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आलमदेवीको कथा र यसको इतिहास

स्याङजा जिल्लाको रिडी लसर्घा स-साना बान्कि परेका थुम्का थुम्कि, नागबेली परेका नदि नाला, बाँदरे भिरपाखा तथा मनोरम बेशीहरुको प्राकृतिक सौन्दर्यताले गर्दा अत्यन्तै रमणीय देखिन्छ । पूर्बतिर लतमन्न पसारिएका प्रसिद्द हिमाल अन्नपूर्ण र माछापुछ्रे , पश्चिम उत्तर धौलागिरि हिमालको कहाली लाग्दो गगनभेदी उचाईको दृष्यले यसको सुन्दरतामा चार चाँद नै लगाएको छ । तल पट्टी अबिरल बग्ने कालीगण्डकी र यसको सौम्य र शान्त बहाबले त झन् यस्को सुन्दरतालाई झनै निखारी रहेको छ । श्रिनगर डाँडो र तात्कालीन पाल्पाका बडाहाकिम खड्ग शमशेरले आफ्नी रानी तेजकुमारीको सम्झनामा गण्डकीको तिरमा बनाएको रानीमहल जस्तो सामरीक महत्वको दृष्याबलोकन यहाँबाट प्रष्ट गर्न सकिने हुँदा यहाँको सुन्दरता बयान गरेर साध्य नै छैन ।

यहाँ बग्ने चिसोहावा र शितलताको माधुर्यतापूर्ण स्पर्शले गर्दा शरिरका प्रत्येक अंगहरु आफैमा जागृत भए जस्तो भान पर्न थाल्छ । हरियाली भिरपाखाहरुमा देखिने सुगन्धित फूलहरुको मोहनीलाग्ने सुन्दरता र तिनीहरु प्रतिको आकर्षणले त झन सोर्ह बर्षे बैंश र ति दिनका रागहरुको तिर्सना नै मेटाईदिन्छन् । उच्चभूमी नै भएर होला निरन्तर बेगमा बग्ने पवनको मिठासपूर्ण गुञ्जन र भीमकाय डाँडाहरुको सुन्दरतम दृष्यले कता कता मनमा काउकुती लगाईदिन्छ र त्यहि शितल बहाब संगै खेल्न मन लाग्छ अनि उडेर तिनै भीमकाय डाँडाहरुमा टेक्न पनि मन लाग्छ । भौगोलीक विकटता आखिर जिल्ला भरि कहाँ नै पो छैन र ! यहि विकटता पार गरीसके पछीको स्वर्गिय आनन्दको अनुभूति सबैतिर नपाईन पनि सक्छ तर आलमदेबीको बासस्थान भूमि र यहाँ आईपुग्दा मनमा घट्ने उल्लासता सबै स्थानको भन्दा उच्च रहेको महशुस हुन पुग्छ । हुन त मेरो शरिरको अवतरण यस भूमिमा भएको थिएन तापनि यहाँ पुग्दा यस्तो लाग्थ्यो मानौं ‘मेरा सयौं जन्महरु र जिवनगाथाका अनेकौं गीतहरु आज पनि यिनै पाखा, पखेरा र कन्दराहरुमा कालीगण्डकीका शुसेलीहरु सँगै शदियौं देखि गुन्जिई रहेछन् र बोलाई रहेछन् हर पल।‘ यसैले यस पावन भूमीमा पहिलो पाईला टेक्दा जो कोही पनि मन्त्र मुग्ध हुन पुग्छ र जिवन नै धन्य भएको महशुस गर्न पुग्छ ।

शाह बंशका प्रथम ब्यक्ति भूपाल राणाजी राव ई.स.१५०१ तिर (इतिहास शिरोमणि बाबुराम आचार्यको अनुसार ) भारतको राजस्थान प्रान्तको मेवाढ जिल्ला चित्तौडगढबाट पश्चिम नेपाल डोटी , दुल्लु , जुम्ला हुँदै पाल्पाबाट स्याङजाको लसर्कामा आई बसोबास गरेका थिए भन्ने भनाई रहँदै आएको छ । देख्नमा अँग्रेजी अक्षेर ‘यु’ आकारको बनाबटमा रहेको कालीगण्डकी बिचको उच्च डाँडोको समथर भू-भागलाई आफ्नो रजस्थल केन्द्र बनाई हाल आलमदेबी मन्दिर रहेको ठाऊँ नै नेपालका ठकुरी शाहबंशीय राजघरानाहरुको उदगम स्थल रहेको तथ्य इतिहासमा प्रष्ट भैसकेको छ ।

आलमदेबीलाई खासगरि भूपाल राणाजी रावका दुई छोरा मध्ये एक खाञ्चा खाँन तथा उनि र उनका सन्ततिले बिस्तार गरेका राज्य भीरकोट , गर्होंकोट तथा ढोर र अर्का छोरा मिञ्चा खाँन र उनि र उनका सन्ततिले बिस्तार गरेका राज्य नुवाकोट(स्याङजा), सतौंकोट(स्याङजा), कास्कीकोट, लमजुङ र गोर्खा राज्य अन्तरगतका खाँण, शाह तथा शाहीहरुले आफ्नो कुलदेबीका रुपमा पुज्दै आएका छन् । सबै उपलब्ध सामग्रिहरुको अध्ययन अनुसन्धान र यसको इतिहासलाई कोट्याउँदै जाँदा सबै लेखक, इतिहासकार यबँ टिप्पणीकारहरुबाट मिल्दा जुल्दा कुराहरु नै पाईएका छन् । ईस्बि सम्बत १५०० ताका भारतमा मुस्लिम राजाहरुको निकै ठुलो दबदबा थियो। यिनिहरुको भिषण आक्रमणलाई थेग्न नसकी भूपाल राणाजी राब पनि पलाएन भई नेपाल छिरेको कुरा इतिहासकारहरु बताउँछन । यसैक्रममा आफू र आफ्नो परिबार सँगै आफ्नी ईष्टकुल देबीलाई पनि साथमै ल्याएका थिए यिनले । बिशेष श्रद्दाका साथ डोलीमा राखेर ल्याएकी देबीलाई भुईँमा राख्न नहुने हुँदा निकै सतर्कता अपनाईएको थियो र राजालाई देबीले सपनामा आई “ मलाई भुईंमा नराख्नु ” भनी आदेश समेत दिएकी रहिछन् । जहाँ जहाँ रात पर्थ्यो र बास बस्नु पर्ने हुन्थ्यो, देबीको डोलीलाई बिशेष सुरक्षाका साथ भुईंमा नराखी जमिन भन्दा माथिनै अड्याएर राखिन्थ्थो होला सायद रुखमा या काठको गल्छेडो बनाई डाँडी झैं झुण्याईन्थ्थो होला । यसैक्रममा ल्याउँदा ल्याउँदै पाल्पाबाट स्याङजा सिमाना छिर्ने बेलामा लसर्का बिर्घामा आईपुग्दा रात परेछ र सबैजना बास बसेछन् । देबीको डोलीलाई पनि नजिकै भिमसेनपातीमा राखिएछ । बिहानपख ‘अब त हिंड्नु पर्यो’ भनि डोलेहरुले डोली लिन जाँदा डोली रित्तै पाएछन् र हस्याङ फस्याङ गर्दै राजामा सो कुराको जाहेरी चडाएछन् । त्यसपछी सबै गाउँलेहरुलाई जम्मा गरि देबीलाई खोज्न लगाईएछ र खोज्दै जाँदा देबी त्यही भूमीमा भासिएको पाएछन । भए भरको तागत र बल लगाउँदा पनि देबीलाई बाहिर निकाल्न नसके पछि राजा सहित सबैजना निरास हुन पुगेछन । तर त्यसै दिन सपनामा आई देबीले राजालाई भनिछन् “ तिमीले मलाई छाना नभएको मुण्डा मन्दिर बनाई बिधिपूर्वक यहीं पूजा गर ” भनेकाले राजाद्वारा त्यहिं नै देबीलाई प्रतिस्थापन गराई बिधिपूर्वक पूजा शुरु गराएछन् ।

दोश्रो जनश्रुती अनुसार : भूपाल राणाजी राबकी छोरी ”सदल”लाई सम्राट अकबरले बिहेको लागि माग्दा नदिएपछि उनको राज्यमा अकबरले आक्रमण गरेछन् । यस पश्चाद सदलले आत्म हत्या गरिन् र भूपाल राणाजी राब दिल्ली छाडी उज्जैनमा गएर बसेछन् । त्यहाँ यिनीहरुका दाजुभाई बिचमा झगडा पर्न गएछ । केहि समय पश्चात राती राती सपनामा “एकभाई उत्तराखण्ड जाउ”भनेकाले यिनी आफ्नो सबै बन्दोबस्ती सहित उत्तरतर्फ लागेछन् । उत्तरखण्डको यात्रामा देबीलाई पनि संगै लिएर आएछन् र राती सुत्दा समेत देबीलाई हातैमा लिएर सुत्ने गर्थे रे । स्याङजाको लसर्घा सम्म आईपुग्दा भिमसेनपाती नेर बासबस्दा निद्रामा देबी हातबाट खसिछन् र भनिछन् “ तिमीले बेलुका खाएको पानी रक्सी पारेको पानी थियो, अशुद्द पानी खाएकाले म तिम्रो हातमा बस्दिन” यती भनेर देबी त्यहीं नै बासबसेको ठाउँमा अलप भईछन् ।

तेश्रो जनश्रुति अनुसार : रिडीको वारिपट्टी स्याङजातर्फ एउटा शिला छ जसलाई ‘हनुमान ढुङ्गो’ भन्ने गरिन्छ । हनुमानको प्रिय बस्तु सिंदुर भएकाले त्यस ढुंगालाई पनि हनुमान मानी सिंदुरले पोतेर पूजा आजा गर्ने गरिन्छ । भूपाल राणाजी राब पहिले त्यहीं आएर बसेछन् । हिंड्ने बेलामा कुलदेबीको मुर्ति चलेनछ र राजाको घोडापनि हिंडेनछ । जति नै प्रयास गरेपनि घोडा नहिंडेकाले रिडीघाटको बोटेले “ बुझ्नु न सुझ्नु कोर्रामात्रै हिर्काउने” भनेछ । त्यो सुनेर के भनेका हौ ? भनेर सोधेछन् । ति आगन्तुक राजाका अरु ३ भाई पनि रहेछन् । बोटेले भनेछ “ त्यहाँ बाँगे देउता छन् , तिनलाई च्वाँचे(सुँगुर) चढाउनु पर्छ।“ बाँगे भनेको च्वाँचे हो । त्यसपछी च्वाँचे किन्न पठाएर बली चढाई पुजा गरेछन्।

पूजाको प्रसाद भनेर च्वाँचेको मासु खानु पर्ने रहेछ । भाईहरुलाई खाउ भन्दा नमानेर तपाईंले पूजा गरेकाले तपाईं नै खानुस भनेछन्।प्रसाद नखाए देउता रिसाउने डर,खाए जात जाने डरले राजालाई पिरोलेछ । देउताकै डर मानेर राजाले प्रसाद खाएछन् ।“अभक्ष्य खायौ,अब तिमी मास्सियौ” भनेर भाईहरुले दाजुलाई छाडेर हिंडेछन् । त्यसपछि यिनले त्यहीं मगरकि छोरी बिहे गरेर देबीको पूजा चलाएर बसेछन् । भाईहरुले “ मास्सियौ “ भनेकाले यिनी मास्की मगर कहलाएछन् । आजसम्म पनि आलमदेबीको पूजा यिनै मास्की थरका मगरले गर्दै आएका छन् ।

अहिले आलम देबीको पूजा गरिने ठाउँमा प्वाल थियो रे । त्यहि प्वालमा देबी अलप भएकी हुन् भनिन्छ । यस प्वालबाट पैसा खसाल्दा निकै नै तलसम्म गएको आवाज सुनिने कुरा बुढापुरानाले भन्ने गरेको पाईन्छ र हाल यो प्वाल बुझिएको अवस्थामा रहेको विस्वास गरिन्छ । खासगरि यहाँ देबीको प्रतिक स्वरुप पत्रे शिला र त्रिसुलको पूजा गर्ने गरिन्छ । मन्दिर पनि देबीकै ईच्छा बमोजीम छाना नलगाइएको खुला नै छ । मन्दिरको एकापट्टी दशैंमा सुंगुरको बलि पनि दिईने गरिन्छ । यस मन्दिरको यत्रतत्र खुँडा र खुकुरी छरिएको देख्न पाईन्छ । यि हतियारहरुलाई दशैंको बेला साँद लाउनकालागि दरबन्दी पनि गरिन्छ । यि हतियार कुनै युद्दमा प्रयोग गरिएका नभै लाहुरेहरुले बिदेशमा जाँदा सकुशल फर्कन पाउँ भनि देबीलाई चढाएका हतियार हुन् रे । यो हतियार चढाउने परम्परा अहिले पनि चालु नै रहेको छ। यहाँका धेरै हतियारहरु दोश्रो बिश्वयुद्दमा लाहुरेहरुले चढाएको कुरा स्थानियबासीहरुले भन्ने गर्छन् ।

आलमदेबीको मन्दिर निर्माण, बिकासक्रम र यस्को जिर्णोदारको इतिहासलाई खोज्दै जाँदा बि.स. १८९८ मा श्रि ५ रणबहादुर शाहबाट गुठीको ब्यवस्था गरी मास्के थरका मगरजातीका पुजारी समेत नियुक्त भएको तथ्य पाईन्छ र यिनै मास्के जातका मगरहरुले आजसम्म पनि पुजा गर्दै आईराखेका छन् । २००४ सालमा कमाण्डर इन चिफ रुद्रशमशेर राणा र २००९ सालमा तत्कालीन भिर्कोटे राजा (बडाहाकीम) तारकबहादुर शाहलाई जिर्णोदारका लागि खटाईएको थियो । २०१४ मा राजा महेन्द्रको पश्चिमाञ्चल पैदल यात्रा हुँदा यस मन्दिरमा सवारि भई पाटी पौवा बनाउन केही रकम पनि दिइएको इतिहास पाईन्छ । यसै गरि २०३३ सालमा श्रि ५ बिरेन्द्र पोखरा सबारि हुँदा दशैंघर , पाहुना घर र सतल निर्माणका लागि रु ५५०००.०० आर्थिक सहयोग दिएका रहेछन् ।

पूजारीको नियुक्ति र पूजा व्यवस्था : आलमदेबीको पूजा मास्की थरका राना मगरले गर्ने परम्परा रहेको छ । सो पूजा ५-७ बर्ष देखि बढीमा १४ बर्ष उमेरसम्मका कुमार केटाहरुले मात्र गर्नु पर्छ । त्यो उमेर नाघ्नासाथ पूजारी फेर्नु पर्ने रहेछ । मन्दिरको बीचमा धुर्सुको रुख छ,त्यसैको फेदमा चक्र परेजस्तो पत्रेशिला रहेको छ र यहि शिलामा नै पूजा गर्ने गरिन्छ । त्यो रुख भूपाल राणाजी राब कै समयदेखि यथाबत छ भन्ने विस्वास रहेको छ । झण्डै पन्हौं शताब्दीको शुरुकाल देखि । आफ्नो बाल्यकाल देखिनै यस रुखलाई देख्ने ले जहिले पनि यो रुख त्यस्ता को त्यस्तै रहेको भन्ने गर्छन । त्यहाँ पूरानो दमाहा र कर्नाल रहेको छ । शाके १७०८ लेखेको दमाहा र एउटा कर्नाल सहित १०० मुरी खेत मन्दिरका नाममा चढाईएको कुरा दमाहामा लेखिएको छ । त्यो दमाहा र कर्नाल बिहान बेलुका नगरा लगाउन बजाईने गरिन्छ । पूजा चलाउने परम्परा पनि पूजारीका सन्तान दर सन्तानले गर्दै आएका छन् । कथंकदाचित पूजारीका पूरुष सन्तान भएनन् भने दाजुभाईका सन्तानहरुबाट पूजा चलाउने परम्परा रहेछ । गुठीका कागजपत्रहरु पूजारी संग रहेको र यस्को आयस्ता बिभिन्न दरबन्दीका कर्मचारीहरुले पाउने रहेछन् । यि कर्मचारीहरुको मुख्यकाम :फुल टिप्ने,खुँडा खुकुरीमा साँद लगाउने,नगरा बजाउने,पूजाका भाँडा माझ्ने,मन्दिरको सरसफाई गर्ने ईत्यादी रहेको छ । आलमदेबीमा नौनी घ्यूको धूप चढाईने गरिन्छ यसैले यहाँ नौंनी घ्यूको थुप्रो लाग्ने गर्छ । यहाँ चढाउन ल्याईएको नौंनी र बोकाको टाउको पूजारीले तोकेको दस्तुर तिरी अरुले पनि लैजान मिल्ने बनाईएको छ । यहाँ बोका, राँगा, कुखुरा, परेवा आदीको बलि दिईने गरिन्छ ।

आलमदेबीको मन्दिरदेखि २ कि.मि. जति पश्चिम-दक्षिणमा तलतिर एउटा कुवा रहेको छ । कुमार पूजारीले बिहान बेलुका त्यही कुवामा नुहाएर धोती फेरी कुवाको पानी ल्याई पूजा गर्नु पर्ने रहेछ । पूजा बिहान बेलुका नै गर्नु पर्ने रहेछ । १४-१५ बर्षको उमेरमा पूजारीबाट फुर्सद पाएपछी कुमार केटाहरु लाहुर जाने रहेछन् । यिनीहरुले पढ्न नपाउने रहेछन् । हाल आएर यि कुमार पूजारीहरुका लागि चलाईएको परम्परा समय सान्दर्भिक देखिंदैन र यिनीहरुलाई पूजाको साथ साथै शिक्षा र पूजारीबाट अबकास पाईसकेपछी रोजगारीको ब्यवस्था गरिनु पर्ने माग स्थानिय तहबाट उठीराखेको छ । तर राजा नै देशको सर्वेसर्वा हुँदा यिनीहरुकालागि केहि भएन भने अबका दिनहरुमा अरुले के पो गर्लान् !

आलमदेबी शाहबंशकी कुलायन हुनाले तिनको फूल प्रसाद बडादशैंमा राजदरबार पठाउने प्रचलन थियो । बेलाबेलामा राजाहरुको सबारी पनि भईनै रहन्थ्थो र हालसालै भएको हिमानी शाहको भेट-यात्रालाई पनि यसैको निरन्तरता मान्दा फरक पर्ने छैन । साथै स्याङजा, पाल्पा र पैंयूका खाँड, शाह यबं शेनबंशीहरुले यिनै देबीलाई आफ्नी कुलदेबीमानी पूजा गर्ने र पूजा चढाउने परम्परा रहँदै आएको छ ।

गोर्खाको मनकामना मन्दिर भन्दा पनि शसक्त र ऐतिहासिक महत्व बोकेको यस आलमदेवी मन्दिर तथा यसको आसपासको क्षेत्रलाई धार्मिक तथा प्रयटकिय स्थलको रुपमा बिकास गर्न सकेमा र आवस्यक पूर्बाधारहरुको निर्माण कार्यमा सबैतिरबाट जागरुकता देखाउन सकेमा हाम्रो जिल्लालाई देशभर चिनाउने काममा यो जति प्रबल माध्यम अरु कुनै हुने थिएन ।

ratna kafle

वालिङ-८, रामबाच्छा

हाल, काठमाण्डौ

सन्दर्भ सामग्रि: नेपालको ऐतिहासिक रुपरेखा२००८,आलमदेवी र शाह वंश२०३५, शाह बंशावली,खाँडहरुको बंशावली,भारतको इतिहास

बिशेष : महेश्वर शर्मा ( स्याङजाका चौबीसे राज्यहरुमा रुमल्लींदा )

थप - आंफैले देखे,जाने र सुनेका कुराहरु ।

मनकामना भगवती

काठमाडौंबाट करिब १ सय ४ किलोमिटर पश्चिम गोरखा जिल्लामा पर्ने भगवती मनकामनाको मन्दिर अत्यन्त प्रसिद्ध र ऐतिहासिक महŒवको तीर्थस्थल हो।

मनकामना माईको भाकल गरे, चिताएको पूरा हुन्छ भन्ने जनविश्वास छ। गोर्खाका राजाहरूले राज्य विस्तार गर्दा मनकामना माईको आशीर्वाद पाएका थिए भनिन्छ।

मनकामना माईको थानलाई धेरै अघिदेखि गोर्खाली राजाहरूले सुसज्जित गराउँदै शाहवंशीय मन्दिरको रूप दिँदै आएका छन्। खास पूजा हुने ठाउँमा एउटा खाल्टोमा पाँच शिला ठडिएका छन्। यसमध्ये दुई ठूलालाई मनकामना र भैरव तथा अन्य तीन सानालाई क्रमशः गणेश, कुमारी र बेताल मानी पूजा गरिन्छ।

पृथ्वीनारायण शाहको पालादेखि नुवाकोटको भैरवी र काठमाडौंको मैतीदेवी भगवतीसँग मनकामना माईको सम्बन्ध जोडिएको ऐतिहासिक प्रमाण पाइन्छ।

त्यसैले मनकामनाको नित्य पूजाको जिम्मा थापामगरको भए तापनि त्यहाँ वैशाख सुदी–बदी र मंसिर सुदी–बदीको गुठी पञ्चमी पर्वमा चाहिँ झ्वाहलका गुभाजूले पुरोहितको काम गर्दछन्।

मनकामना मन्दिरमा विभिन्न धार्मिक संस्कारको मिलन देखिन्छ। मगर पुजारी स्थानीय आदिम विश्वासको प्रतीक हो। हिन्दू श्रेष्ठद्वारा देवीको सुसारेको काम गरिन्छ। गुठी पञ्चमीको पर्वमा बौद्ध गुमाजूको तान्त्रिक विधि गरिन्छ भने मन्दिर पेटीमा अर्याल र मरहट्ठा बाहुनहरू पुराणवाचन गर्दछन्।

मनकामना माईको उत्पत्ति राजा राम शाह (ई. १६१४–१६३६)को पालामा भएको हो। किंवदन्ती अनुसार राम शाहकी रानी लीलावती देवीकी अवतार थिइन्। यसको ज्ञानको उनका भक्त लखन थापामगरलाई मात्रा थियो। एकपटक राजाले आफ्नी रानीलाई अन्य देवीदेवताको माझमा भगवती देवीको रूपमा सभामा बसिरहेको देखे। वास्तविकता थाहा पाएपछि राजालाई रानीले भनिन्– यो कुराको जानकारी हजुरलाई नभएको भए मैले हजुरलाई चक्रवर्ती राजा बनाउने थिएँ।

आजभन्दा करिब तीन सय वर्षअघि हाल मनकामना देवीको मन्दिर भएको ठाउँमा एउटा किसानले हलो जोत्दा एउटा ढुंगामा ठेस लागेछ र ढुंगाबाट दूध र रगत बग्न थालेछ। यो  सुनेपछि लखन थापाले त्यहाँ तान्त्रिक पूजा गरे र त्यसपछि रगत रोकियो। सोही थलोमा देवीको स्थापना गरियो। यो घटनापछि गोर्खाका राजाले मनकामना माईको सेवा गर्न लखन थापा र उनका दरसन्तानलाई जग्गा बिर्ता दिई लालमोहर गरिदिए। यहाँका मूल पुजारी सुरुदेखि नै रैथाने थापामगर छन् र हालको मगर पुजारी पनि लखन थापाको १७–१८ औं पुस्ताका सन्तान हुन्।

समाप्त 

डोरवहादुर विष्टको अन्तिम अन्तर्वार्ता

On June 3, 1995, I had the opportunity to meet the much-debated sociologist Dor Bahadur Bista for an interview at his residence in Lalitpur. Ethnic identity politics had been gaining momentum in the years following the establishment of multiparty democracy. In a society that was slowly beginning to open up, Bista had introduced the idea of “Bahunism” into the public discourse.

Different aspects of our polity were yet to open up, however. I interviewed Bista for Jana Aasthaa weekly, accompanied by the photographer Santosh Pokhrel. While discussing social specificities, Bista put forward the claim that “the ancestors of the Shah Kings were ethnic Magars”. The newspaper used this statement as the headline. Controversy ensued. Despite the advent of democracy, the Royal Palace still resembled an island.

Bista’s comments remain explosive. He articulated his academic findings in very clear terms. These were not merely his opinions: it had been three years since he had set up the Karnali Institute in Chaudhabisa, Jumla. This interview was scheduled during one of his visits to Kathmandu.

I still remember Bista vividly. He disappeared – or perhaps, was made to disappear – within days of this interview, 18 years ago. The search for him continues. We had a long conversation on the front porch of his house. I remember thinking then that his ideas were too advanced for us. We had agreed to continue the conversation at a later date, but it was not to be.

Communalist expressions such as “pointy-nosed” and “flat-nosed”, meaning “Aryans” and “non-Aryans”, are becoming more common in Nepal. What’s the reason for this?

It’s very natural for people to be talking about ethnic issues now. Of the two ethnicities in Nepal, the Khas and the Kirat, the former migrated more. Khas-Arya people were nomads who raised livestock. They moved quickly through the grasslands with fast-moving animals such as cows, horses, goats, sheep and dogs.

The Kirat, on the other hand, because they inhabited the foothills of the Himalaya, southern China, Burma and Thailand, which were densely vegetated and received plenty of rainfall, had a more sedentary lifestyle.  Therefore they kept slower-moving animals such as buffaloes and pigs. The Kirat’s advance to the west was slower. When the Khas moved eastwards, their rapid advance meant that they overran and established dominance over the smaller groups they encountered along the way.

The slow-moving Kirat appear to have come to Kathmandu, and only moved some way into the west. Khas dominance increased in this manner. When history doesn’t teach us how certain groups progressed, when schools don’t teach us, this discourse of pointy-nosed dhoti-clad people dominating becomes prevalent.

How many people have understood your concept of “Bahunism”?

I am very happy that quite a few young Bahuns (Brahmins) are beginning to understand it. When I first talked about “Bahunism”, it was felt that I was scolding Bahuns. The old order feared that if Bahuns were attacked, Hinduism would not survive, and if Hindus couldn’t survive, then they too would be unable to survive.

But that’s not true. We should live as Nepalis. As a Nepali, follow the religion you want, eat the dal and vegetables you want, build your house in the style you want, get married to the partner of your choice, and choose your own brand of motorcycle, who has objected to anything?

What is “Bahunism” then?

Essentially, “Bahunism” is that which perpetuates fatalism: whatever you have now is what you have earned through your previous lives, and your efforts now won’t result in anything.

As long as we believe that our lives are determined by the Almighty and embrace this theory of fatalism, we will lack drive. Without this, how will we ever be happy?

The idea of waiting for someone else to come and give us our bread, of holding out a begging bowl across the world, has been perpetuated by all our governments. This is shameful, and is the result of Nepalis becoming fatalistic.

The fatalism of the Bahuns has rendered us unenterprising. This is why I call it “Bahunism”. Until we root out “Bahunism”, the country will not move forward. The country will not progress until its citizens become dynamic.

As someone who is fluent in Sanskrit, you were probably very happy when the UML (United Marxist-Leninist) government started broadcasting news in Sanskrit on Radio Nepal?

There was absolutely no need to broadcast news in Sanskrit. A Marxist government that was meant to be uprooting misguided traditions ended up defending Sanskrit. Some shortsighted pundits felt, wrongly, that if Sanskrit were tagged on somewhere it would benefit the Bahun class and protect the Hindu religion, and started the news broadcast. But Sanskrit is not a language that needs further development.

Some people consider Sanskrit a “dead language” because it isn’t spoken anywhere anymore. There are many important books written in Sanskrit; what is needed is to read them and learn from them. There is no need to further develop the language itself. Had they started a broadcast in the Chepang language instead, at least two Chepangs would have been able to understand national affairs. Who are we trying to educate with this Sanskrit broadcast?

You’ve started defining the “Khas” as janjati, an ethnicity. What is the rationale behind this?

I don’t think any other group in Nepal is as oppressed, poor and marginalized as the Khas. It is the largest ethnic group. The modern Nepali language (Khas Kura), being mixed with many other languages, is very different from the ancient Khas language. Whom do we call janjati if not a group like the Khas, with its own language, its own geographical territory, its own traditions, which does not worship gods and goddesses, and does not employ Bahun priests?

One of the things I am doing in Jumla is to identify the Khas as janjati. Intellectuals such as Dr. Prapannacharya and Pandit Chhabi Lal Pokhrel have started the trend of converting Kirat into janai-wearing Bahuns. The challenge we face today is in preparing the janjati for the future. But people are running after a 200-rupee janai. If this is the situation today, what must have it been like to be a Bahun six centuries ago?

When the nobles of the great Khas empire were told that they were Thakuris and given the janai, they felt honoured. The remaining Khas were told they were Shudras. The janai-wearing Khas started thinking of their own Khas brothers as lower caste. I have gone there to correct this deception by the ancestors.

You have been working in Chaudhabisa, Jumla to test ideas from your book Fatalism and Development. How successful has the experiment been?

Bahuns never said anything progressive. They only spread the falsehood that giving alms to Bahuns would guarantee a place in heaven. If the Bahuns really believed in heaven, they would have been the first to go there. Because of fatalism we became unenterprising. Bahunism constrained people’s talents. And no such constrained group lost as much as the Khas did.

Therefore it became very difficult for the Khas to rise again. I had initially thought about going to the east after I wrote Fatalism and Development. But there’s already a stirring among the Kirat there. So I headed to the Khas region. Yogi Naraharinath is also a Khas. He goes around as a Bahun. But he hasn’t said the things that I have said about the Khas. Yogi Naraharinath too has the weakness of seeing things through the lens of Hindu caste hierarchy.

Naraharinath has considered the decline of the Khas only in a political context, not from the point of view of history. I have looked at why the Khas have been kept underfoot from the point of view of society, economy and culture. Until the Khas themselves realize that they need to rise up, there’s no hope for Nepal’s future, not on your life. Instead, Nepal will suffer from the politics of ethnic identity. My intentions are not communalistic – they are to establish the Khas as a janjati group.

Recently, there’s been a big controversy over the issue of beef-eating. What do you think?

It’s a non-issue. Padma Ratna Tuladhar’s initial stance and subsequent apology are both political statements. The truth is that Nepal has been a beef-eating nation since ancient times. To this day we see people eating beef – they do. It is not as though we don’t have the tradition of slaughtering cows. Only when Nepal became a Hindu kingdom did cow slaughter become a punishable crime, and the practice was pushed underground.

Cow slaughtering went underground just like politics during the Rana regime or the proponents of multiparty politics under the Panchayat regime. This is not really about cows, it’s about targeting Padma Ratna for talking about this, for communal reasons.

Meanwhile people tired of eating beef clandestinely have also started making trouble. There are reports of cow-slaughter in Syangja and Dolakha; these people were not incited by Padma Ratna’s speech, they’ve always been eating beef. It’s just an excuse to pick a fight. If it were not the issue of cow slaughter, it would have been something else.

Yogi Naraharinath has made a very big issue out of the incidents of cow slaughter. How do you view this?

I would not have made such a big deal of it. To make such a big fuss about anything is to incite riot. Such riots can take a violent turn. One should engage with the long term. One should not be invested in such fickle issues.

What advice would you give to the Bahun youth?

I tell the sons of purohits – the older generation will not change. So instead of collecting alms, learn to live off your own hard work and enterprise. Rather than reciting the purana and lying to people by telling them, “Give us alms, you will fly to heaven”, engage in productive work.

You’ve repeatedly asserted that the Shah Kings are of Magar stock. What evidence is there for this?

The assertion that the king who unified Nepal must have been a Kshatriya was made by ignorant Bahuns. A king has to defend his kingdom, no matter what his title is. I look into the history of development; I am not interested in the history of rulers and the changing dynamics of their power.

Among our kings’ ancestors there were individuals named “Micha” and “Khhancha”. People have taken these to be Muslim names. But in the Magar language, “micha” means “eldest” and “khhancha” means “youngest”. With Muslim influence names such as “Singh” and “Khan” appeared. If indeed the ancestors of our kings had fled here from Chittorgarh, why would a Hindustani Rajput have to call his sons “eldest” (micha) and “youngest” (khhancha)? Prithvi Narayan Shah’s maternal uncle, Digbandhan Sen, was a Magar. His mother was also a Magar.

There are three main Devi temples in Nepal – Lasarga Devi in Palpa, and Gorakhkali and Manakamana in Gorkha. Only Magar priests can officiate at these temples. In fact, sacrificing pigs and offering liquor are common in Palpa’s Lasarga Devi. Now they sacrifice boars instead of pigs.

We are given lame assertions regarding the notion of people coming to Nepal and becoming kings. Would someone who’s fled their kingdom be told by the locals “Oh, you’re here! Be our king”? There’s no evidence anywhere that they defeated the existing rulers. That’s why I’ve said that the ancestors of our kings are Magars. I have not said anythi

The End

Lichhavi and Thakuri Period (300 - 1200 AD)

The Lichhavi Period is the first documented period in the history of Nepal. The Lichhavi, having lost their political fortune in India, came to Nepal and attacked and defeated the last Kirati king, Gasti. The Lichhavis were probably the Rajputs of India, from today�s Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It is a classical period of Nepal history and is very well documented by epigraphic records. Stone water spouts and the icons of gods and goddesses are abundant.

The Lichhavis gave Nepal its first great historical figure, Manadeve I, in the 5th century. He was said to be a talented and brave king, responsible for conquests in the east and west. He struck copper coins and started the numismatic history of Nepal.

In 602 AD, the first Thakuri dynasty began with the ascent of Amsuverma. Though he was not a Lichhavi, he married a daughter of the Lichhavi king, Shivadeva. He impressed his father-in-law and became de facto ruler. He was an able, true servant of the people. He was a far-sighted king in the aspect of making family connections making him a great diplomat. Amsuverma married his sister to an Indian prince and his daughter, Bhrikuti, to Tibet�s powerful King Tsrong-tsong Gompo. Bhrikuti is believed to have taken as part of her dowry the begging bowl of Buddha and other artifacts of Buddhism. Together with Gompo�s second wife, a Chinese princess, they converted the king and Tibet to Buddhism.

टिप्पन टापन बाट हेर्नुहोस 

Thakuri Dynasty

[edit]Rule of the Thakuri kings

The Thakuri Dynasty was a Rajput Dynasty. After Aramudi, who is mentioned in the Kashmirian chronicle, the Rajatarangini of Kalhana (1150 CE), many Thakuri kings ruled over the country up to the middle of the 12th century AD. Raghava Deva is said to have founded a ruling dynasty in 879 AD, when the Lichhavi rule came to an end. To commemorate this important event, Raghu Deva started the 'Nepal Era' which began on 20 October, 879 AD. After Amshuvarma, who ruled from 605 AD onward, the Thakuris had lost power and they could regain it only in 869 AD.

[edit]Gunakam Deva

After the death of King Raghava Dev, many Thakuri kings ruled over Nepal up to the middle of the 12th century AD. During that period, Gunakama Deva was one of the famous kings. He ruled form 949 to 994 AD. During his rule, a big wooden house was built out of one single tree which was called 'Kasthamandapa', from which the name of the capital, 'Kathmandu', is derived. Gunakama Deva founded a town called Kantipur, the modern Kathmandu. It was also Gunakama Deva who started the 'Indra Jatra' festival. He repaired the temple that lies to the northern part of the temple of Pashupatinath. He introduced Krishna Jatra and Lakhe Jatra as well. He also performed Kotihoma.

[edit]Successors of Gunakama Dev

Bhola Deva succeeded Gunakama Deva. The next ruler was Laksmikama Deva who ruled from 1024 to 1040 AD. He built Laksmi Vihara and introduced the custom of worshipping a virgin girl as 'Kumari'. Then, Vijayakama Deva, the son of Laksmikama, became the king of Nepal. Vijaykama Deva was the last ruler of this dynasty. He introduced the worship of the "Naga" and "Vasuki". After his death, the Thakuri clan of Nuwakot occupied the throne of Nepal.

[edit]Nuwakot Thakuri Kings

Bhaskara Deva, a Thakuri form Nuwakot, succeeded Vijayakama Deva and established Nuwakot-Thakuri rule. He is said to have built Navabahal and Hemavarna Vihara. After Bhaskara Deva, four kings of this line ruled over the country. They were Bala Deva, Padma Deva, Nagarjuna Deva and Shankara Deva.

Shankara Deva (1067–1080 AD) was the most illustrious ruler of this dynasty. He established the image of 'Shantesvara Mahadeva' and 'Manohara Bhagavati'. The custom of pasting the pictures of Nagas and Vasuki on the doors of houses on the day of Nagapanchami was introduced by him. During his time, the Buddhists wreaked vengeance on the Hindu Brahmins (especially the followers of Shaivism) for the harm they had received earlier from Shankaracharya. Shankara Deva tried to pacify the Brahmins harassed by the Buddhists.

[edit]Suryavansi (the Solar Dynasty)

Bama Deva, a descendant of Amshuvarma, defeated Shankar Deva in 1080 AD. He suppressed the Nuwakot-Thankuris with the help of nobles and restored the old Solar Dynasty rule in Nepal for the second time. Harsha Deva, the successor of Bama Deva was a weak ruler. There was no unity among the nobles and they asserted themselves in their respective spheres of influence. Taking that opportunity, Nanya Deva, a Karnataka king attack Nepal from Simraungar in reply Army of Nepal defend and won the battle and success to protect Nepal from foreign invasion.

[edit]Shivadeva III

After Harsha Deva, Shivadeva, the third, ruled from 1099 to 1126 A.D. He was a brave and powerful king. He founded the town of Kirtipur and roofed the temple of Pashupatinath with gold. He introduced twenty-five paisa coins. He also constructed wells, canals and tanks at different places.

After Sivadeva III, Mahendra Deva, Mana Deva, Narendra Deva II, Ananda Deva, Rudra Deva, Amrita Deva, Ratna Deva II, Somesvara Deva, Gunakama Deva II, Lakmikama Deva III and Vijayakama Deva II ruled Nepal in quick succession. Historians differ about the rule of several kings and their respective times. After the fall of the Thakuri dynasty, a new dynasty was founded by Arideva or Ari Malla, popularly known as the 'Malla Dynasty'.

[edit]Malla Dynasty

Main article: Malla (Nepal)

Early Malla rule started with Ari Malla in the 12th century. Over the next two centuries his kingdom expanded widely, into the Terai and western Tibet, before disintegrating into small principalities, which later became known as the Baise

Jayasthiti Malla, with whom commences the later Malla dynasty of the Kathmandu Valley, began to reign at the end of the 14th century. Though his rule was rather short, his place among the rulers in the Valley is eminent for the various social and economic reforms such as the 'Sanskritization' of the Valley people, new methods of land measurement and allocation etc. Yaksha Malla, the grandson of Jayasthiti Malla, ruled the Kathmandu Valley until almost the end of the 15th century. After his demise, the Valley was divided into three independent Valley kingdoms—Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan—in about 1484 AD. This division led the Malla rulers into internecine clashes and wars for territorial and commercial gains. Mutually debilitating wars gradually weakened them, that facilitated conquest of the Kathmandu Valley by King Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha. The last Malla rulers were Jaya Prakasha Malla, Teja Narasingha Malla and Ranjit Malla of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur respectively.

[edit]Shah Dynasty, unification of Nepal

Main article: Unification of Nepal

Prithvi Narayan Shah (c. 1769–1775), with whom we move into the modern period of Nepal's history, was the ninth generation descendant of Dravya Shah (1559–1570), the founder of the ruling house of Gorkha. Prithvi Narayan Shah succeeded his father King Nara Bhupal Shah to the throne of Gorkha in 1743 AD. King Prithvi Narayan Shah was quite aware of the political situation of the Valley kingdoms as well as of the Baise and Chaubise principalities. He foresaw the need for unifying the small principalities as an urgent condition for survival in the future and set himself to the task accordingly.

His assessment of the situation among the hill principalities was correct, and the principalities were subjugated fairly easily. King Prithvi Narayan Shah's victory march began with the conquest of Nuwakot, which lies between Kathmandu and Gorkha, in 1744. After Nuwakot, he occupied strategic points in the hills surrounding the Kathmandu Valley. The Valley's communications with the outside world were thus cut off. The occupation of the Kuti Pass in about 1756 stopped the Valley's trade with Tibet. Finally, King Prithvi Narayan Shah entered the Valley. After the victory of Kirtipur. King Jaya Prakash Malla of Kathmandu sought help from the British and so the East India Company sent a contingent of soldiers under Captain Kinloch in 1767. The British force was defeated at Sindhuli by King Prithvi Narayan Shah's army. This defeat of the British completely shattered the hopes of King Jaya Prakash Malla. The capture of Kathmandu (September 25, 1768) was dramatic. As the people of Kathmandu were celebrating the festival of Indrajatra, Prithvi Narayan Shah and his men marched into the city. A throne was put on the palace courtyard for the king of Kathmandu. Prithvi Narayan Shah sat on the throne and was hailed by the people as the king of Kathmandu. Jaya Prakash Malla managed to escape with his life and took asylum in Patan. When Patan was captured a few weeks later, both Jaya Prakash Malla and the king of Patan, Tej Narsingh Mallal took refuge in Bhaktapur, which was also captured after some time. Thus the Kathmandu Valley was conquered by King Prithvi Narayan Shah and Kathmandu became the capital of the modern Nepal by 1769.

King Prithvi started annexing parts of Baise-Rajya in the Rapti region around 1760AD. By 1763, Tulsipur-Dang Rajya fell and by 1775 AD, Chauhan Raja Nawal Singh of House of Tulsipur was completely defeated. After losing his northern hill territories to King Prithvi, Chauhan Raja Nawal Singh was forced to move to his southern territories (currently Tulsipur / Balarampur in India) and ruled as one of the largest Taluqdar of Oudh.

King Prithvi Narayan Shah was successful in bringing together diverse religio-ethnic groups under one national. He was a true nationalist in his outlook and was in favor of adopting a closed-door policy with regard to the British. Not only his social and economic views guided the country's socio-economic course for a long time, his use of the imagery, 'a yam between two boulders' in Nepal's geopolitical context, formed the principal guideline of the country's foreign policy for future centuries.