Ranga Nath Poudyal Atri ( ne, रङ्गनाथ पौड्याल) popularly known as Ranganath Pandit was the Mukhtiyar of Nepal from 1837 December to 1838 August and in 1840 November for about 2–3 weeks. He was the first

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (gur ...

Prime Minister of

Nepal Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...

Early life

Ranga Nath Poudyal Atri was born in 1773 A.D. at Makhantole

Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...

to Pandit Brajnath Atri, a who was prominent courtier in the palace who was later exiled to Benaras. He was a

Bahun Bahun ( ne, बाहुन) or Khas Brahmin ( ne, खस ब्राह्मण) is a caste ( ''Varna'') among Khas people of Nepal. Their origins are from the Indo-Aryan Khasa tribe of Nepal and South Asia. According to the 2011 Nepa ...

by ethnicity. Ranga Nath Poudyal Atri spent his childhood years in

Benares 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 tra ...

, where he mastered Sanskrit. He was granted the title "Pandit Raj" by the then king of Benares.

Political career

Ranga Nath Poudyal Atri met

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 ...

in Benares (

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 ...

). He was deeply influenced by Bhimsen Thapa and thus he forged his path to power by establishing himself as the prominent supporter of Bhimsen Thapa. After the execution of Mulkaji (Chief Kaji)

Damodar Pande Damodar Pande ( ne, दामोदर पाँडे) (1752 – March 13, 1804) was the Mulkaji of Nepal (equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal) from 1803 to 1804 and most influential Kaji since 1794 to his death on March 13, 1804. He is al ...

, Paudyal was appointed as Raj Guru (Royal Preceptor) along with

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 ...

as appointed as Mulkaji,

as second Kaji and

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 Mul Chautariya. He became Prime Minister of

at the time of utmost political turmoil. He is remembered as a clever

. Although he was the prominent supporter of

His political career was doomed after the downfall of Bhimsen Thapa. He is often characterized as the spiritual advisor of the court rather than a powerful governor.

Personal life

Not much is known about his personal life. He is believed by many to be spiritual minded.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{Prime Ministers of Nepal Prime ministers of Nepal 1773 births People from Kathmandu Year of death missing Mukhtiyars 19th-century prime ministers of Nepal 19th-century Nepalese nobility Nepalese Hindus

Early life

Political career

Personal life

See also

References

Bibliography