Bagale Thapa ( ne, बगाले थापा pronunciation:) anciently known as Bagalya Thapa ( ne, बगाल्या थापा) is a prominent clan within

Thapa Thapa ( ne, थापा; pronunciation:) is the surname commonly used by North Indian and Nepali people belonging to the Chhetri (Kshatriya) caste of the Khas group and Magar group, a Sino-Tibetan speaking ethnicity. Etymology Thapa was a '' ...

of Khas community. They claim

Atreya Atreya (आत्रेय) Rishi, or Atreya Punarvasu, was a descendant of Atri, one of the great Hindu sages (rishis) whose accomplishments are detailed in the Puranas. Sage Atreya was a renowned scholar of Ayurveda and six schools of early Ayu ...

Gotra. The name of the clan is also transliterated as ''Bagale'', ''Bagalya'', ''Bagaalya'', ''Bagaliya'', ''Bagaley'', ''Bagaale'' or ''Bagaleya''.

Family of Bhimsen Thapa Thapa dynasty or Thapa noble family ( ne, थापा वंश/थापा काजी खलक ) was a Kshatriya political family that handled Nepali administration affairs between 1806 and 1837 A.D. and 1843 to 1845 A.D. as Mukh ...

and

family of Amar Singh Thapa The family of ''Badakaji'' Amar Singh Thapa (1751 - 1816) was a noble Chhetri family in the central politics of Kingdom of Nepal as well as former military aristocracy of Gorkha Kingdom. The family of Bhimsen Thapa and the family of Amar Singh ...

were two influential Bagale Thapa families at the central politics of

Kingdom of Nepal The Kingdom of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल अधिराज्य), also known as the Gorkha Empire ( ne, गोरखा अधिराज्य) or Asal Hindustan ( ne, असल हिन्दुस्तान)(), was a Hindu king ...

Origins

Bagale Thapa genealogy

The genealogy traces the lineage of all Bagale Thapas to a male progenitor (''Mūlapuruṣa'') Kalu Thapa Kshatri. The genealogy states that Kalu Thapa had four sons; Punyakar of Pulaam state, Tarapati of Takam state, Biru and Dharmaraj (Jashodhar) of Jamarik state. The genealogy describes that Kaalu adhered to the following sects: " Aatreya gotri Tripravara, Shukla Yajurveda,

Dhanurveda ''Dhanurveda'' (धनुर्वेद) () is a Sanskrit treatise on warfare and archery, traditionally regarded as an upaveda attached to ''Yajurveda'' (1100800 BCE) and attributed either to Bhrigu or Vishvamitra or Bharadwaja. It is one among t ...

and Madhyandini Shakha".

Kunwar family legend

Kunwar family The Kunwar family ( ne, कुँवर परिवार) was a noble Khas-Chhetri family in the Gorkha Kingdom and the Kingdom of Nepal. Kunwars were linked to the Thapa dynasty and family of Amar Singh Thapa by marital lineages and, thus, t ...

legend mentions that their first ancestor Rāma Siṃha Rāṇā was married to a daughter of

Raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested f ...

(King) of Bīnātī, a Bagāle Kṣetrī on the request by his employer hill Raja.

John Whelpton John Francis Whelpton (born 24 March 1950) is an historian and linguist and a specialist in the history of Nepal The history of Nepal is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising t ...

opines that the legend of the Kunwar family's origins, which says their progenitor to have entered hill and married a daughter of Bagale Kshetri, might have linked their family to the Bagale Thapa, a clan of the Mukhtiyar

Bhimsen Thapa Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...

History

Khas Khas people (; ne, खस) popularly known as Khas Arya are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of South Asia, what is now present-day Nepal, Indian states of Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Sikkim. Historical ...

Thapas belong to the

Chhetri Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), ( ne, क्षेत्री ; IAST: ''Kṣetrī'') historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speakers of Khas community, some of whom trace their origin to migration from ...

caste of the

Kshatriya Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...

Varna whose origin lies in Karnali region of Khas Kingdom. Bagale Thapas were powerful and prominent family at Jumla and seemed to have migrated eastwards.

Takam/Takamkot State

Takam State (1246-1545

B.S. A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...

) (1189-1488 CE) was used as an arsenal by the Bagale Thapa clan. In 1545

(1488 CE), King Dimba Bam Malla defeated these Thapas and annexed all the districts of

Dhawalagiri Zone Dhaulagiri ( ne, धौलागिरी अञ्चल ) was one of the fourteen zones which Nepal was divided into for administrative purposes, prior to the September 10, 2015 adoption of a new Constitution, which divided the nation instead ...

to create a bigger Parbat State. The Bagale Thapa clan of Takamkot established their arsenal in this Takamkot ( Takam State) and controlled it between 1189 and 1488 CE, after which the Malla kings captured and controlled it from 1489 to 1825 CE.

Malla era Kathmandu

In the times of Malla rule at Kathmandu valley, Bagale Thapas were considered skillful at both warfare and administration. Thus, King Jagajjaya Malla attended the services of

Kashiram Thapa Kashiram Thapa (Nepali: काशीराम थापा) was the army commander of Jaya Prakash Malla. He was the leader of Bagale Thapas of Palanchok (modern day Sindhupalchowk District and Kabhrepalanchowk District). King Jagajjaya Malla had ...

, a leader of Bagale Thapas to control inobedient Khas and Magar citizens. His brother Parashuram Thapa, a commander of Bhaktapur Kingdom, sided to

Gorkha Kingdom Gorkha Kingdom ( ne, गोरखा राज्य) was a member of the Chaubisi rajya, a confederation of 24 states on the Indian subcontinent ruled by Khas people. In 1743 CE, the kingdom began a campaign of military expansion, annexing se ...

when Kashiram Thapa was killed without justification.

Noble families in Gorkha

and

were two influential Bagale Thapa families at the central politics of

. The family of Bada Kaji

Amar Singh Thapa Amar Singh Thapa Chhetri distinguished as Badakaji Amar Singh Thapa( ne, बडाकाजी अमर सिंह थापा क्षेत्री), or Amar Singh Thapa The Elder, (also spelled Ambar Simha) also known by the honorific nam ...

consists Kaji

Ranajor Singh Thapa Ranajor Singh Thapa anglicised as Ranjore Thapa ( ne, रणजोर सिंह थापा) was governor of Kumaun and Garhwal and commander of Jaithak Fort during Anglo-Nepalese war at Battle of Jaithak. He was born to General Bada Kaji A ...

Ranadhoj Thapa Ranadhoj Thapa or Ranadhwaj Thapa ( ne, रणध्वज थापा) was deputy Kaji to Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister) of Nepal Bhimsen Thapa. Family and Life He was the eldest son of Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa, supreme commander of Western front ...

, Narsingh Thapa and their 2 more brothers who were also at Royal Court of Nepal.

, one of the

National heroes of Nepal National Heroes of Nepal ( ne, नेपालका राष्ट्रिय विभूतिहरू, translit=Nepalka Rashtriya Bibhutiharu) is a list of 18 Nepalis, Nepali people, that also includes those from Ancient history of Nepal, an ...

and commander of Western front at

Anglo-Nepalese war The Anglo-Nepalese War (1 November 1814 – 4 March 1816), also known as the Gorkha War, was fought between the Gorkhali army of the Kingdom of Nepal (present-day Nepal) and the British forces of the East India Company (EIC, present-day In ...

belonged to this clan. The family of Kaji

Bir Bhadra Thapa Bir Bhadra Thapa or Birabhadra Thapa ( ne, वीरभद्र थापा) also spelled Virabhadra or Virbhadra, was a politician, courtier and military officer in the Gorkha Kingdom during the 18th century. Born in medieval Tanahun Kingdom, he ...

, commander of

Unification of Nepal The Unification of Nepal, also known as Expansion of Gorkha Kingdom, officially began in 1743 AD (1799 BS) after King Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha launched an aggressive annexation campaign seeking to broaden his own kingdom's border. After ...

belonged to this clan. This family contains large number of renowned courtiers and warriors. He had three sons: Jeevan Thapa(died at

Battle of Kirtipur The Battle of Kirtipur (Nepal bhasa bhasa: कीर्तिपुरयाउ युद्ध) occurred in 1767 during the Gorkha conquest of Nepal, and was fought at Kirtipur, one of the principal towns in the Kathmandu Valley. Kirtipur was ...

), Bangsha Raj Thapa and

Amar Singh Thapa (Sardar) Amar Singh Thapa (1759 – October 1814), distinguished as Sanukaji Amar Singh Thapa ( ne, सानुकाजी अमर सिंह थापा ''Sānukājī Amar Siṃh Thāpā'') was a Nepalese military commander, courtier, minister an ...

. The children of

become influential. Prime Minister

, the most revered among Thapas is the eldest son of Sardar Amar Singh Thapa(sanu). His nephew, son of

Nain Singh Thapa Nain Singh Thapa or Nayan Singh Thapa ( ne, नैनसिंह थापा/नयनसिंह थापा) (died late 1806 or early 1807) was a Nepalese Kaji (minister) and a military general. He died in the offensive campaign of Kangra f ...

Mathabarsingh Thapa Mathabar Singh Thapa ( ne, माथवरसिंह थापा, born 1798, Borlang, Gorkha17 May 1845, Basantapur, Kathmandu), also spelled Mathbar, Mathawar, Mathavar, variantly called Matabar Singh Thapa ( ne, मातवरसिं� ...

was the seventh Prime Minister of Nepal and niece, Nain's daughter was

Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal Queen Tripurasundari ( ne, रानी ललित त्रिपुरासुन्दरी; 1794 – 6 April 1832), also known as Lalit Tripura Sundari Devi, was a Queen consort of Nepal by marriage to King Rana Bahadur Shah of Nepal. Wi ...

. The family of Sardar Amar Singh Thapa resided at

Bagh Durbar Bag Durbar, ( ne, बाग दरबार) is a palace built and resided by Thapa regime in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The palace complex, located west of the Dharahara and Tundikhel, incorporates an impressive and vast array of courtya ...

Modern

The recent time Army Chief of Nepal

Dharmapaal Barsingh Thapa Dharmapal Barsingh Thapa (Nepali:धर्मपाल वरसिँह थापा) is ex Chief of Army Staff of Nepal (1995–1999) and Director of Avant venture. He belongs to Bagale Thapa Bagale Thapa ( ne, बगाले थापा ...

belonged to this clan.

Notable Bagale Thapas

, Nepalese politician and administrator (Bada Kaji), Supreme Commander of Western front in

Anglo-Nepalese War The Anglo-Nepalese War (1 November 1814 – 4 March 1816), also known as the Gorkha War, was fought between the Gorkhali army of the Kingdom of Nepal (present-day Nepal) and the British forces of the East India Company (EIC, present-day In ...

, one of the

, Nepalese

Mukhtiyar Mukhtiyar ( ne, मुख्तियार) was the position of head of executive of Kingdom of Nepal between 1806 and 1843. It was equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal. There were 7 Mukhtiyars appointed between 1806 and 1843. Meaning ''Mukhti ...

(

Prime Minister of Nepal The Prime Minister of Nepal ( ne, नेपालको प्रधानमन्त्री) is the head of government of Nepal. The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers of Nepal and the chief adviser to the President of ...

), One of the

. *

, Gorkhali courtier and commander at

, Commander-in-Chief of

Kantipur Kantipur (from kanti ''light'', pur ''city'') was a medieval kingdom in the Malla confederacy of Nepal. The name of the kingdom was derived from the Sanskrit name of its capital city, now known as Kathmandu. History The kingdom started after ...

Kingdom *

Amar Singh Thapa (born 1759) Amar Singh Thapa (1759 – October 1814), distinguished as Sanukaji Amar Singh Thapa ( ne, सानुकाजी अमर सिंह थापा ''Sānukājī Amar Siṃh Thāpā'') was a Nepalese military commander, courtier, minister an ...

Sino-Nepalese War The Sino-Nepalese War ( ne, नेपाल-चीन युद्ध), also known as the Sino-Gorkha war and in Chinese the campaign of Gorkha (), was an invasion of Tibet by Nepal from 1788 to 1792. The war was initially fought between Nepa ...

veteran and father of

, (born as Lalita Sundari Thapa to

), Queen Mother of

Mathabar Singh Thapa Mathabar Singh Thapa ( ne, माथवरसिंह थापा, born 1798, Borlang, Gorkha17 May 1845, Basantapur, Kathmandu), also spelled Mathbar, Mathawar, Mathavar, variantly called Matabar Singh Thapa ( ne, मातवरसिंह ...

, Nepalese politician, military general and

, Nepalese politician and Deputy to

, Nepalese politician and military general *

, Military Officer and Commander of Nahan Axis at

Ranabir Singh Thapa Ranabir Singh Thapa ( ne, रणवीर सिंह थापा) also spelled Ranbir, Ranavir or Ranvir also known by the late ascetic name Swami Abhayananda ( ne, स्वामी अभयानन्द) was a Nepalese Army General, promin ...

, Nepalese politician and Commander of Makwanpur Axis at

* Bakhtawar Singh Thapa, Nepalese politician and Warrior at

Ujir Singh Thapa Ujir Singh Thapa or Uzir Singh Thapa ( ne, उजिरसिंह थापा), also known as Wazir Simha Thapa, anglicized as Wuzeer Singh, was Nepalese administrator and military officer. He was the son of Kaji Nain Singh Thapa, a nephew of th ...

, Military Officer and Commander of Butwal Axis at

, Former

Chief of the Nepalese Army The Chief of the Nepalese Army (or Gorkhali Army) ( ne, नेपाली सेनाको प्रधानसेनापति) is the military position of army head of the Nepalese Army, initially known as ''Gorkhali Army''. The Chief of the ...

Shailesh Thapa Chhetri Shailesh Thapa Chhetri ( ne, शैलेश थापा क्षेत्री) was the 28th Inspector General of Nepal Police. He was appointed as the Chief of Nepal Police after succeeding Thakur Prasad Gyawaly on 9 July 2020 following a ca ...

Inspector General of Police (Nepal) Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

Gallery

File:Mathabar Simha Thapa.jpg, Portrait of

in National Museum of Nepal, Chhauni Ujir Singh Thapa.jpg, Portrait of Ujir Singh Thapa Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal.jpg, Portrait of Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal Bhimsen-thapa-painting (cropped).jpg, Bhimsen Thapa, Mukhtiyar of Nepal Colonel_Mathabar_Singh_Thapa_1.jpg, Portrait of Colonel Mathabar Singh Thapa Nain Singh Thapa.jpg, Kazee Nain Singh Thapa File:Portrait of mathabar singh thapa.jpg,

, a nobleman from Bagale Thapa clan File:Amar Singh Thapa Badakaji.jpg,

, nobleman from Bagale Thapa clan

References

Notes

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Bagale Thapa Programme at Galkot, Baglung
{{Chhetri communities Kshatriya communities Khas people