Lakhan Thapa Magar (1835–1877) was a Nepali revolutionary whom the Nepalese government has declared "The First Martyr of Nepal". He was the first recorded Nepali political dissident and resisted the rule of the

Rana dynasty 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 ...

. As a king of Bungkot, he rebelled against the rule of

Jang 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 propagandized his political ideology to destroy the Jung Bahadur Rana regime to form a free state and army. He was supported by his close friend Jay Singh Chumi Magar and his minister Jaya Singh Chumi.

Kot Massacre of 1846

The mysterious killing of General Gagan Singh Khawaas followed the Kot Massacre of 14 September 1846 that catapulted the Ranas into power for 104 years. The reigning queen wanted to know the murderer of General Gagan Singh Khawas. General Abhiman Singh Rana Magar, who was the first General or Commander-in-Chief of Nepal Army had known who the killer was. Upon learning of the general's knowledge, Jung Bahadur Rana subsequently fatally shot the general. However, the dying general shouted about the killer's identity, and afterward, Junga Bahadur Rana was motivated to eliminate all nobles in and out of the royal house. This included ethnic leaders like Lakhan Thapa Magar to secure his position.

Resistance

After the Rana takeover, Lakhan Thapa Magar could not tolerate the iron-fisted rule of the dynasty. He organized some youths (some ex-military) to begin to protest against the government. Along with men he brought weapons and supplies to rebel against the government. The Rana government responded by deploying troops to Gorkha. Jung Bahadur thought to eliminate Thapa Magar and other rebels and ordered to hang them. After sometime, Thapa Magar was hanged in front of his residence in Bungkot on 14 February 1877 and seven others were hanged near

Manakamana Temple Manakamana Temple ( ne, मनकामना मन्दिर, IAST: ''Manakāmanā Mandira'', ) is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Bhagwati, an incarnation of Parvati and it is situated in the village of Manakamana in Gorkha District, G ...

. Some historians have written that the government had captured and hung 50 other participants. Notably, one of the descendants of Jung Bahadur Rana has disputed Magar's claim to martyrdom. But all renowned historians of Nepal have attested that Lakhan Thapa Magar was hanged to death.Chapter 5: The Messianic and rebel King Lakhan Thapa, Utopia and Ideology among the Magars notes that Lakhan Thapa had become synonymous with "ridiculous person" in the Nepali language till history and actions were rediscovered in the 1990s by the concerned group of intellectuals. Eventually he is rehabilitated as the official martyr of Nepal. He is a hero, a king and a messianic for the Magars toda
''Contributions to Nepalese Studies, Jan, 2009'' by Dilli Ram Dahal
/ref>

Legacy

While historically Lakhan Thapa has been seen as a foolish figure, in the 1990s his image was rehabilitated in the eyes of the public. Historian and then Director General of Nepal Government's Department of Archaeology has writtenJanak Lal Sharma - a renowned archaeologist, writer, and director general, a recipient of Sajha Prize for his book -हाम्रो समाज: एक अध्ययन - ''Hamro Samaj: Ek Adhyayan'' - 2036 that Jung Bahadur Rana's harsh rule prompted an inevitable revolution. Some historians draw a parallel between Lakhan Thapa and

Bhagat Singh Bhagat Singh (27 September 1907 – 23 March 1931) was a charismatic Indian revolutionary* * who participated in the mistaken murder of a junior British police officer * * in what was to be retaliation for the death of an Indian nationa ...

(Punjabi: ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ بھگت سنگھ]) (28 September 1907 – 23 March 1931) of India as both were prominent political martyrs in their country.

Family tree

Lakhan Thapa Magar's Siblings: * Ram Thapa Magar (older brother) * Dhana Mala sister.

Notes

References

* Baidhya, Tulsiram, Vijay Kumar Manandhar and Premsingh Basnyat. 2009. Military History of Nepal (Part 2). Kathmandu: Army Headquarters. * Bhandari, Dhundi Raj: नेपालको आलोचनात्मक इतिहास ''Nepalko Aalochanatmak Itihas'' (A Critical History of Nepal) * Gurung, Hark - 1998
Nepal : Social Demography and Expression
* Lecomte-Tilouine, Marie - Oxford University Press - 2008
Hindu Kingship, Ethnic Revival and Maoist Rebellion in Nepal
* Lecomte-Tilouine, Marie
Utopia and Ideology among the Magars: Lakhan Thapa versus Mao Dzedong?
* Rana, B. K. 2003
संक्षिप्त मगर इतिहास
''Sanchhipta Magar Itihas'' (A Concise History of Magars) * Rana, B. K. 2012

* Rana, Pudma Jung Bahadur - 1909: Life of Maharaja Sir Jung Bahadur of Nepal. The Pioneer Press Allahbad * Rana, Promod Sumsher - 1978
Rana Nepal - An Insider's View
* Sharma, Bal Chandra : नेपालको ऐतिहासिक रुपरेखा ''Nepalko Aitihasik Ruprekha'' (Glimpses of Nepalese History) * Sharma, Janak Lal -1964 : ''जोसमनी सन्त-परम्परा र साहित्य - २०२० -Josmani Sanit-Parampara Ra Sahitya 1964'' - Josmani Saint Tradition and Literature - 1964. * Singh, Bhim Bhaktaman - 2005: Nepal

External links

Magar Morcha

Celebration of Martyrs’ Day In Nepal

Martyrs, Martyrdom and Martyr Lakhan Thapa

Hindu Kingship, Ethnic Revival and Maoist Rebellion in Nepal

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20110712213338/http://hkmagar.hkmagar.com/content/view/40/30/ Martyrs, Martyrdom and Martyr Lakhan Thapa* Bagchi-Levi in Nepal A Glimpse of the Rana Rule in Nepal, Manindra Bhushan Bhaduri The Calcutta Review July 1962 {{DEFAULTSORT:Thapa, Lakhan History of Nepal Nepalese revolutionaries People from Gorkha District Executed Nepalese people People executed by Nepal by hanging 1835 births 1877 deaths Executed revolutionaries Nepalese martyrs