Regrni Reseacch ( Priv ac.e) Ltd. ISSN: 0 34-348X

Regmi Research series Year 16, No. 1

Kathman:iu. January 84 19 Edited By

MaheE h C. Reg mi

contents Page

1. JUte cultivation in • • • 1

2. six Unpublishe:i Letters of crown Prince P�atapa simha • •• 5 3. The Palpa Mint . .. 5 4. Bichhakhor1 • • • 6 s. on Nepal-Tibet Trade ••• 6 6. some Reform Measures of Prime Minisc:.er Chandra. srumshere ••• 8

7. Kat hmahd ls • • • 14

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Regml Research (Private) Ltd. Lazimpat1 , Nepal Telephone; 2-16927

(For Private study ani research only, not meant for �lie sale, distribution am display). 1

Jute cultivation in Nepal

JUte was cultivated in the eastern Tarai region of Nepal during the early nineteenth century. This is proved by its inclusiJn in Lhe scnhedule of land tax assessment rates. such rat.-:s, prescrnibed for the Fa tteharipur Parganna of Mor,-,ng in A.D. 1808, were as follows:- Rate of Tax ( Per ghd)bi - Rs /annas.

A�("?) 2 - 7 Paddy ( on old lands, or pa.ho. 4 - X Fa:idy ( on newly-reclaime:i lards, or � hil a)·· 2 - 4 M.lst. o.rd (tori) 3 - 1 Ga.rden crops ( t ark ari). 4 - 9 Jute ( Patuwa) 3 - 11

� crops 1 10½ cot.ton · ( banga) 2 11 s.igarcane 4 - 11 ( Marga· Ba:ii 1, 1865/Navember 1808, Regmi Research collectio!!_ Vol. 36, PP• 184-85) • There is no ei.,idence, however, that jute, or jute goods, were exPorted from Morang during the early nineteenth century. They fird no place in the list of Morang'8 exports to the adjoining Indian district of PUrnt:a in 1809-10 as givan by Frc..ncis Blchanan (Hamilton) in his Pllrnea Report (Patna : Bih.�r and Orissa Research society, 928, 1 PP• 556-76). JUte cultivation in Morang district for the pirpose of �port probably started during the late 1850s or the early 18605. William lson Wi I:-llntLr, in .his book, The Indian Empire !_ts PooJ2le1 History arxl Produ� (London: w.H. Allen & co., 1893, f;�• 674-75) writt=S : ·. ..

· 'From time inmem:>rial, jute h.;.;iS been grown·. on the swamps of E::!.Bterh B�ngal, an;1 has be£n woven into coarse fabrics for b__gs and even clothing. AS •.:d.Cly as1795, or. Roxl::urgh called ,:ttC.ciltion to the commercial valui:l· ot the plant, which he grew in the Botanicql Gardens of cal.cu eta, anddname 'Jute' after th.:: language of hts o:-issa garden1::rs, the Bengali word being Pat or Kvshra. :tn 1828-29, the ·total exports of jute were only 364 cwts, valued at £ 62. From that date the trade st1;adily grew, unti 1 in the quinquiennial pericd errling,,1847-48, the ,�ports aver:;iged 2'34-,055- cwts. The Crimean war, which cut off 2

.:he supplies of Russian flax a�-.d hemp from the Forfarshire weavers, maie the rep.ita.tion of jute. D�nd�e forthwith aiopted the new fibre as her speciality, an:i the Bengal cultivators a.s reaiily set themselves ·to meet the demarrl. "India's jute exports rose f rem an averayE: of 969,724 cwts in the 1850s to 11,985,967 cwts in 1890-91.h11

In PUrnea district, "fiLres are cultivated to a considerable extent • • arrl jute cons titu tes one of the rrost important ;;:xparts •••• L1 the yedr:S 1872-73, about 15,000 acres w�e cultivate:i with jute ••• Previous to 1867 there was scarcely dilYu j te cultivation in the;; District, but in that year it rt£�ived an imp�tus from the great demand for gunny bags. 11 ( .villiam Wilson H.lnter, A s::..atisticc1l ACCOunt of Bengal, vo 1. xv. Districts of .£11bnghyr arrl iah, PUrn London: Trubner & co., . 1877, i:p. 290-91.

By the early years of the twentieth c0en tury, jute was being· cultivated "in small l:ut increasing areas:h in A,ssam and Nepal. (Th�- Imperial Gazett.eer of India, Vol. III, oxford: Clarendon Pr�ss, 1908, p. 47). The gradual 2.xtension of the ar-2a und.er jute .was by no m2ans surprising, because jute:

is not a rival of rice, but a subsidi2t'-y crop, from which the cultivator makes a certain a:iditionc::l income in hard cash. ( H.lnter, The Indian E.rrpire p. 5 90) •

Jute cc.1n be grown with a:ivantage upon land on which late rice would fail, and which, after t he crop has been r ectPed, cwn be sown with nu stard, arrl, .in some C:lSes, with early rice •••h• The cultivation hJ.s not aa:f the effect of decreasing the amou.nt of cercials or other crops, but has b-2:,en the c.:-.illse of mor� lam being br.ought under cultivation. { 1-llnter, A Sta.tisc.ic<.1l..2££ount of Bengal, Vol. xv. PP• 292-93. JUte -and jute; goods wer� exporta:i from Morang through . PUrno.::i..

In PUrnea district, "The trans-frontier traie t wi h Nepal is carrie::i on by carts, coolies, a.rd pack animals, the principal imports from Nepal being rice and pc33. dy, jute, gunny b c::.gs, must,:� seEA, cn._d timber •h •h • 11 ( The Irrperial Gaze tteer o f I,ndi,�� vol. XN ox.ford, Clarendon. P�ess,1 908,. _P. 417). From FUrne:1 di.strict, "JUte is exported to the large m.:i.ckets naar Calcutta, -or is sent up-;.country to· Mirzai:ur, generall1 by w,-Jt.Gr, although whtii trade is brisk the r =11lw ay is pref�rred • • • The; quc.liltity. ofj ute, .nt�r raw or in· the form of gunny bags, exported annually from_,:purn;i:-1 District, is estimat� at 2 oo, 00;) man s-�" . ( H.lnt..;;r:A Statistica.!..2££2l·mt of Beng:11, Vol. X;J, p. 292). 3

JUte "is received direct from the cultiv ators, under advanc"tes by the go ladars, o r agents for the Bhadrashoror, Calcutta, or Mirza,PJ.r merchcnts, and is by them shiPPe:i to i ts destination. In the northern part of the District, two-thirds of the rayats cultiva11 te jute more or less, an:l in the south pei:• i1aps 01,e-£ ouct h."t (Ibid., P . 293)"t. In 1875, Nepal's exports to Indiath rough .Arariya ani Krishnaganj i !1c lude:i the fo llowing:- Arariya Raw fibers • • • 11,472 maunds d o. mani f actured . . . £ 275 - 10s - cxi. Kri shnag anj JUte • • • 17,150ma unds GUnny • • • 34, 600 maunds. ( H.ln·i: er, The Indian Empire , pp . 380-81) Du ring 1894-95 , the Rdna government ma:le an atte mpt to i ntroduce jute ( s an) cultivation in Banke distri ct of the f ar-western T araI'{"Naya Ml lak) region.. on Magh Badi 9, 1 95 1 ("tJanuary 1895 )"t, Prime Mini ster Bi r Shums eh r� sent an order to Mdj or captain Jit Bahoiur Khatri Chhetr.l, Chief of the Naya M.l lak Baa;lobast a Adda, to make arr:a1gements f or jute cu ltiv ation on 300 or 400 bighas of lan:i in the f:.;;ur districts of the fai:-Western Tarai {Naya MJL,k) region and to sp �n:i not m:>re than k ampani; Rs . � 400 for-- the proj <:;Ct . on Falgun sidi 5 , 1 95 1 (:E'ebruary 1895)"t, Maj or Captain Jit B aha:iur Khatri Chhetri"t. sent an ord er to Slbba Siddhibir, Chief of the Ba.nke Mal (Reveru.e) Jdd� directing himt"t o spend an am:,unt not cXC esiing K arnp -.;1ni Rs• 100 for jute cultivation on a compact area of at lea.st 100 bi ghas . The SJ.bba was warned that he wcu ld be held person<.:!lly liable if the proj eet resu lted i q any loss to the government"t. Howev er, Siddhibir was unable to locate a compact plot of lQ) bighas near exi sting vi llages in for tho proj�t. Nor was he able to procure jut e set.Xis in the district. He, t herefore, directa:1 the following Chaui hari s to cu"tltivat"ta j ute on a total ar;;a of 100bi ghas near cu ltiV"'ltai !!!2.,U Jas an:l submi. t t s"t atements of the .axpenses :- - 1 . Chawihari Mis hri Thani of R.::iJah21t 2 • Chaudhari R.::im sarup Thai:u of Udain 3 • Chaudhari Madhav Ram .Ahir of Udain •.J...;

4

These three Chatil4·ha.ris later reported : "Because we were .::""' unable to loc ate compact plots near cu ltivat ed moujas fo r the pirpos e of jute cul,tivati'on, and aubec"t se yields woold not be satisf actory if the crop :w as sown on dispersed plots Qt wast e larxis ,we mad.e arrangement"ts for such cultivation on cu ltivat ed .lan:ls in sf,ecified irouj as on ..b ;ai ya ( share-cr,:>pf.iing)·· b-asis ,

subj"tect to the con:iition that the lam tax s . ,. " i remit�� ··��i }� ": \l:• · ,. A total arca of 30 big has was tlus brought under 1\l !;A culUvat;ion in Banke district in the year A.D. 1895"t. The ctc,p was harves ted in the rronth of Marga 1 95 2 (A. ]). 189�1! oitput totall � 16 maums and 2½ �• of which half"t� or 8 maim.. J1Si 1¼ �• was apPropri atai as rent"t. The br;eakdown was as follows :- Through .Gl'lau:i hari Mishri Thani in Rajaqat • • • 3 ma.inds and 1 0 §.� Through Chaud.hari Ram swarup Tha.ru in uaain • • • 3 maunds and 30 � Througµ Chaui"thari Madho Ram ... AJlir. .in Udain • • • 1 maund and 1¼ � '' - Total 8 maun:is an:l 1� sers"t. The anmi al lam tax payable on the lanis thus brought Ulder Jute- cultivation was as follows :- Chaudhari Mishri Tharu • •• Rs .. 7 aid 9% annas Chaudhari Ram sarup Tha.i:u ••• RS • l aDi 7 ·ann:?.S, Chaw;ihari Ma:ibo RamJthi"t r ••• . 3 ..a ann� . ' Rs"t , 3 'l ._, ____....______Rs • 12 �- -3'.i annaa- ....-�- � ::..:.- .,.· .';� ·- The Ba.rice Mal Jdda requeste:l sanction for the followir¥J.,­ ( l) 'l'o sell the jute by auction to the highest bidder, arrl · ·· ·, · (2) To remit the tax o f Rs . 12--� on the 30 bi ghas of lam brou"tght urxier jute cultivat:Lon . The Naya Milak B�obasta Jidda t�n ax-ran g � for the s ale of jute by auction at the rclte o£ 23.\s ei:11 a ni pee. the tot al proceec:11 amounting to as... 13-�. The net return# after deductin g the l ani tax (Rs • 12�3'&) tl'us amou nte:i to Rs., 1-5¾. It forwarded the request · fo r r�esion of the land tax to Kathman:iu"t., S,.lbba 0harmadatta Upcdhyaya (0£ the MJ. laki ldcla)- reconmended • T he recolfflleIXlation was en:lorse that remission be granted d by Prime Mi nistac B1.r :St1.11nshere on Marga B adi .7 , 1954 (November 1897)•. Regrrd. Res ear.-ch CO!lection, Vo l•. 61,, PP • 5 66-83 • 5

sixUn pub li shed Letters of crown Pri"tnce Pratapa Sinth,s Dines h Raj Panta, nYUvdraj a Prat ciE>a simha Shahale Shrikrishna Pathakalai Lekhek.aChh a 1>,prclcashitc;1 Patra" ( six un,E:Ublished le�t ers wri tten by Crown J:.iri.-icc Prcttdfi .;J.mha Shah to Shrikrishn Q Pathdc) , Purnima, No•. 54, Chaitr.a, 2039 ( March 1983) , R=>• 1- 3 . A SU:mmary of six letters addressed by crown Prince Fratap s.:unha Sha.ha to Shr1krishna Pathak is given below . copies of these un,E:Ubli shed documents"t- are available at the Ministry of Forei"tgn Af.fair s ( EnVolope No. 48) •

( 1) we have granted khet to Faudya, fliOmu ris to si,ngya, an::1 80 rruris to sahiman as j agir. These are not ordinary at t erxi ants . Al lot these lan:is in Gougal ani PUdol. These persons will not be able to go there frequently. Y ou must therefore l�ak :_ after these lanis .- l

__."t .. (2) Permi t 8 pathis of s alt, p.irchased for 4 siccas, one bunch of bananas, and 4 ack j fruits l:>elo"tngi ng to • •• Laxmi to pass through ( cheekposts) in Sindture-Ghat, Barman:U, an:iin J pir up to Kathman:iu . oo not let them be held up · on the way·. Ttursday, Bhcdra Badi 11 ( Aswin 5) , 1824 Vikrama. , ·· :_: . . ( 3) The Navanna cercanony is be:l.119bs o eEVed on Kartik 26, ( 1824 Vikrama) . 9Jpply 2 jars of ghee, 4 · jars of oi l, one large and f"tat geldei go at, and a large quantity of vegetables eo dS to reach the pal�e by K.;;.::rtik 24. �nday, K artik Sldi 4 ( Kartik l 3) , 1824 V ikr..,ma. {4) we have gifted a good slav� gir'l. to Jayanania Newar. Find the s lav e girl somewhere aPdard h her CNer to him1mms:11"t ately. Saturd ay. M.:igh B.:di 4 (Magh 2 7) - 182 4 Vikrama_ • . (5) Arr1ve here tod"tdy along with all SUPPlies needed for sowing. TUesday, Ashcdh 914.i 13 ( AShcdh 19) , 1825 Vikr all'l:l.e . { 6 ) The bosis of 9"anagaun only01t timber, they do not s� it with the f alas1 . You are therefore orders:F to serxl four skillai bosis from Ier w1th the f alasi . iMake no deliay . :.Nlwakot : wednes:lay, Bhadra $1di 10 (Aswin 9), 1825 Vikrama�·

The Palpa Mint

Du.ring Vikr ama 1936- 37 ( A.O. 187 9-80) , the Palpa mint was operats:1 thrcu gh the amanat system un:ler $.lbba Nanda R:ij Gurugharana Pandit. In that year:- '( l) 'l'he Pc1lpa Mint converted into Gorakhp.iri coins a total qu antity of 2 ,547 dharnis of copper supplied by in:lividuals for that purpose"t.It ch argEd . a fee o;f 8 annas a dh�ni• T he total revenue from t his source aITDunt e:i to 17-gaa:ia Il'Ohar Rs . 1.273-8 or 12-gan::ii Gorakhpiri Rs . 1 ,804-2 ½ . 6

( 2) In ad dition, 175 dharni s of copp;;r were converted into coins on gov ernment ( amanat) account"t. This included approximately 171 dharnis purchased for Rs . 405-15 at the rat e of Rs . 2-5¾ a dhami f rom indiv .idu::;.ls who were not willing to h:!v the met ::::!. conv-art"tt.1d into c')ins ori their own account on paymdlt of the prescri ve:i fee . '.C ot :11 valu� of coins mintai : Gorakhpuri Rs . 7 3 3 w�i ghi ng 162-2% dharni s, aft er allowing for d eprweL::.t ion -�t t h-= rate of 1 -16 dharnis for each 24 dharnis . source : Ori ginal royal-s�.':!l-dccumc.;nt gr .:int ing clearanc 1;; to Subba Nania Raj GU.rugharc1na Pandit, Chief of the Palpa Mint, for the Vikrama year 1 936-37 (AoD o 187 9-80) >

Bichhakhori . Reg mi. REi;:search Series ( Year 15 , NOS • 11-12 , -November-Dec �J'Tb�r 1983) cont"tained s(jlle notes on "Lan� -Ra::: lamatiqn arxi ij�set tlement in Bichhakhori"t. . . Prime Minister Chanira Shum.sher� chang_e:i t.he name of Bichhakhori to Amlekhgunj, according to an order i ssued through thecomn an::ier-i�Chief General: -Bhim shumshere JUng- :Bahaiur R�_,n� on AShaih 1; 1986 ( JUne_l5, 192 9)"t. R.;;.gmi Research Co llection, Vol. 2 8, p. 444•

·, -�- Ol Nepal-Tibet Traie si.i:ya Prasa:l P�hya� -� .resident of Listi ip SindhupaJ.c hok district, sc.bmitt .:si the fol low.5. 19 petition to Prim�. tu,nister Chandra srurrsht;;re : "A.t.ax of. 24 ..pais a is ·collect a). at the Tatapani customs from each person ( dhakre) who visJts Tibet • /,t; the Listi C 1.Lstoms, a t ax·of 7 ,eaisa is collect ed on each, :loa:1"t"' Jit. .. the . Gati OJst_oms,. a d uty_ of 2� pais a is collect �d on e,J.Ch load of food.grain$• The Ioc cirp eop le hav•= b�n paying these taxE:s aai duties . 1-bw,;N er, the inh.:!bit ants of ni ne vil l�es in the area c·'luim that they havt= been exempted from payment"t. In caseI am grunted a thre=-year cont.ract for the collection of these taxes , and duti es f rom·thes"t e nine vi llages, I hereby urrlertake to pay Rs• 301 in the first year, an:i Rs"t. 401 t=ach in t he second ani thim ye�s, thus m aki ng a t"tot al payment of Rs.1 103 during the three-year period • " The pe tition was ref errai to the East No. 1 ( Gl'alng;hang) J.3l'lgi Pareth. It submittai the following report . ''FoJ:merly, the inhabitants; of twelvev i llag ia:s, including List1, ha:i been grant ed .exemption ( £ran payment of custorrs duties) in consid eration of the ; ! i

II I

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Porterage services provid ai by them in transporting supplies to ani from Kat"thman:iu in connection wi th g01Ternment c attle fanns an:l hunting expeiitio�"t. such port erage s ei:vices are no longer nee:ied; hence custoi:rs duties must now be co llected from them. Pri me Minist er Chandra shumshere accePt ed t his recommen:i a.tion, ani oz:dered th,.lt necessary arrangements be maie to collect dutieS from the inhabit ants of t he twelv e villages unier ij ara· or aman" at"t, as appropri ate"t. Tha Kodari customs Office, to whom t his order was sent, w c/3 unable to loc at e the petitioner, surya Prasai Padhya. Me,30whi le1 Nhuchhe Ndrayan Man"tani har offe.r,;:ei to pay 5"t0 Pais a percent more than the ,:1.ma.tnt stip.ilated by surya Prasai Pa.:lhy"t,3. if the services of two peons from the Kodari customs Offi ce were made availabla to him for the fi"trst_; year. First off ers were t"tht:::n i1'1V'ited, ani Shiv a Shanker Pa:ihya offerai to pay 5 percent more for a three-year ijara. c:n Poush 3, 196 8 (December 18, 1 911) , Prime Mini"tster Charrlra Shumshere apProved shiv a Shanker Paihya' s bid, subj ect to the cordition hat"t t the services of government peons wou ld not be maie available . O:herwi se, he ordered, the duti es sha.ild be collect ed through g011ernment employees on amanat basis. siddhi Lal, a resident of Nhaikant ala in Kathmandu, then of f&ed. t o raise the amount by y� another 5 Percent. _ Naib s.ibba Khadanan:i a upaihyaya of the Kathmaniu Nnanat Gosw cra Bhansar ( customs) then suggested that until a decision was reachei on th�se off �s, t • ..e · Kodari cu.st a,.a Office be ordered to collcet customsd ut ies fromthe inhabitants of the twelvevi llages on amanat basis a._c; an si hoc ar.rangeme¢"t. Prime Mini.ster Challira shurrs h<;re apprOII� the suggestion. Particulars of these twelvo::"tvillages were as follows :- 1 . Villages whi"tch hai b�n exempt ai f£_2m._payment of tbe Heed !ax (Thal_gak a� ( at T a tapani) 1. r:uguna 2. Dharapani

3. Dhangsing 4._ Karnl:u Nav anthani s. salangk at"tte 6. 8. Pl'llrlping 7. Tat apani 9. Bharbhing 8

2. Vi llages which ha:i been exempted from payment o.f .thetax of 7 pais a ( at Listi on each loa:12.. 1. K anglang 2. Bagang 3 .. Pradhun Rate of DU.ti es 1. The Thal rdkam ( hea:i tax) shall b� co]_l E:.':::�� at the To.tapani cusc.orrs at'the rat e of 24 pcisa acc r).r.dj"tc:_�' to the prescri l:ed sche.iule from each inhabit. cJ1t o:. t.��c: �_ :--1:�.n�.. vi.llages mentioned above who trav els to Kuti"t., 2 • A duty of 7 pais a per lo c:J. of sa.::� shal l be collected at the Listi customs accordi ng t o the pre.scribead :-::chaiu le .from each inhabitant o f the three villages ment io:1E-,.l above"t. 3 . #:. the Gati customs , the inhabit anc.s of a"!•.l. these (twelve) villages shall pay dutier. at -�he f ollowing ;"." �tes :- ' comnodity Rat"te of :rn�_X Mai"tze " .. 2¾ pai:·"ta per load ., or"t. 1 pa.1.s a. per gunta ( ?)

Wheat . Karowa ( mi. llet) 0 e 0 1% pais€. per load Wheat ...,: Buckwheat 0 • • 1% pais a Per loa:i crushei rice ., . ,. 2 pa.is a per gunta { 1) Rice • 0 0 do. soybean or mi.llet floor • • • . p:!i.Sa."t. do • The ord c-r aida:i, "Monthly st-c1t€mcr-.t.s (:>f r eveme collected from thes2 duties shall be �ubr.ii.ttej. t:o the Kathmc:irdu . Amanat GoswaraBhans ar� and '?art.iculars of collections tN ery three dys a by postc T;-i3 proceeds of such collc..� ions shall. be remitted to th,;; Kathr,121.niu A.rnanat Goswara Bhansar"t. Jestha 24, 1969 ( JUne 7, 1912) Regrrd. Research co llection, vo L, 7 8, pp. 7 5 0-5 8.

some Refonn Measures of Prime Minister chaoor a shunshe� ( Abst racta:l from: K.D., "Maha.raj a Chandra Shumshere Ko Al:>hinan:lana" (Felicitat ions to Maharaj Charrlra s."1 urnshere) • N�ali {quarterly) , N o. 85 , Kartik-Poush 2 037 ( o::t o ber-oecember 1 O) , pP. 2 ani 37-5 9) • 9

on A1 g ust 2"t7, 1 9C8 , Prime Minister Ch andra Shumshere returne:i to K at h1;11andu after con:ip leting · a fi ve-month visit to Engl ani • Senior members of .the Rana f:ami ly held a funct ion to celebrat e t he occasion, at·whi ch azi Gidress of felicitations was present e:i to the Pri me Minister. The address .was e::.closed in a casket <.:.£g old an:i silver, .1 which t he fu2 lvwing words w ere i nscri bei in t"the .ErXJ .l..i sh langu age : "Pres ented to/His Hi ghr.iess Maharaj a Major General/sir Chaoo.. _- a shumsher JUng Bahadur Rana/G.c.B ., G�c ..s. r ., n.c_.L./Honor;ir.y colonel o f the Fou rth G.u:k has , /Thong Li"tn Pim Ma Ko Kar:gHa ng syan, /Prime Minis ter & Marsh all of Nepal/B y the S.'11.l m she::- Fami ly. u The a:idress lists a number of sod al and economlc reform maasu res undertaken by Prime Minist e.: Chai:dr�S.'-:-rc:n ohere since he a$UIT1ec Power on Ju ne 26, 1 901 c A su mma;y _of these .measures i s given be low:"t- 1 • Hospitals Hospitals have bee:1 open� in Bha:iga,1n, Bhimphe:11 1 Palp� ani ooti • - • .· . . 2_ .. ]ridgas Steel bridges have been constructtd ·at 17 places with materi"tals procu"tred from En9l am , an:i 56 old :bridges have been renov ated• 3 • �at er SlPPlY ,.,, • ,- Water supP ly .sc hemes have been implementei in Pat an and Dhankuta. 4. JldministE._att..�.� Refo� : A new ac co unting system h ·-.s been in.":r.:o:iucei in government offt°ces all o,er the c cuntry .. �-r ange:::- :;;r:ts f or inspection an:l training have been aPPT O\T ed.o .EX:..stinq offices have been organized, an:i new offices have been crG'3.CeJ."t" A new l:uilding has been const ructed so thc."t a ll gover.nmer:; Q_f:t.i ces: may be accommcxiatsi in one place. The use of the solar caleniar has been intra:1uced. 5 • Remission of Arre,ars old arrears o f payment due to the gov.--_,rrlllert totalling Rs •. 3,218,048.5 8½ h ave been remit ce:l..

6 . Irrigation arxi. Land Rec lamation ' .. oar.ns, i rrigat i on canals, am tanks have been constructsi at several p laces.Regu lations have bei:::n enforced accordi"tng to which t axes will be re mitted on lan:is use:i for the construction of tank s • Forest areas in M:>r.:ing, Kailali, Kanc h2.npur, surkhet, samari, T rijug a, ani . elsewhere hava been ope.'"led for rec lamation ani sett lement• .ArrangeJllants hav1= 1:::een male to 1 0

remit . lam t axes on such riew ly- reclaimE:d. lanis for fou r year.s� · five years, or ten years , a,ni· ( a part of the r".=claimed area) has been .grant ed as birta ( on a t"tax- free basis). loans have been supPli ed, and arrangements for housing male, (to settlers in) Pokhara and BUtwal. Food s,:ocks � dharmabhakh ari )havt. been maintaine"t.._ in sE!lleral di tit,;,:�.:: ::.� to meet shortages in times of drouglt o Focxi was supPli"ted to the local peop le from these st ocks when drougl'E occurred in Bara ani Parsa la.st year ani in BUtwal a ai t he Naya MUluk (far-western T arai} region this year . 7 • Rents · an::i Tenancy Rights on Birt a Lands Formerly, bi rt a owners hen the ri"tght to increase rents or ev-ict their tenants at any time, even though the tenants may have been occupying such lanis for g enerc:E.ions.• Legi"ts lation has now been enact ed uni er whi ch birtaowners are allowed to charg e rents only on the basis of rat"tes current on (st ate-owned) raikar lanis"t. O::cupancy ri ghts on bi .J:tal anis havi; also betm protect ed in the same manner as on raikar la.Ills"t. 8 . Prooirement of SlPpli es Former ly, prov isions n�eded du ring t ours of the Prime Minist er, or of local aiministrators �amala) as wel l as goacs and :tu ffaloes neeied for sacri ficial PurPosesur d ing the oashain fest"tival, us� to l:e recpisitioned from the.,loc al people wi tha.1t any paymeix • /J:. times, people were E!V'en forced to i;:urchase such supplies a.Di deliver them through long dist ances at their own cost"t. sich pract"tices hav e ,now been banned•. LOC al cdminist atr"t ors have been ord ered to purchase pro.risions in the market.Peop le have been freei £.com the obligation to su,R> ly goats and l::uffaloes free of ·cost du ring the D�hain festival. -· 9 • .&?olition of T. axes ( a) The tax collected i"tn Kathmaniu, Pata�·- ani Bhcdgaun from veniors of yogmrt has bt:en abolishal"t. ( b) A t ax known a.s Sithaku usa:i to be collected·- at the rate of 80 paisa from each hwsehold of meni:>ers of the Bania comnunity in Pat"tan. during a festival at Kirtipur. The tax has . now �n· abolished. (c) The sahupal lE!V'Y, collecta:i in the foan ofpcddy on rice-lams in Pat"tan an:i Bhc:$ig·•.a.i n,..·· has· been aboli"tshed"t. •-· -1.,... ·. (d) The Fatte-Mubarclth leJy, collect(;-.(i from ·v endars of fruits an:i veget.:...b les in Kathmaniu, has been abolished . ( e) The Chhipi levy ha.s· been, a):>olishei• 1 1

( f ) Payment s known a.s Kist a and ba:ih- anna , coll ect ed from Kipat l arrl ho lden; in Edst No . 1, have been abolishede.

( g) 1' he fee for receipt ag ain st p dyme: .t ma:ie to govenJ.Ineuc of fices of amounts exc ee:iing Rs . lo has been fixed at � paisea only .

( h) T he banari tax, collect ed at ( chis apani) Gadhi fromtra::le rs dealing in partridges arrl other birds , as wel l as frqi�s , has b een aboli shed.

( i) The fee col lecte:i by .the port er contr actor ( bhari ya-naike) from peop le who br ougtt grai ns from the Tar region has been olis hed. ai _ ap (j) Arrears of paymert. or s upply under the· Gol-Daura Rak'arn (i .e• ob li gat ion to su pP ly fi rewoof"aii'd­ '.· ch ar coal free of ceost to the go v ernment ) til.1 the vikrama year 1962 ( A-D • · 1 905) have bee-n remittal, and the rates at which such supp lies were mole have be=n reduced.

' (k) Arrearse' of tax pdyments du e fro m the inhabiteants o f the eastern hill region from East Noe. 1 to East No. 3 from tehe Vik rama years 192e3 to 1951 ( 186 6 to 1894) hdVe been waived.

( l) Import Duties have been reduced or rernitte:i as fol lowse:-

( 1) In'port ,dut y on bi re s alt and rock-salt has been rendttede. on sabarf s altr du ty has been reduced

from 5 O pai.sa:: t.:., 2 5 paisaJ a mai.loa::le.

(2 ) The bakkuana tcX.(e on eac h 32-dharni loa:i) on frtlitsother than Kabu l pomegranates, sarda, and �rapes has been abolishede.

( 3) rot i es on rupee ani a".E.h arfi coins ( of gold) , other than Kamp ani rupees, · pounis., ani guineas, have been abolishede.

( 4) The duty on so�water aIXi lemonade has been raiuced fr om 50 paisa to 10 paisa per bott le.

10. ai rrency Re�

The 1:e-g and a, 18-gand a, 2U..ganiea, an:l 2 1-gan:ia currency units have b�n aboli shed, an::i a st ani ard 25-galrla mohar rupee has been introdueced all a.rer the country.

11e. �ard Weights

A st aniard kanpani 40-ser maurxi ( e ach � co nsisti ng of 2 O g an:ias) . has been introducsi in the T arai regi on . The old mwni, consi.sting of 4, 5, or 7 paseri ( s), each �serl consi st ing of 10,e. 14, · or 18 gard3( s), has been abolis hede. 12

12 • s:>ci al Reform d Regulations have· been enforcenprohipiting extravag ant expS'ldi'b.lr e at soci al ceremonies of t"1e Banda caste among the Newars, and also among ot her castesn. 13 . Vi l lage Fu nctionari es

r,.. as much as reports were receiv ed that Talukdnars an:i comnon peop le in. vi.llages situ ated in the region from Ed.st No . 1 to East No . 4 w.ere· sufferi. ng hardships, appropri ate arrangements hav e be(::n mdit; for their benefit .

14�. Govemment Of fices·

T he foll0wing ne,,� gov ernmert offices� have been created :­

( a) B.hard ari /dd a

(b) RakaIII Bandobast a (R�dlue Jdmi oistration)

( c) eo rrmi ssion Offic e ., ( d) Jangi Bandobast a ( Minlitary Administration)

{ '=) GUthi Lagat ( G\lthi Rt=cords)

( f) Jdalad. Bakyauta (Realizationn· of arrears of � JUdi cial fines an:i penalties) •

. (ng) The KUmari chok ( Jlldit ·Office) has been divided into four se::t ions .

, . ( h) The . Jdalat ( .JUdiciary) has- b1;:0n divided into two p arts

( i) APp ea� 1'id a

( j) Mlluki Bandobast a

(k) Bali T aldb J�ch

{ 1) custnoms Officnes ( Bhans ar) in Bhaigaun and f'atan

{ m) The saiar Dafdorkhana has been divided irtt'o tour . sectionsn.

{ri). Ba:n·nJan�h /dii:LS {Forast · Officas ) have b�en opened i n sarL-:ihi, Raut a.h-�t, Khajnahani , sheoraj, oan;, �k ruri , Morang, an:i two di �trictns of the N aya MUluk ( far-west arn) region . ·· 13

The a:idress of felicit ations to Prime Minister Cha.IIira Shum'3 here was pr esented by t he following senior members of the Rcilla fami ly;� � 1. Corrtnandar-i0..:chi ef General Bhim Shumshere Jung Rana Bahadue., 2. Jit shumshere Jung Rana Baha:iur, commanding General for the west"tern zone .

3 • JUddha ,Shumshere JUng Reina Bahadur, Commanding-rGeneral for . the Eastern"t,o z ne. , - 4. Dharma shumshere,-JUng Rana Baho:iur, Commandin9r�eral for t he southern zooe •

5 • RUd.ra · .shumshere JU"tng Rana B ahad� ..u r, comnand> ,_ ing General for the J-lo .c;thern zo"tn'="t. -. - ,, . . . . • • ·Genei-al Padma ,shumshere Jung Rana Baho:iu r. · :7 • General Tej Shµmshere .JUng Rana Bahadur. 8 . General Mohan shumshere Jung Rana Baha:iur. 9 . Lt. General Pratap sw ms�e JUng Rana Baha:iur"t. l o . Lt.Ge neral Bab�"t·shu�h �e Jung Rana Baha:iu r. 11 . a·. Gen1;rai K�ha.i slw.,�here JUng Rana Bahadur. B��� 12 •· U;"t.' i. Gen� • etal Shumshere �ng Rana Bah�u"tr 13. Me.jor General simha shumshere JUilg_ Rand· Baha:iur.

� . 14"t. Major �Gene ·�-.;.. ral ·""g!li shumsher� Ji·u ng 'Rana Bc:lhaiur

' 15 . Ma:jor Gerie. :�-j ral -. . ·Pra. .• chanda stumshere JUng Rana Bah; a:iur • 16 . Maj or General Krishna Shumshere JUD.;1 Rana Baha:iur. 17. Maj or Gen<2ral Damb�r shumshere JUng Rana Baha:iur. 18 • Major"t' Getl'�al Bhuwan shumshere JU.ng Rana Baha:iu r • .... ···- ...•· . ; FU.c:na 19. Major General ,$.llu mshere JUng Rana Bahadu"tr:- 2 0 ;,;::Major Ga-1eral Jipu"t- shumshere Jun g Rana Bahcdu"tr.

2 2. Major Gen eral Hiranya shunshere JUng Rana Baha:lu r. 23 . Cormlanding co_lonel Samar Shums-here Jung Rana Bahadur. Bahcdur • 24. Colonel Prakash 5humshere JUng Rana,.. : . ;.-:; 25. colonel Ti rt ha shumshere JUng Rana Bahcdur . 14

ti. Co lonel Indra shumshere JUng Rana"t·f3_-abaiu r. · 27"t. It.Co"t lonel Veda. shu mshere JUng Ran.a Bahc:dur . 28. Lt . Co lonel Sdmir snumshere Jung Rana Bahc:du r. 2 9 � Major Capt ain Bhairav Shums here JUng Rana Baha:lur. 30 . CaptainBhaw a shums here JUng Rana Baha:iur . 31 . B abu Saheb Arland.a shumshere Jung Rana Baha.:iur. 32"t. Bahl Saheb Lilaraj shumshere JUn g Rana Bahadu r. 3 3. Babu saheb Ganga shumshere JUng Rana Bahoiu r •

... , Members of the Raria fami ly used.t o ol d "JUng Rana Bahi:du r" to their names. Cl1 M-2rga 2 4, 1 966 ( November 1 1,' 1909) , the Comman::ler-in-chi ef, Bhl m · Shumshere, promulgated an order as oomnarde:i by Prime Minist er Charrlra Shu mshere that the form be chanJsito "JUng Bahad.u r Rana�'' Regmi Research co llection, Vol . 28, P... 438 . A mor e detailed accoont of ;the refo nns measures of Prime Minist er Chanira shurrshere is given in"t: Percei1al · Landon, Nepal, Kathrnan:iu :.. Ratna Pllst ak Bhand ar, 1976 ( reprint of 192 8 a:1.J, Vo l. 2;''Cha pter XVI, PP • 15 6-85 •

. Kathmah als · A list of Kathmahals i"tn the Tarai ani 1nner Tarai regions of Nepal at the end of the nineteenth centu ry h� been given in E._e gmi Research series, Year 11, No . 11, November 1,, 197 9, p. 160. Additionu.l information on t he subj �t fs given below. K athm ahals-Gener al on Sept ember 19, 1876 , the British Resident in Nepal, c.E•R• Girdlestone, in .� report to T .H. Thornt.on, offici ati ng s ecretary to the Gov ernment of India (Foreign Department) , d escribai the orgc:tnization an1 procedure of Nepal's· timber export traie in the fo l lowi ng words : under the system o,f m::>nopoly nCM obtaining whc:1.t baa>ens is that th� ti mber is co llected at .dep ots near the poi nts e:1t which the larger riv ers leave Nepalese territory. These depots are 1 n cha.cge of Government officials, the Kat Mahal being as nuch a dep artment of st"t.at e as cur own bureau of revenue, agriculture. ani commerce . T l'\e rurbar irefers to d eal with as ff!tl persons as possible, becaise the fewer the oolders of timber in British territoi:y 15

the higher the prices that t hey can realizhe, an:i therefore the higher the initial charge w hich th_e Durbhar can impose on them. ( Sou rce: National Archives of India, New Delhi, For ei gn Depart meh'.1:-: ( Revenu e) Records, No. 15 P, p. 27) •

.Am,:, lgamation of Rapti- owar and -DWar Kathmahals

T he Rapti-owar ani Daikhuri-I:Mar Kathmahals w ere amalg c;tmatcd in· A•Dh. 1882 • $.lbba Pad[!lanabha Joshi, Chief of the Banke Mal, ' w as t r� ferred as hi C ef of the nEM Kathmahal with the rank of Captai n . Prev-iciusly, the: salary bill arrounted to Karnpani , Rs. 3, 450 forh--the Rapti-Dwdr Kathmaha l an:i KRs. 3, 15 0 for the Deukhuhri-DW.ar Kathmailiu, maki ng a total amoo.a:. of Rs . 6,600. The _a.mc:unt was reduced to:_ K �. 4,732 fer the n&l Kathrnahal. Particul ars w ere as fol lows:- ( in Kampani Rs . ) .i . :- O Captain Padrnanabh a Jo shi Rs . 16Q .a year Ole_ MUkhiya • •• Rs. 500 do. �:·_ ;_:.., .,. Qle Naib ••• Rs. 200 do. . Two $lbe:iars • •• Rs • 400 do.

.. � ,-�.d- o. Ole Nausinda ..... • ,i .. i • ·ks.h· 144 /); Two Hawaldars ••• Rs • 120 do. Two 1tmaldrars ••• Rs . 100 do. 28 Peons . • •• Rs. 1120 _do.

one attenihant ••• RS • 30 do. Ole blacksmith (Kami) •• • Rsh. 36 do . Rs. 4,682 a year Office E>CPebses Rs. 50 doh. Rs • 4,7 32

( order to ,9.lbba pa:fman abha Joshi of thhe Banke Mal, Bhadra 9ld1 4, 1939 ( September 1882), Regmi Research collection, Vol. 93, pp . 33-37) • 16

APoli�-'------.;.._----�--tion of Ilam-Dwai: Kathma--hals In Marga 195 4 ( November 1897) the I lam-Dwar Kat hmahal was aboli shed ard its £Unctions were assignei t o the I lam Dist rict Aminie. }Ccordi ng to an oz:der isEUei to that office on Marga Ba:ii 2, 1 95 4 (November 1 89 7)e:

we have aboli shed the Il�Dwar Kat.hmahal. No person shall be grante:1 permission to cut trees i n forests i n that urea. Dry JOd fallen timber may, however, be co lelected and sold to the highest bidd er in the pres ence of r�pr es entatives of the Ilam ist D ri ct He a:iquarte rs ( Gaunda) Of£i ce . Timber shdl l be supPeli ed to the local pt;:0p le for l:ui lding purposes , as well as for marufaeturing plows and other agricultu ral implements, against permits issue:i by the Ielam District HeadquearterE> � Offic e against a fee of 2 azlKlaB for each hou s ehold . ooc.ies at ferrypo ints (ghat)e· and markets (.baz aar) , amd fees for. forest products ( bankar) previousely collect ei �Y t he I lam-Dwar Kathmahal• shall be co llected by the Ilane,. Distriect Amini in.the future . In ord er to perf9J,"m these functions • the •post of a .n au sinda hase· been sanctioned for the -I lam Di strict .Amini on a yearly sal� ot Rs.90) �-

Baisakh sudi 7 , 1955 ( A,Pri .i 1 898)e. Regrrd.es R earch collection, vo l. 71, �. 698-706e.

APC>lition of Babai-:owar K athmahal

The Babai-owar K� hmahal i n Bardiy a d;i.st rict was aboli shed in AsWin 1955 ( se� eni:>er 1898) • Its functions were then taken over by the ,Bardi ya Mal Jdd a ( Reverue Cffice)e. ( order to the Ba.rdiya Mal, AShcdh Sldi 3, 1957 /JU ne 1900, .!i_e gmi Res earch co llect ion, vo l. 72, .PP•7 39.-5:.,)•

{To be contirue:l)

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