Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the
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 ...
was a
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 ...
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 fro ...
ruler of Nepal and founder of the
Rana Regime
Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...
in Nepal. Jung Bahadur took control of the government after killing an alleged usurper
Gagan Singh, who was accused of plotting with the junior queen in 1846 to become prime minister by putting the queen's son on the throne. His original name was Bir Narsingh Kunwar but he was popularly known as Jang Bahadur, a name given to him by his maternal uncle
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 ...
. Mathabar Singh Thapa used to call Jang Bahadur ''Jangay'' for his boldness.
His mother Ganesh Kumari was the daughter of
Kaji 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 ...
, brother of
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 ...
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 ...
of the then prominent ruling
Thapa dynasty
Thapa dynasty or Thapa noble family ( ne, थापा वंश/थापा काजी खलक ) was a Kshatriya
Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (so ...
.
During his lifetime, he eliminated the factional fighting at the court, removed his family's rivals like ''
Pandes'' and ''
Basnyats'', introduced some innovations in bureaucracy and judiciary, and made efforts to modernize Nepal. He is one of the most important figures in
Nepalese history. Some modern historians blame Jung Bahadur for setting up an oppressive dictatorship in Nepal that lasted 104 years- the dark period of Nepalese history. Other historians blame his nephews, the Shumsher Ranas, for the dark period.
Rana rule is associated with tyranny, debauchery, economic exploitation and religious persecution.
Early life and family
Birth
Jung Bahadur Rana was born on 18 June 1817 at Balkot, Arghakhanchi. Jung Bahadur's birth name was Bir Narsingh Kunwar, and he was the eldest son of ''Kaji'' Bal Narasingh - a bodyguard of
King Rana Bahadur Shah - and his younger wife Ganesh Kumari.
Ancestry
![Ram Krishna Kunwar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Ram_Krishna_Kunwar.jpg)
His father, Kaji
Bal Narsingh Kunwar
Bal Narsingh Kunwar or Balanarsingh Kanwar ( ne, बालनरसिंह कुँवर; 2 February 1783 - 24 December 1841) posthumously referred as Bal Narsingh Kunwar Rana was a Kaji, military officer and governor in the Kingdom of Ne ...
, was present on the court when King
Rana Bahadur Shah
Rana Bahadur Shah, King of Nepal ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज रण बहादुर शाह देव) (1775–1806) was the King of Nepal from 1777 to 1799. In 1777, he succeeded to the throne after the deat ...
was murdered by his own half-brother
Sher Bahadur Shah
Sher Bahadur Shah ( ne, शेरबहादुर शाह; January 1778 – 25 April 1806) was a Nepalese noble who served as Chautaria from 1794 until his assassination in 1806. He was the son of King Pratapsingh Shah and the 3rd dynasty r ...
. As an act of retaliation Bal Narsingh murdered Sher Bahadur Shah on the spot. For this act, he was rewarded with the position of ''
Kaji'', which was made hereditary to his family. Kaji
Bal Narsingh Kunwar
Bal Narsingh Kunwar or Balanarsingh Kanwar ( ne, बालनरसिंह कुँवर; 2 February 1783 - 24 December 1841) posthumously referred as Bal Narsingh Kunwar Rana was a Kaji, military officer and governor in the Kingdom of Ne ...
was also the only person allowed to carry weapons inside the court. Jung Bahadur was the grandson of ''Kaji''
Ranajit Kunwar
Ranajit Kunwar ( ne, रणजीत कुँवर) was Nepalese governor and military personnel in the Kingdom of Nepal. He was a son of Ramakrishna Kunwar of Kunwar family. He served as governor of Jumla, Pyuthan and sub-ordinate administrator ...
and great-grandson of
Sardar
Sardar, also spelled as Sardaar/Sirdar ( fa, سردار, , 'commander', literally 'headmaster'), is a title of royalty and nobility that was originally used to denote princes, noblemen, chiefs, kings and other aristocrats. It has also been u ...
Ram Krishna Kunwar
Ram Krishna Kunwar or Ramakrishna Kunwar ( ne, रामकृष्ण कुँवर; IAST: ''Rāmakr̥ṣṇa kum̐vara'') was military commander (Sardar) of Gorkha Kingdom during the Unification of Nepal at the reign of King Prithvi Narayan ...
, an influential military leader at the times of King
Prithvi Narayan Shah
Maharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775) ( ne, श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव) was the last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom and first monarch of the ...
. He was related to the
Thapa dynasty
Thapa dynasty or Thapa noble family ( ne, थापा वंश/थापा काजी खलक ) was a Kshatriya
Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (so ...
of
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 ...
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 ...
through his mother Ganesh Kumari, and the aristocratic
Pande family
The Pande family or Pande dynasty (Also spelled as Pandey or Panday) ( ne, पाँडे वंश/पाँडे काजी खलक; or ) was a Rajput KC (surname), Chhetri political family that directly ruled Nepali administration ...
through his maternal grandmother Rana Kumari, who was the daughter of ''Kaji''
Ranajit Pande
Ranajit Pande ( ne, रणजीत पाँडे) was Nepalese politician, military personnel and courtier in the Kingdom of Nepal. He was member of the Gora Pande clan of Gorkha. He became Mulkaji of Nepal for a brief period in 1804 A.D.
Fam ...
- an influential royal courtier.
Early life
Bal Narsingh Kunwar
Bal Narsingh Kunwar or Balanarsingh Kanwar ( ne, बालनरसिंह कुँवर; 2 February 1783 - 24 December 1841) posthumously referred as Bal Narsingh Kunwar Rana was a Kaji, military officer and governor in the Kingdom of Ne ...
was the bodyguard of
Rana Bahadur Shah
Rana Bahadur Shah, King of Nepal ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज रण बहादुर शाह देव) (1775–1806) was the King of Nepal from 1777 to 1799. In 1777, he succeeded to the throne after the deat ...
. Bal Narsingh Kunwar's second wife Ganesh Kumari was the sister of
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, मातवरसिंह ...
.When Jangh Bahadur was 11 years old he was married to Prasad Laxmi, the daughter of
Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh
His Highness Maharaja Bahadur Sri Sir Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh, GCSI (1822-13 June 1889) was the Maharaja of Benares. He ascended the throne at the age of 13. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, he remained neutral for the sake of his p ...
, on 1 May 1828. Bal Narsingh Kunwar have moved to Dhankuta. Bal Narsingh moved to
Dadeldhura in 1833 where Jung Bahadur accompanied him and was enrolled in the Military. When Bal Narsingh moved to
Jumla in the year 1835, Jung Bahadur was already promoted to the rank of
Second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
. In those days, the Thapas influenced the administration of Nepal. However, when
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 ...
was sacked in 1837, all of his relatives including Bal Narsingh and Jung Bahadur were also sacked from the services and their properties were seized. This incident made it difficult for Bal Narsingh to meet his family's everyday need. Jung Bahadur then went to
Varanasi
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
*
*
*
* The city has a syncretic t ...
in search of work. After a brief stay in Varanasi, he returned to the
Terai
The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in northern India and southern Nepal that lies south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This lowland belt is characterised by tall grasslands, scr ...
to work as a
Mahout
A mahout is an elephant rider, trainer, or keeper. Mahouts were used since antiquity for both civilian and military use. Traditionally, mahouts came from ethnic groups with generations of elephant keeping experience, with a mahout retaining h ...
. He returned to Kathmandu in 1839 where his wife and infant son had already died.
Rise
![Jung Bahadur Rana 1 (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Jung_Bahadur_Rana_1_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Jung Bahadur was married to the sister of Colonel Sanak Singh Shripali Tandon in 1839. Jung Bahadur received some
dowry
A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment b ...
from his marriage which led to a slight improvement of his financial condition. King
Rajendra went to Terai in 1840 where, coincidentally, Jung Bahadur accompanied him. Jung Bahadur impressed the King by displaying his fearlessness. The King was pleased with him and immediately gave him the position of Captain. Jung Bahadur was then taken in as one of the bodyguard of the Crown Prince. Legends say that, on the command of the Prince, Jung Bahadur jumped into the
Trishuli River
The Trishuli River ( ne, त्रिशूली नदी) is one of the major tributaries of the Narayani River basin in central Nepal. It originates in Tibet as a stream and enters Nepal at Gyirong Town.
Etymology
The Trishuli is named after ...
on a horseback.
After a while, Jung Bahadur was transferred from the Prince's group back into the King's. There he was appointed as a Kaji and was sent to the office of Kumarichowk. There he got an opportunity to properly understand the financial transactions of Nepal.
Jung Bahadur was known to be extremely ambitious. During those days, the youngest Queen was the actual ruler of the country with King only of name. Gagan Singh Khawaas was closest to the queen. Jung Bahadur had managed to please the Queen, the Prince and the Prime Minister with his diligent efforts. He had also managed to influence Henry Lawrence and his wife Honoria Lawrence.
When Mathavar was still the Prime Minister, a cousin of Jung Bahadur was sentenced to death penalty. Jung Bahadur had requested Mathavir to convince the Queen to excuse his cousin but Mathavar denied. This had resulted in Jung Bahadur holding grudge against him.
Jung Bahadur befriended Pandit Bijayaraj who was the internal priest of the palace, and from him he started to gain valuable information about the Durbar. He had also managed to befriend Gagan Singh Khawaas.
After assassinating Mathavar Singh, the queen gave Jung Bahadur the rank of a
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
and included Gagan Singh in the council of ministers.
Kot massacre
The
Kot massacre
The Kot massacre ( ne, कोत पर्व) took place on 14 September 1846 when then Kaji Jang Bahadur Kunwar and his brothers killed about 30-40 civil, military officers and palace guards of the Nepalese palace court including the Prime Mi ...
took place on 14 September 1846 when
Jung Bahadur Rana
Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...
and his brothers killed about 40 members of the
Nepalese palace court including the Prime Minister, relative of the King, Chautariya
Fateh Jung Shah
''Sri Chautaria'' Fateh Jang Shah ( ne, फत्तेजङ्ग शाह; 1805 – 14 September 1846) or Fatya Jang Shah, also popularly known as Fatte Jang Chautariya, was the 6th prime minister of Nepal.
Early life and background
Fateh Jung ...
, at the palace armory, the kot, of
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
which rendered King
Rajendra Bikram Shah
Rajendra Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज राजेन्द्र विक्रम शाह देव) (1813–1881) was King of Nepal from 1816 to 1847. His reign saw the rise of the Ranas; in 184 ...
and
Surendra Bikram Shah powerless and the started the
Rana autocracy
Rana may refer to:
Astronomy
* Rana (crater), a crater on Mars
* Delta Eridani or Rana, a star
People, groups and titles
* Rana (name), a given name and surname (including a list of people and characters with the name)
* Rana (title), a histori ...
.
By 1850, Jung Bahadur eliminated all of his major rivals, installed his own candidate on the throne, appointed his brothers and cronies in all the important posts, and ensured that major administrative decisions were made by him as prime minister.
Prime Minister
After the Massacre, on 15 September the Queen appointed Jung Bahadur as the Prime Minister and the
Commander-in-chief. After meeting with the Queen and the King, Jung Bahadur went to meet the Resident at the British Residency. There he informed the Resident about the massacre and also convinced him that the new government will have good relationships with the British. On 23 September all officers of military and bureaucracy were called upon to their respective offices within 10 days. Then, Jung Bahadur appointed his brothers and nephews to the highest ranks of the government.
Bhandarkhal Massacre
The Queen commanded Jung Bahadur to remove Prince
Surendra from the rank and declare Rajendra as the new Prince but Jung Bahadur ignored it which resulted in the Queen holding a vendetta against him. A few people who had survived the Kot Massacre were secretly planning to take revenge on Jung Bahadur. The Queen secretly contacted them and conspired to assassinate Jung Bahadur. A plan was formed to assassinate Jung Bahadur in a gathering to be organized in the garden of Bhandarkhal situated at the eastern end of the palace.
Jung Bahadur had already placed his spies inside the palace to gather information about the Queen and the events in the palace. These spies were handed the duty of informing Jung Bahadur about the happenings in a secret manner. A certain
Putali Nani whom Jung Bahadur had already taken in his side also worked inside the palace and she informed Jung Bahadur about the conspiracy.
After receiving a command from the Rawal Queen to come to Bhandarkhal, Jung Bahadur took his fully armed troops and headed towards the garden.
Birdhwaj was given the duty to bring Jung Bahadur in time. When he reached to the temple of Jor-Ganesh, he saw Jung Bahadur approaching with the troops. Sighting him, Jung Bahadur signaled Capt. Ranamehar and Ranamehar killed Birdhwaj Basnyat. The troops then marched towards Bhandarkhal where seeing Jung Bahadur approach fully armed with his troops, the conspirators started to flee. 23 people were killed in the massacre and 15 escaped.
The next day, all property was seized of those who had been involved in this massacre. Jung Bahadur then imprisoned the Queen. Jung Bahadur then called for a meeting of the Council in the name of King Rajendra and charged the Queen of trying to assassinate the Prince and the Prime Minister. Queen right's were taken away at the agreement of council. The Queen asked Jung Bahadur to let her go to Benaras (
Varanasi
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
*
*
*
* The city has a syncretic t ...
) with all her family which Jung Bahadur agreed to. The King went alongside the Queen.
The Battle of Alau
After the massacres of Kot and Bhandarkhal, the Thapas, Pande's and other citizens had settled in Benaras. Similarly, some citizens had gone to settle in
Nautanwa
Nautanwa is a town and Nagar Palika in Maharajganj district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is about 87 km from Gorakhpur, NH24 and 68km NH730 from Maharajganj and 7 km from Sonauli Indo-Nepal Border.
Geography
Nautanw ...
and
Bettiah
Bettiah is a city and administrative headquarters of West Champaran district ( Tirhut Division) - ( Tirhut), near Indo-Nepal border, north-west of Patna, in Bihar state of India.
History
In 1244 A.D., Gangeshwar Dev, a Bhumihar Brahmin ...
. Guru Prasad Shah of Palpa too had gone to live with the King of Bettiah. After knowing about the presence of the King and the Queen in Benaras, Guru Prasad went there and started to congregate an army and a plan to execute Jung Bahadur formed. After staying for about two months in Benaras, King Rajendra started to show interest in this conspiracy. The King met with Guru Prasad and assured him of his support for the plan.The King also provided some financial aid. After receiving the support from the King, Guru Prasad started to organize the Nepalese people living outside the country. They started gathering people who had come in search of work and started training them.
Meanwhile, the spies in Benaras who were analyzing each step of the King were providing reports to Jung Bahadur every week. Understanding the activities going on in Benaras, Jung Bahadur called a meeting of Council where he issued a charter mentioning, "Now we cannot obey the King, from now on we will work in accordance to the commands of the Prime Minister Jung Bahadur," and sent it to Benaras. After receiving such letter from Jung Bahadur, the King panicked and consulted with his new ministers as well as his Guru.
The Guru and others suggested the King to send a letter to the Army mentioning that the troops shall assist the King not the Prime Minister. The King put his stamp in the letter and sent it with Kumbhedan and Sewakram. They secretly reached Kathmandu and stayed in the house of one owner of Killagal. The spies of Jung Bahadur captured them from the house and destroyed the house the next morning. A pistol and a letter was found from them. Immediately, they were imprisoned and after a few days were hanged.
On 12 May 1847, Jung Bahadur gave a speech in
Tudikhel. There he accused the King of attempted assassination of the Prince and the Prime Minister. The Council then decided to dethrone King Rajendra deeming him mentally ill, and on the same day
Surendra was crowned as the new king of Nepal.
Hearing the news of the coronation of Surendra, Rajendra decided to take the responsibility of removing Jung Bahadur upon himself and declared himself the leader of the army. He then left Benaras. Rajendra then appointed Guru Prasad Shah as the Chief of the Army for the operation of removal of Jung Bahadur Rana from Nepal and started to accumulate weapons and training the troops. The training of the troops were done in the camp of the King of
Bettiah
Bettiah is a city and administrative headquarters of West Champaran district ( Tirhut Division) - ( Tirhut), near Indo-Nepal border, north-west of Patna, in Bihar state of India.
History
In 1244 A.D., Gangeshwar Dev, a Bhumihar Brahmin ...
who was a good ally of Rajendra. Along with this, some treasure and weapons were bought from secret groups in Benaras, Prayag, etc., and sent to Bettiah. The King of
Bettiah
Bettiah is a city and administrative headquarters of West Champaran district ( Tirhut Division) - ( Tirhut), near Indo-Nepal border, north-west of Patna, in Bihar state of India.
History
In 1244 A.D., Gangeshwar Dev, a Bhumihar Brahmin ...
also provided some arms and few elephants. A plan to attack Nepal was made.
Antagonism from the
Company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
forced Rajendra and his troops to enter Nepal. On 23 July, the troops reached to a village called
Alau in Parsa and set a camp there. The number of troops available at Alau was around three thousand, thousand less than the number at Betiah who had fled mid-way.
One spy group of the Government of Nepal was keeping close eyes on the event of the rebel groups at Betiah. They sent the news to Jung Bahadur, immediately after which he sent a troop in the leadership of Sanak Singh Tandon to Alau. They were told to suppress the rebellions, arrest Rajendra and bring him to Kathmandu. On 27 July, the Gorakhnath Paltan reached and rested in a village called
Simraungadh
Simraungadh, Simraongarh or Simroungarh (, Devanagari: सिम्रौनगढ) was a fortified city and the main capital of the Tirhut Kingdom founded by Karnat King Nanyadeva in 1097. At present time, it is a municipality of Nepal, located ...
, not too far from Alau.
At dawn the next day the troops from Kathmandu started firing cannons at the camp. Great panic spread over the camp. Few armies from the King's side resisted and fought with Government forces. The former King too, for a certain period lead his troops. Guru Prasad fled from the location. Around a hundred soldiers of the King were killed in the battle and the King was captured and brought to Kathmandu.
The battle of Alau was a decisive one between the forces of King and Jung Bahadur. The King lost significantly in the battle. The battle of Alau had helped Jung Bahadur strengthen his dictatorship. Rajendra was imprisoned in an old palace in Bhaktapur.
Visit to Bisauli
Towards the end of 1848 a vicious battle waged between the British and the Sikhs in Punjab. After hearing the news, Jung Bahadur met with the Resident and assured him of Nepal Government's support to the British. But the Governor-General rejected the proposal fearing the possibility of the Nepali troops changing sides with Sikhs. Jung Bahadur then decided to demonstrate his power to the English. He was passionate for hunting but after being the Prime Minister he had not found an opportunity to hunt. In 1848, Jung Bahadur planned to go to the Terai with a dual purpose, one for hunting another to show-off his power to the English. On 22 December, with the King and a large group alongside him, Jung Bahadur left Kathmandu. The group included thirty-two thousand soldiers on foot, fifty-two cannons, three hundred ''risalla'' and two hundred and fifty mules. After getting the information of this large a force nearby its boundary, the Governor-General sent a message to the Resident asking him to figure out the reality of the matter.
The King and Jung Bahadur then camped in a village called
Bisauli which was not too far from the territories of the company. But the spread of cholera and malaria, which started killing the soldiers forced them to return.
Europe
![Jangabahadur Horse Riding Statue](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Jangabahadur_Horse_Riding_Statue.jpg)
After the
Treaty of Sugauli
The Treaty of Sugauli (also spelled Sugowlee, Sagauli and Segqulee), the treaty that established the boundary line of Nepal, was signed on 4 March 1816 between the East India Company and Guru Gajaraj Mishra following the Anglo-Nepalese War ...
, the British had gained access to the internal matters of Nepal. Although the previous Prime Ministers of Nepal before him had somewhat resisted the Resident's involvement in the internal matter of Nepal, Jung Bahadur was of strong opinion that neither the Resident nor the Governor-General shall have any right to show involvement in the matters of Nepal. He therefore, wanted to establish a direct relationship between the Government of Nepal and the Queen and Prime Minister of Great Britain. He also had a keen interest in understanding the real power of the British. For these ends, he desired to travel to the Great Britain.
Jung Bahadur expressed his desire to the then Resident, Col. Thorsby. Thorsby suggested Jung Bahadur to write a letter, which he did, and sent it to
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
. The Governor-General conveyed the message to Britain where they accepted the request and also asked them (Governor-General) to manage the necessary provisions, after which,
James Broun-Ramsay
James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie (22 April 1812 – 19 December 1860), also known as Lord Dalhousie, styled Lord Ramsay until 1838 and known as The Earl of Dalhousie between 1838 and 1849, was a Scottish statesman and co ...
, sent a letter of acceptance to Kathmandu. The visit was to be of diplomatic nature and Jung Bahadur was to visit as a Royal Ambassador.
By placing his brother
Bam Bahadur Kunwar
Bam Bahadur Kunwar Rana (1818–1857; ne, बम बहादुर कुँवर राणा) was the 9th Prime Minister of the government of Nepal. He was brother of Jung Bahadur Rana
Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsin ...
as an interim Prime Minister, Badri Narsingh as the interim Commander-in Chief, on 15 January Jung Bahadur left Kathmandu to Calcutta. During his stay at Calcutta, he met with the Lord and Lady Dalhouse and participated in a royal program. He also went to visit the
Jagannath Temple . On 7 April the Nepalese team left Calcutta in P & O Heddington.The ship reached the Suez Canal through
Madras
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
and Eden.
In Egypt, Jung Bahadur and the team visited Cairo and Alexandria where he met with
Abbas Helmi. On 15 May 1850, the team reached Southampton.
In Britain, Jung Bahadur met and discussed various topics with Sir John Hubhouse, the chairman of the Board of Trade, the Duke of Wellington and others. On 19 June Jung Bahadur and Queen Victoria met at a program organized in the Royal Palace. Jung Bahadur also visited the Parliament and closely observed the workings of the House of Commons and the British system. He visited the ministers and dukes and in one such meeting he proposed a direct relationship between the British and Nepalese, which the British Government rejected.
In Scotland, he was welcomed by
William Johnston (Lord Provost)
Sir William Johnston of Kirkhill (1802–1888) was a Scottish engraver, mapmaker and local politician, who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1848 to 1851.
Life
He was the third son of Andrew Johnston, by Isabel, daughter of Archibald Keith ...
. There, he visited various forts and industries.
On 21 August 1850, Jung Bahadur and the team departed towards France. There he met with the then President of France. In France too, he expressed his desire to establish a direct relationship between Nepal and France, but the French President insisted on forming the relationship through the British Embassy, as there was no diplomatic relationship between the two countries. Jung Bahadur and the team stayed at France for about six weeks. On 3 October they departed from Paris and on 6 November reached
Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
.
In India, he married an Indian girl.
During his visits, he unsuccessfully tried to deal directly with the British government. The main outcome, however, of the tour was a positive development in British-Nepal relationship. Recognizing the power of industrialized Europe, he became convinced that close co-operation with the British was the best way to guarantee Nepal's independence.
On 29 January 1851, Jung Bahadur returned Nepal.
Muluki Ain
Jung Bahadur was impressed by the rule of law, the parliament and the democratic system in Britain. In Nepal, yet, there were no written Acts. Different types of punishment were given to the similar kinds of criminal acts. Realizing that the prevalent system won't work for long term in Nepal, Jung Bahadur established a ''Kausal Adda'' in order to work on Acts. Selecting around two hundred members for the ''Adda'', Jung Bahadur commanded them to draft legal codes as soon as possible.
The ''adda'' began its work by carefully studying the tradition, castes, race, class as well as religious situation of Nepal. Some members also studied the Hindu Ain being used in the courts of the English in the company. After three years of vigorous research, a detailed Act was prepared. This Act included the workings of Court, system of Punishment, and different Administrative sections. They however, could not address the issue of Caste inequality as a progressive policy on such could have resulted in protests and turmoils around the society.
On 6 January 1854, the Muluki Ain was enacted in Nepal.This Act cleared confusions concerning religious laws. The decisions on cases happened on time.
Jung Bahadur, with the Muluki Ain, formed the base of Law in Nepal.
Foreign relations
![Maharaj Jung London 1850 AD](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Maharaj_Jung_London_1850_AD.jpg)
Nepal began to experience some successes in international affairs during the tenure of Jung Bahadur. To the north, relations with
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
had been mediated through China since Nepal's defeat in 1792, and during the early nineteenth century, embassies had to make the arduous journey to Beijing every five years with local products as a tribute to the Qing emperor. By 1854, however, China was in decline and had fallen into a protracted period of disturbances, including the
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a massive rebellion and civil war that was waged in China between the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the Han, Hakka-led Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It lasted fr ...
(1851–64), revolts by
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
ethnic groups north of Tibet and war with European powers. The Nepalese mission to Beijing in 1852, just after the death of the sixth
Panchen Lama
The Panchen Lama () is a tulku of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Panchen Lama is one of the most important figures in the Gelug tradition, with its spiritual authority second only to Dalai Lama. Along with the council of high lamas, h ...
, was allegedly mistreated in Tibet. Because of this slight, the Nepalese government sent a protest letter to Beijing and
Lhasa
Lhasa (; Lhasa dialect: ; bo, text=ལྷ་ས, translation=Place of Gods) is the urban center of the prefecture-level city, prefecture-level Lhasa (prefecture-level city), Lhasa City and the administrative capital of Tibet Autonomous Regio ...
outlining several grievances, including excessive customs duties on Nepalese trade. In 1855 Nepalese troops overran the Kuti and Kairang areas. The
Nepalese-Tibetan War lasted for about a year, with successes and failures on both sides, until a treaty negotiated by the Chinese resident and ratified in March 1856 gave Nepalese merchants duty-free trade privileges, forced Tibet to pay an annual tribute of 10,000 rupees to Nepal, and allowed a Nepalese resident in Lhasa. In return, Nepal gave up territorial gains and agreed that
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
, would remain a tributary state subject to China. As the
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
disintegrated later in the century, this tributary status was allowed to lapse, and even Tibet began to shake off its subordination.
Begum Hazrat Mahal
Begum Hazrat Mahal (c. 18207 April 1879), also known as the Begum of Awadh, was the second wife of Nawab of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah, and the regent of Awadh in 1857–1858. She is known for the leading role she had in the rebellion against the ...
took refuge in
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
with her 10-year-old son in 1859
Birjis Qadr and some other loyal staff. The then Prime Minister of Nepal, Jung Bahadur Rana, gave her shelter at the palace in Thapathali (which now houses an office of the
Nepal Rastra Bank
The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) ( ne, नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंक) was established April 26, 1956 A.D. ( Nepali Date: Baisakh 14, 2013 B.S.) under the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, 1955, to discharge the central banking responsibili ...
,
Thapathali Durbar
Thapathali Durbar ( ne, थापाथली दरवार) was a palace complex in Kathmandu, the capital of the Nepal. Thapathali means abode of the Thapas. It was initially built by Nain Singh Thapa of the Thapa dynasty but was later occupi ...
) according to
Samim Miya Ansari. Jung Bahadur Rana took the step despite being in good terms with the British at the time.
In 1858
King Surendra bestowed upon Jung Bahadur Kunwar the honorific title of Rana, an old title denoting martial glory used by
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
princes in northern India. He then became Jung Bahadur Rana, and the later prime ministers descended from his family added his name to their own in honour of his accomplishments. Their line became known as the house of the Ranas. Jung Bahadur remained prime minister until 1877, suppressing conspiracies and local revolts and enjoying the fruits of his early successes. He exercised almost unlimited power over internal affairs, often for his personal gains.
Titles
*1817–1835: Jung Bahadur Kunwar
*1835–1840:
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
Jung Bahadur Kunwar
*1840–1841:
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Jung Bahadur Kunwar
*1841–1845: ''Kaji'' Captain Jung Bahadur Kunwar
*1845–1848: ''Kaji''
Major-General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Jung Bahadur Kunwar
*1848–1856: ''Kaji''
Major-General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Jung Bahadur Kunwar Rana
*1856–1857: ''Kaji''
Commanding-General Jung Bahadur Kunwar Rana,
Maharaja
Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king".
A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, an ...
of
Lamjang and Kaski
Lamjung and Kaski was a state which was given to His Highness Sri, Shree Tin Maharaja Jung Bahadur Rana in 1856 by Majesty, His Majesty Surendra of Nepal, King Surendra Bir Bikram Shah.
It was ruled by the Rana dynasty, a Chhetri dynasty, and wa ...
*1857–1858:
His Highness
Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style (manner of address), style used to address (in grammatical person, second person) or refer to (in grammatical person, third person) certain members of a reigning or formerl ...
Commanding-General Jung Bahadur Kunwar Rana,
Maharaja
Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king".
A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, an ...
of Lamjang and Kaski
*1858–1872:
His Highness
Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style (manner of address), style used to address (in grammatical person, second person) or refer to (in grammatical person, third person) certain members of a reigning or formerl ...
Commanding-General Sir Jung Bahadur Kunwar Rana,
Maharaja
Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king".
A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, an ...
of Lamjang and Kaski,
GCB
*1872–1873:
His Highness
Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style (manner of address), style used to address (in grammatical person, second person) or refer to (in grammatical person, third person) certain members of a reigning or formerl ...
Commanding-General Sir Jung Bahadur Kunwar Rana, ''T'ung-ling-ping-ma-Kuo-Kang-wang'',
Maharaja
Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king".
A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, an ...
of Lamjang and Kaski,
GCB
*1873–1877:
His Highness
Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style (manner of address), style used to address (in grammatical person, second person) or refer to (in grammatical person, third person) certain members of a reigning or formerl ...
Commanding-General Sir Jung Bahadur Kunwar Rana, ''T'ung-ling-ping-ma-Kuo-Kang-wang'',
Maharaja
Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king".
A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, an ...
of Lamjang and Kaski,
GCB,
GCSI
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:
# Knight Grand Commander (:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India, GCSI)
# ...
Honours
*Sword of Honour from Napoleon III-1851
*
India General Service Medal-1854
*
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as one ...
(GCB)-1858
*
Indian Mutiny Medal
__NOTOC__
The Indian Mutiny Medal was a campaign medal approved in August 1858, for officers and men of British and Indian units who served in operations in suppression of the Indian Mutiny.
The medal was initially sanctioned for award to troops ...
-1858
*
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:
# Knight Grand Commander (GCSI)
# Knight Commander ( KCSI)
# Companion ( CSI)
No appointmen ...
(GCSI)-1873
*Prince of Wales's Medal-1876
Ancestry
Film depictions
*
Basanti (2000 film)
''Basanti'' ( ne, बसन्ती, translation: ''Lady like a Spring'') is a 2000 Nepali historical romantic film directed by Neer Shah. The cast includes Karishma Manandhar, Rajesh Hamal, Gauri Malla and Ashok Sharma. This movie is based on ...
, where he was portrayed by Neeraj Thapa
*
Seto Bagh
''Seto Bagh'' ( ne, सेतो बाघ, translation: White Tiger) is a 2015 Nepali historical film directed by Neer Shah. The cast includes BS Rana, Rajaram Poudel, Rabi Giri, Shyam Rai and Anjana Kattel. This movie is based on a historical no ...
, where he was portrayed by Bedendra Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana popularly known as B.S. Rana
References
Footnotes
Notes
Books
*
*
Further reading
*
External links
Biography of Jung Bahadur (Britannica)Mc Findia* Gautam, Prawash. (2011-10-02)
www.ekantipur.com. Retrieved: 26 December 2011.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bahadur, Jung
1816 births
1877 deaths
19th-century Nepalese nobility
19th-century Nepalese politicians
19th-century prime ministers of Nepal
Honorary Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Khas people
Nepalese expatriates in the United Kingdom
Nepalese Hindus
People from Gorkha District
Prime ministers of Nepal
Rana dynasty
Rana regime