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