead of commencing an armed revolution. However, Subarna Shumsher disagreed with him. Subarna knew what PM Mohan Shumsher was made of and that futile methods of demonstrations would not affect him in any way. So, he convinced everyone that an armed revolution was absolutely necessary for bringing democracy, in which the Congress succeeded.

A common photograph of Subarna Shumsher

Subarna Shumsher was made the head of the council of ministers (effectively the Prime Minister) by King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev to ensure parliamentary elections. The election was duly held, in which Nepali Congress secured 74 out of 108 seats in the parliament. BP Koirala became the Prime Minister and Subarna Shumsher became the Deputy PM and Minister for Finance. During the coup-d'état of 1960, Subarna was out of harm's way as he was given permission to go to India for a consultant with a doctor, which King Mahendra was refusing him for some time. It seemed (and still seems) that King Mahendra was close to Subarna and didn't want to see any harm come to him. His property was seized by the state, and the central office of Nepal Rastra Bank, the living quarters of Prime Minister and Chief Justice are situated on his confiscated properties. Subarna Shumsher himself issued a statement, warning that the coup had pushed the country back by more than a decade. Even then, he didn't lose hope and struggled for the reestablishment of democracy.

The life of Subarna Shumsher is the life of an ideal revolutionary. However, it is a real shame that none of the recent generation of Congress politicians remember him for his principles and actions. Subarna Shumsher is a priceless jewel of the entire nation, and it is the nation's responsibility to make sure that all the struggles and sacrifices of Subarna doesn't become unnoticed. Recently, an organization called Subarna Memorial Council (सुवर्ण स्मृति परिषद ) has been established, which primarily aims to increase the awareness of people about the struggle for democracy spearheaded by Subarna. Let's hope that the present "great" politicians shall take a page out of Subarna's book and try to work just like him, with his selflessness, patience , and above all, his patriotic feeling.

Melawa Devi's departure from the Palace

Shree Teen Maharajah Chandra Shumsher ruled over Nepal for 28 long years as the Prime Minister of Nepal and the Maharajah of Kaski and Lamjung. He is popular for his lavish palaces and developmental works. Chandra Nahar , the first irrigation project of Nepal, was constructed during his tenure, with Colonel Dilli Jung Thapa as the chief engineer. He is more popular for the abolishing of Sati and Slavery system, which were major problems back in his day. In 1924 AD, he spent Rs. 36,70,000 to free all the slaves in the country. It was compulsory for all the slaves to be freed, which included his palace as well. Almost all "slaves" who didn't want to stay at their masters' house started leaving. The real shocker came when "Melawi Devi", one of the royal maids of the Maharajah, also expressed her desire to leave the "Singha Durbar", and she did it publicly.

Maharaj Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, one of the most influential politicians in the history of Nepal

Melawa Devi was one of the most popular maids of Singha Durbar, the real powerhouse of Nepal during the Rana-era (and now). She was extremely famous for her dancing and singing skills, which caught the eye of the Maharajah. She was employed as a maid for her aforementioned characters, of which she made full use to impress her master. During those times, a favourite maid of the Maharajah would receive a vast fortune in the form of jewels. So, it was desired by every maid to become a "favourite".

So, why did Melawa Devi decide to depart from this "jewel" mine? It turned out, later, that she had an affair with Bhagatkrishna "Ustad", who sang classical songs in the palace and was equally popular in the palace. After obtaining the Maharajah's permission to leave the duty, she started living with the Ustad and married him. On hearing this, the Maharajah became furious and fired the Ustad from the job and banned him from appearing anywhere near Singha Durbar. Melawa Devi later became an eminent singer in Nepal.

Postal Stamp issued in the name of Melawa Devi. Source: www.delcampe.net

Ghantaghar: The first clock tower of Nepal

                                          

History of time keeping in Nepal

Ghantaghar is one of the most noticeable landmarks in all of Kathmandu. Although similar towers have been constructed in other parts of Nepal, the most popular one has been the one behind Rani Pokhari. Before Ghantaghar was made, the residents of Kathmandu valley had no scientific means of knowing the time; they deduced the time by feeling their wrists and watching the sun. The Ghantaghar , literally translated as the "Bell Tower", was constructed during the reign of H.H Maharaj Bir Shumsher JBR. However, it was H.H Maharaj Dev Shumsher JBR who gave him that idea. During the 13- year long reign of Bir Shumsher, various developmental works were completed, including the Bir Dhara, Medical Dispensaries, Bir Library. He constructed magnificient durbars, including the Seto Durbar ( The White Palace ), Fohara Durbar ( The Palace of Fountains ), Lal Durbar ( The Red Palace), etc. Later, H.H. Maharaj Dev Shumsher JBR started the system of notifying people of 12 am by blasting a cannon. Later, the Ghantaghar was used to notify people of the curfew that used to be implemented every night from 9 pm to 5 am. The system of blowing cannons to notify of the time was abolished in 2046 BS.

                                                   H.H. Maharaj Bir Shumsher JBR

The Making of Ghantaghar

Kathmandu, at that time was an abode of artistic palaces. Bir Shumsher himself constructed several palaces. He had ordered four huge wall clocks from Great Britain, to adorn the palace of his four sons. But, the order came to Nepal as four clocks joined as one. This caused much problem to Bir Shumsher. His brother (the then- Jangi Laath) Chandra Shumsher suggested they would return the shipment back to England, but his other brother (the then- Mukhtiyar ) Dev Shumsher suggested to make a clock tower, which would ensure that Bir Shumsher would do an act of social service to the people. So, the 4-in-1 clock was relocated to a tower constructed specially for that purpose.

The Original Ghantaghar

Present Day Ghantaghar

The original bell tower constructed by Bir Shumsher was destroyed during the 1990 BS earthquake. It was rebuilt and one of its largest bells was taken to a temple for its safety. The Ghantaghar was again rebuilt during the reign of His Majesty the King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah . The Ghantaghar still stands today, reminding the Kathmandu residents of their proud history.

Present day Ghantaghar

The Father of Nepali Cricket

Cricket is a sport which has been lately gathering a lot of popularity in Nepal. After the Nepal first played the world Cup, everyone in Nepal is a cricket fan. The credit  bringing this "gentleman's sport" to Nepal goes to HH Madan Shumsher JBR,  the son of Shree Teen Maharaj Chandra Shumsher JBR.  He introduced this game to Nepal for the very first time during the Rana rule in Nepal. Even though there weren't many cricketing competitions during that time and cricket was only limited among royalty, it didn't become popular until the advent of democracy in 1951

Madan Shumsher JBR in full cricket uniform 

FIRST SCIENTIST OF NEPAL " GEHENDRA SHUMSHER JUNG BAHADUR RANA "

Gehendra Shumsher JBR is rightly regarded as the first scientist of Nepal. Born as the son of Shree Teen Maharaj Bir Shumsher JBR, he was interested in mechanics and ammunition since childhood. He was born on Poush 1928 BS in the Indian city of Kolkata (Calcutta)  as his father was the Nepalese Consul to India at that time. Gehendra Shumsher received formal schooling at Durbar High School. 

Original Painting of Gehendra Shumsher posing in front of his newly invented guns. This painting is more than 100 years old.

After the parva of 1942 BS, the Shumshers rose into power and Gehendra Shumsher also became powerful as he became the head of the Police Department. It was then that his gun making skills were bettered. He made various guns like Bir Gun, Dhir Gun, Ge-rifle, etc. The Bir gun had a double barrel system which was probably the first of its kind.

Bir Gun, which is on display in the Military museum at Chhauni

Gun Making Machine of Gehendra Shumsher, which is on display on Chhauni Military Museum

Ge- rifle, which is on display on Military Museum at Chhauni

In 1956, Dev Shumsher imported a Ford car from Great Britain for his father. He dissected its parts and knew a lot about automobiles. Similarly, he used to brings guns and their catalogues, and made guns according to those catalogues.

Gehendra Shumsher JBR producing guns at his laboratory at Jamal

Gehendra Shumsher also had a major role in a plot spearheaded by Chandra Shumsher JBR, which resulted in the banishing of Dev Shumsher JBR from Kathmandu to Dhankuta.

During the Dashain festival during Chandra Shumsher's premiership, Gehendra Shumsher went to receive Tika from his uncle. While bowing down, his gun ,which he had brought to show to his uncle, fell down and his uncle became suspicious ,which resulted in the formation of a plot to eradicate him. One night, as he was drinking with his friends, he ate a boiled egg and started choking and died later. Some say that the egg was poisoned on Chandra Shumsher's orders. This was the end of the first scientist of Nepal.

God of Wind ( वायु देवता )

Nepal is a mystical country in which there exist many religions and, de facto, many Gods. As Hinduism was the state religion until the abolition of monarchy, Hinduism is more popular and revered. There are innumerable Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism, and various sects worship and please each God. Among them, both mystical and mysterious one is the God of Wind ( वायु देवता ) of Gorkha.

History of वायु देवता :

After the separation of Gorkha and Lamjung, there was an unrest in both states. Separated by the Daraudi River ( दरौदी खोला ), the people of Lamjung seemed to advance and were trying to capture Gorkha . In such a crucial time, King Prithvipati Shah ( राजा पृथ्वीपति  शाह ) , thought of renouncing the throne to become an ascetic, which would result in the crowning of Crown Prince Bir Bhadra Shah (युवराज बिरभद्र शाह ). In such a crucial time, Prince Ranashardul Shah (राजकुमार  रणशार्दुल शाह ) created a plot to eliminate and capture Lamjung. According to the plan, all the courtiers except the Crown Prince were banished. Prince Ranashardul Shah went to Liglig, which was then under the control of Lamjung. There, Crown Prince of Lamjung Dawanal Shah ( युवराज दावानल शाह ), the son of King of Lamjung Kehari Narayan Shah (राजा केहरी नारायण शाह ) gave asylum to Ranashardul Shah. During Dashain (दशैं ), Dawanal Shah went to Lamjung Durbar, leaving Ranashardul Shah in charge of Liglig. Then, Gorkhali soldiers, under the command of Ranashardul Shah attacked Nuwakot and became victorious. All the people of Gorkha worshipped Ranashardul Shah while returning and he became the apple of the eye of everyone. The Crown Prince of Gorkha, Birbhadra Shah, was jealous of his brother's popularity and started to plot against him, even though Ranashardul Shah never thought of anything bad against his own brother. The Crown Prince insulted Ranashardul Shah badly, which left him speechless. Then, full of patriotisn and love for his motherland, he committed suicide in his room with a special knife called Katar (कटार). In that very room, a temple of God of Wind ( वायु देवता ) was established. That room , situated in Gorkha Durbar , is always locked. That room has been opened twice, once by Maharaj of Kaski and Lamjung Shree Teen Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, and another time by Her Majesty the Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah shortly before the Durbar massacre. The room is always closed because it is considered to make extremely bad things happen to people who open the room. It is because of the bad air which fills that room.

Present temple:

After King Prithvi Narayan Shah (महाराजधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह ) defeated Kathmandu, the temple of God of Wind was moved to Hanumandhoka Palace. The palace was destroyed by the infamous earthquake of 1934 AD (1990 BS). After that, that section of palace was destroyed and the temple was relocated to a small room to the west of the palace and its westernmost room. The mysterious temple of God of Wind has not yet been reconstructed. It is worshipped in all Dashains, Poornimas. The Shraddha (श्राद्ध ) of Ranashardul Shah is still being done in Sorha Shraddha (सोह्र  श्राद्ध ).

Playwright Bhimnidhi Tiwari has written a play based on this event entitled माटो को माया  (Love for motherland).

This is the first edition of the printed book, which is in my collections.

EXPLORING THE PAST [ VOL: 1A ]

The history of Nepal after 1850 is completely overshadowed by court intrigues , bloody incidents , parvas etc . A soldier in the rank of colonel reaches to the height of power as a prime minister getting a title of sri 3 maharajas etc . The glorious history made by great unforgettable leaders like bhim sen thapa , amar singh thapa and other was changed to a new era of politics  by leading ranas of nepal . 

Born on 18 th june 1807 , second son of bal narsigha kuwar and ganesh kumari devi rana , jung bahdur rana came in power in 1846 with a great high ambition . He established himself as an unchallenged and undefeated personality with a great mischievous background . King rajendra vir vikrama shah , through on the throne in the name , led a lonely life , with all powers vested on his second queen rajya laxmi . jealous of their apparent and supported by the selfish courtiers , the second queen of Rajendra vikram shah became furious and thought of keeping her own son rarendra vikram shah in the throne .many personalities were changed by intrigues were made but her ambition could not be fulfilled . The death of Gagan singh khawas brought an opportinuty to jung bahadur s to come in front and to play the game full of blood , which was later a blessing in disguise to him and the entire rana family . 

The kot massacre  which was followed due to angry mood of second queen was not fully supported by jung bahadur and his brothers , took away most of the lives if great generals and the courtiers . kot massacre is an unforgettable event in the history of nepal and the instigators cannot be pardoned in history . kot massacre paved the way for jung bahadur to become a superior personality and also got a chance to fulfill his ambition , it cannot be forgotten that fulfill his ambition and to reach to the height of power , jung bahadur s hand became blood stained with the murder of his own uncle genral mathabar singh Thapa 

TO BE CONTINUED ...........................

BARDAN SHUMSHERE THAPA , 20 TH APRIL 2015 

International History

Russian revolution:

After centuries of Tsar rule, the Russian people were tired of the absolute monarchy. The last Tsar, Nicholas II, who was also the grandson of  late Queen Victoria and the first cousin of the then- British King George V and German Kaiser Wilhelm II, had implemented various reforms for the people, but they were too late.

Tsar Nicholas II

Russian Revolution is more generally referred to as the October revolution. This revolution was headed by Vladimir Illyrich Ulyanov "Lenin". Lenin led a group of revolutionaries named Bolsheviks. Thus, this revolution is also known as the Bolshevik revolution. There were strikes all over the country and the police and army opened fire on the protestors. Nicholas II was a deeply conservative and dictatorial ruler. Lenin started the revolution on the basis of the ideas of Karl Marx. There was violence all over the country and a civil war had been waged after 1918 AD and Russia withdrew from the World War midway thorugh it. The Bolsheviks executed the imperial family of Russia using a guillotine.

Guillotining a person

Later, Lenin took power of Russia. After the death of Lenin, Josef Stalin took power. The later leaders were :Nikita Khruschev, Leonid Brezhnev, Mikhail Gorbachev and Vladimir Putin.

RANARCHY

my maternal great grandfather major general jhulendra bikram rana 

My today's post will be about dress and jewelry of the Rana dynasty of Nepal. They ruled the Kingdom of Nepal since 1846 till 1951 and during the time the king was just a formal figure and the real power belonged to the Ranas. They were made the Prime Minister and other government positions became hereditary. 
The Rana clan was  enormous, the first Rana Prime Minister Jung Bahadur had 6 brothers, 14 sons and 30 nephews.There was no male Rana who would limit himself with just one wife, all of them had several wives (Jung Bahadur for example had 40).

During my last visit to historian Pursottam Shumsher JBR , he explained about two valuable diamonds which were present in Nepal .One was of 94 carats, which was later sold by Lila Shumsher JBR . And the 2nd was a yellow coloured diamond, given by Bir Shumsher JBR to his daughter, who was the mother of King  Tribhuvan .  The white diamond was later sold by Lila Shumsher in Bombay on 2008 BS for 24 lakh Indian Rupees . No one knows where they are now .

All those numerous wives, daughters and sisters were dressed and adorned according to status. Women's dress was influenced by European fashion at the Rana court. There are many photos of the late 19th century where Rana women wear Victorian silk dresses covered with pearls, sequins and intricate embroidery  Sari also was worn but in a distinctive Nepalese style different from that of Indian fashion: the sari was pleated in the back and the border was pinned like a stole. 

Jewelry was an essential way to show wealth and success. Each Rana wife and daughter had unique individual tiaras and necklaces designed for them. Tiaras were laden with diamonds and necklaces had nine strands of pearls and gems. Star and moon pins were popular motifs with the Ranas because these were emblems of their royal ancestry.

SRI PECH /CROWN

 Rana men preferred to wear a formal military garb with medals and braids. A unique headgear,Sripech (Crown),  was a distinctive feature of their official outfit. The Sripech had three leaf-shaped ornaments mounted with diamonds and emeralds and a plume made of feathers taken, oddly enough, from the bird of paradise found only in New Zealand.

www.bardanshumsherthapa.com

18 TH SAARC SUMMIT IN NEPAL

The two-day 18th South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation summit will deliberate on a range of crucial issues such as defence and security, improving transport connectivity among the member states and ensuring greater flow of goods and services to boost trade and commerce.

KING ADDRESSING 3RD SUMMIT

The theme of the summit is ‘Deeper Regional Integration for Peace and Prosperity’ and diplomats of a number of member countries said there have been expectations that the summit will have “breakthroughs” in some areas. The leaders are also expected to deliberate on enhancing cooperation in the fields of education, health care, energy security and poverty alleviation.

DIURING 11 TH SAARC SUMMIT HELD IN NEPAL 

Modi, after becoming Prime Minister, has been pushing for a stronger SAARC and there has been lot of enthusiasm among top diplomats of various countries about what he brings to the table to make the eight-nation grouping a regional powerhouse.While Modi’s official programme has no mention of his meeting with Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, he would be meeting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa among others.

India sees SAARC as a regional cooperative framework for promoting active collaboration in economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields so as to accelerate regional growth and development.Diplomats said there will be detailed discussion on removing hurdles for ensuring free flow of trade among the member countries.

POLITICAL IDEOLOGY "KING MAHENDRA "

King Mahendra (1920-1972) was the ninth Shah dynasty ruler of Nepal. The period of his rule (1955-1972) was marked by a wide variety of experiments in political systems and approaches to economic and social development.

coronation of King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev 

King Mahendra (Bir Bikram Shah Dev), the ninth Shah (Gorkha) dynasty ruler of Nepal, was born in Kathmandu on July 11, 1920, the eldest son of King Tribhuvan and Queen Kanti. Mahendra's first three decades were a period in Nepal's history when the Shah dynasty ruled in name only and political authority was held by the Rana family. Mahendra was not allowed to participate in the political or social life in Kathmandu except under strict Rana supervision, nor did he attend a "modern" educational institution in Nepal, India, or abroad as did many of the sons of elite families prior to 1950. This sense of exclusion and deprivation, intellectually and politically, strongly influenced his political views and values even after the overthrow of the Rana "system" in 1951.

Mahendra married Indra R. L. Rana in 1940. She bore him three sons and three daughters before her death in 1950. Mahendra then married Indra's sister, Ratna R. L. Rana, in December 1952—over opposition from political party leaders and, reportedly, from his father King Tribhuvan because she came from a powerful branch of the Rana family. This was one of the first occasions on which Mahendra demonstrated the determination to make his own decisions, a characteristic evident after he came to the throne.

King Tribhuvan died on March 14, 1955, and Mahendra succeeded him on the throne. The period from the overthrow of the Ranas in 1951 until 1955 had been a transitional phase in Nepal's politics with no constitution, no elected parliament, and no responsible cabinet system. The executive, nominally acting under the authority of the monarch, was composed of various political party leaders who were, in fact, responsible to no one but lacked much political clout. King Tribhuvan was reluctant to assert a forceful role for the monarchy, but gradually felt compelled to do so. The government of India, which had "supervised" the replacement of the Rana system in 1951, found it necessary to serve as the power behind the throne in the Nepalese government whenever decisions had to be made.

King Mahendra during  hunting session at Mahendranagar 

King Mahendra, in contrast to his father, was not prepared to see such a tenuous political system prolonged and introduced a series of experiments shortly after ascending the gaddi (throne). His first step (1956) was a purge of the bureaucracy with the objective of making it a more efficient body in the implementation of policies—for example, Nepal's first five-year plan. By 1959 he had, on his own initiative, introduced a parliamentary-type constitution that was largely modelled on India's democratic constitution, but with some protection for the institution of the monarchy. In the spring of 1959 Nepal's first free popular election based on universal franchise was held. The Nepali Congress Party swept two-thirds of the seats in the election, and the leader of the party, B. P. Koirala, was appointed prime minister. King Mahendra assumed the largely titular head of state position given the monarchy under the 1959 constitution, did not intervene with the governance of the country, and spent most of his time touring Nepal or travelling abroad.

King Mahendra's reign, 1955-1972, was notable for a wide variety of experiments in political systems, ranging from the classically Western democratic parliamentary system to more authoritarian political structures based, in theory at least, on traditional Hindu concepts and institutions. There was a similar openness to different approaches to economic and social development—for example, moderate but pragmatic land reform and legal code liberalization programs. At all times, however, King Mahendra maintained a special concern for the viability of the monarchial system.

State visit to London 

By the time of King Mahendra's death on January 31, 1972, there were evident strains and deficiencies in the constitutional and political system he had constructed in the 1960s. In his final years Mahendra amended the 1962 constitution and made some efforts to bring talented and experienced officials into the key positions in the administrative process. But this had limited effect on the political system, which remained authoritarian, with the monarch as the fulcrum around which everything moved. It was quite evident by the time of his death that more basic political changes were required to meet the demands of an increasingly complex and developing society.

                  The most popular king of All time 

The most popular king of all time, His Majesty the King Late Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev(श्री ५ महाराजधिराज  स्वर्गीय  वीरेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह देव ) , the first son of His Majesty the King Late Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev(श्री ५ महाराजधिराज स्वर्गीय  महेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह देव) and Her Majesty the (then) Queen Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah (श्री ५ मुमा  बडामहारानी रत्न राज्यलक्ष्मी देवी शाह ), ruled Nepal over a long period of 30 years, from 1971 AD to 2001 AD. He is regarded by the Nepalese people and many world leaders as a peace loving and democracy supporting King. His long reign of 30 years saw various political events, including the downfall of Panchayat System, installed in Nepal by his father, and also the start of the People's War, started by the Maoists on 1994 AD. He was the leader who proposed Nepal as a non-aligned state, and gained a lot of popularity all over the world for it. He was later killed on 19th Jestha 2058 BS(1st June, 2001 AD) at Narayanhiti Royal Palace, while he was celebrating "Good Friday" with his relatives. This massacre was the most mysterious massacre in history and was dubbed "Durbar Hatyakanda"(Palace Massacre). No one was able to find the culprit of the massacre, which took various lives including Her Majesty the Queen Late Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah(श्री ५ बडामहारानी स्वर्गीय ऐश्वर्य राज्य लक्ष्मी देवी शाह ), His Highness the Crown Prince Late Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev(श्री ५ युवराजधिराज स्वर्गीय दीपेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह देव ).However, the investigation commission which included the then Speaker of Parliament Taranath Ranabhat concluded that Crown Prince Dipendra had been the culprit of the Massacre.

Even though cars were made to be driven on ground, cars were carried by the people in Nepal more than 100 years ago. Cars were only accessible to the highest part of the society: the rulers and their relatives. Cars became widely used in the public only after the advent of democracy in 2007 BS (1951 A.D) . The cars were brought from India, during which it was carried by people to transport it safely to Kathmandu. Ironic, isn't it, people carrying the thing invented to carry them?

People carrying a car to cross a river.

A BLAST FROM PAST

 Love them or hate them, but you can't ignore them. The legacy of Rana rule remains everywhere: from the imposing fade of Singha Darbar, the presence of Ranas at the top echelons of modern Nepal's business, army and police, and the Rana family tree, which is interwoven with the present members of the Shah dynasty. All this makes for fascinating history that has been documented in research papers, academic treatises, a best-selling novel and recent Rana nostalgia in architecture

Rana power transitions were messy affairs, and watching all this from the background was the British regent at Lazimpat. We see how British India tried to influence events in Kathmandu, and this has familiar echoes today. When Bir Shumshere sidelined Jagat Jung and exiled him to India, the British refused for five months to recognise Bir as leader. And when Jagat Jung began preparations to overthrow Bir Shumshere from Indian soil, the British arrested him while he was planning to march into Nepal with his armed followers. Sound familiar? 

It was perhaps inevitable that when Jung died during a hunting trip in Chitwan in 1877, his brothers immediately started squabbling for power. Jung's brother, Dhir, installed Jung's brother Rana Udip Singh as successor, while he manoeuvred to take over. Suspecting a plot, he beheaded two dozen courtiers and managed to carve out a place for himself and his 17 sons in the succession. The clan was thus effectively split between the Jung Ranas and the Shumshere Ranas. By 1885, matters reached a head again and Dhir had his six sons kill their uncle, Rana Udip Singh and remove all the descendants of Jung Bahadur's other brothers from succession. 

Chandra was succeeded by Bhim Shumshere, Joodha Shumshere, Padma Shumshere and finally, Mohun Shumshere. But time was running out, the end of Empire was near. Although they tried to modernize  Nepal with industrialization, banking, railways, urban water supply, and even a liberal constitution, it was too little too late. Mohun Shumshere had to deal with newly-independent India and grapple with democracy-minded Nepalis whose demands sounded uncannily similar to today's discourse: set up a constituent assembly and form an interim government. 

A glimpse of   Gaddi baithak 

photographed 1985 BS 

Nepal is a beautiful country with many mysterious diversities. In this Blog, we will uncover the mystery of Nepalese History with shocking reveals, stories and rare pictures.