Rcgmi a�s�arch (Privr.te) Ltd, Katnman:::iu: May 1, 1973·.

Regmi Rese�rch Series Year 5, N·.). 5, Edi te-j By

Mahesh C. R&gmi.

Contents Page

1 l·. i nnexa ti-m Cf 'Ilk: Sen King:-bms ... 81 2. P,,ili tical B ... nmjari,es Of Neljal ••• 86

3. Nt:tiali Coins Durtng 'lbe Mec,iaevol Perivd ... 91

4. Supplies FJr Mur.itb ns Factorit:is ••• 98

Regmi Res.➔arch · (Private) Ltd, Lazimpat, , 1-iepal.

Compiled by Regmi Research (Private) Ltd for private study and research. Not meant for public sale or display. .Annexation Of The Sen Kingdom�

By Baburam· Acharya•

. When Prithiti Narayan was engaged in his campaign of building up a new ., deep unrest was spreading in the Sen Kingdoms of the Kirat regio�. I•.illkwanpur'2 which had broken away from the Kirat Kingdom of Vija­ yap�, was'being:ruled by King Manik Se�. He was succadded by _his son, Hem�karnn Sen.Mahipati Sen.was then King of Vijayapu�. He was the younger b�other of l'Ianik Sen. He was also callt::d Mandhata Sen.; T1h1e Kings of Vija- II ,. yapur styled themse lv�s. Hindupati or lord of the H�dus because they · · · regarded themselves as rivals of the Mughals. 'lhE:ly appqinted their ·minis-,. ters,,; who were also known as Chautara, e�clusively from among thl::'l: Limbus. · The Limbu min�sters h&d their !ine f o succession just like the Kings. King M ahipati held to fle� his State and go to Lhasa µs ·a refugee -as a result · ,of h_is confli_ct with tiis Limbu minis·"t,er, Vicpi tra ·Rai. Tha Limbu ministers, even though not Kings themsalvos, carried on the administration of the S'tc\te: :j..ndepenoontly. In 1730 -h.D. the thi:ln Limb'4 minister invited Jc1gat, Sen,, younger'brothar of Hemakc1rna S1:1n, and proclaimad him Iu,ng of Vijayapur. Jus a� _ t .this IOOroont_, .Mahipnti Sent re urned from exile. _The minister, _·th�rd- . fore, retained the upper Kirat rt1gion, situated to th� east of the· Arun · r · · iver, and ·the Tarai area of Morang, in. Vijayapur· Statu and made l-lahipati n its So King. At the samo time, he created a naw Statd comprising the. Ct.:ntra_l Kirat region, situated to th� west of the � river and thc··Tarai n:aas ·of Saptari, with·. ChDudandi as its capital, and made Jagat Sen its Klng. Thus two Sen Kingdoms were established (l75J). Jagat Son· Wc,S succe�­ 9Y h s As Sen,deq_ i, b;E'other, Mukund?· Sen V I . Mukunda Sen was childless, Vikrama. _another younger brothel' o·f Jagat Sen, became King, and· ruled for so� years. He was succ�:�ded by his son, Karna Sen, whose minister (Chautara) · Vc3s �jit Rai.

XBabure�· Acharya, :fop alko Sainksnipta V rittanta (A Conc;i.se �cco�t of Nepal)·. 11 11 !a�hmanc;:tu: Pramod Shamsher and Nir Bikrnm Pyasi ., 2022 ( l966). Chapter ll: ·Ki.rat Kirat Sen Rajyaharuko. Unmulan-." (Annexation Of Tho Sen �µigdoms), pp. 60-65. : · · · ·

, .. ContQ ••.• 82.

after the death of Ma hipati Sen, Vishwantar Sen beoam8 King of Vija ­ ya pur (1751) . Sri kanta . Rai wa s hi s minister. Srikant Rai had remaine d minister durinf th0 reign of Kamada tta Sen, who acceded to tho throne in 1756 • . In 1760, Srik:1hta Rai alom.! rulcd th-- country , becmisa Kamadatto Sen had quarrelled with him c: nd lo ft th8 country . Howe ver, h8 came back in 1763 and resume d powar aft8r remo ving Srikantc1 Rai. Thus effe c tive pow::.:­ e.ltcrna te d between thl: King and his ministar for soma ye.::irso. This situ et.ion la sted till the: tiTili::J when Jashakarnn Rai succa ad0d Srik:mta R1i m_; 1n ...ni st�r. J.i shakarna Rai wa s succecded by Buddhiknrna , who wa.s disniitoscu bJ .C ing , Kamadatta Sen on t.he charge that he, in co llusion with i:ita Ra i, minis'L.:,r of Chaudandi, had tried to ·assassinate thG King . But Btld dhiknrna, musterin6 all his streng th,:m , eventua lly forced Kamn dattn. S,m to run away. Kamadatt.:1 Sen reachud Pu·rn<;Ja to pload for assistance from 't he loca l British officer. But hti• failed to secure nny aid ·from th.(.;; Briti s h . u1tim9t aly, Kamadatta &:n, rGlying on his own· resc ur cas, d.rov� out Buddhikarna and killed his brother, and thus rJgpincd pow.Jr in Vijaya pur .(1766). •In 1769, a rt:'beollio.n bro ke out in Vi jay<1pur, ·: in which Kamada tt.a S9� was assa ssina ted . H� wa s · succec-Jded by hi s uncie, Raghunath Sen . But Buddhikarna RGi soon removed �ghuna th Sen and procla i.m.;d·K ing . K�rna Sen of .Chaudandoi cJs .�:i.ng of Vijay:ipu:

· Kpmadatta S.., n was the son of P;ithvi Narayan shah'os aunt, account of tt1is , h� was on good terms with Prithvi Naray£1t1 Shaho. It wasOn the rElfor,, na tura l for Prithvi Narayan Sh ah to feel pvrturbe d over the murder of Kwm� ­ dDtT,a Sen . Fo llowing this inc id0nt, h0 looked forward to an opportunity to annihilate Buddhikarna Ra i and occupy Chcnid,mdi .

Karna Sen ha d becomcl Kil}g of Chaudc'.lndi some d ays .·after tha fall of Mc!kWEln pur . Sincl:l i'rithvi lf or.:yan Sh3h I s dominions extended from :..h0 hill re gion wost of Chc1-udandi to the Tarai region,o· Karno- . Sen npi • J ri�no " d cill immin-.:.nt a ttack by th<:: Uo rkha lis on 'his Stntt: . H1:; wa s thcr.:;fore p lanning , :.long wi tb i.ji t . .Ra i, .his miniswr, to halp th£.➔ 1.me mie·s of Prithv i · NarayDn Shc:1 h . He: <.-1Ssisted th<.:! Br itish to the· b est of his capaci ty ·_whon they a tta ck _, ' i�·:opal exactly n t tha t t irnt: . Ho also sunt presents to Joya Prakas h Na ll a in and even sent thara somt, Khambu troops. Prithvi Naraya n Shah too wa s getting rea dy to invade C hnuc.~ndi nftor conso lidnt ing his ho ld on Bhu ktapur. Howc:vc"r, he rea liz �ct that hi;? could not s�curd S aptari , thB T3r,·i 'Wrritory o.f Chnudandi, as long as the British rt1mained in the Tnrai re€;io1;, d� W3 S, " thorefort: , cqmp�ll�d �o turn town rds th0 w�storn (hill) region . L.3tJr, the Br itish withdr,·w from th-d Ta rai, and Prithvi Narayan Sr t. , · - ta ki..;; ndv,:in tc.1 gc of this, startedma king military prt;paratiohs to i·nvac.1;, Chaudnndi . He appointed his brother (Dalajit Sha h ? ) , as minister, sinct: Minister VamshcJ Raj Pandt: wa s a captive at Bsnisahar . Kahar Simha Basnya t wa s replaced by his younger brother, 1\b himan Sirr.ha Basnyat, as com!Tl,'.lnd8r with thi.:, title of 11Bakshi 11 • .i\b himan Simhn B�� 1y 1t was subsequunt ly given thc rank 'o'f Ka ji c1nd V8S t.ad with full ministerial pow0rso.

Contd ••• 83.

The capital of Chaudandi was situated in the inner Tarai. The area surrounding the Udayapur fort, situated south of the border between the hi ll and T arai re gions, was inhabited by , who were r esponsible for defending it. Majhkirat, situated in the hill rogion of Chaudandi , was inhabited also by Khasas . secretly sent Bangya Bas­ nyat to this area and won over the _Khasa s, who were tired of the oppress ion to which they were -sub jected by Karna Sen• .Among the Khasas were Harinand�� Upadhyayc:. of Kharpa, and Trilochan Upadhyaya, both of whom were wea lthy Lnd influo:::ntiaol. Both men were worried over thti possibility of their property bi:Jing plundered in the event of a Gorkha li attack on Chaudandi,. Harina:odc::n UpadhyayD thought tha t he could save his Birta lands and hiswe alth if h& .. helped the Gorkhali s to conquer Chaudandi. Accordingly, he came over to · Nuwa ko t and personally requested Prithvi Narayan Shah to attack Chaudandi. He promised that he would assist Prithvi Narayan Shc:h to the bt::stof / his capacity if he invDded Ch�udandio. Trilochan Up.:idhyayn too promised wha t­ t: VE::r support ha could give for the invasiofl. Prithvi Narayan Shah could scarcely afford to loso this golden o_pportunity. Triloch,1n Upa dhyaya ha d made arrangements to ferry Gorkha li troops across tho Dudhko shi river, by outflanking outposts in the Kirat area . Two companies of Gorkhaoli troops, dt::lspatched by Prithvi Narayan Shah unae:r the cummand o f Sardar Ramkris hn;;; Kunwar md Sardar jUT!ar Simha That,a , czx.,ss..:d the.: Dudhkoshi river at nigt1t and entered into Chaudandi (August 1772). It was !?rithvi Narayan Shnho' s intention to send Abhiman Simha Basnyat tu occupy the capital from the Tarai area after the occupa tion of the Kirnt regivn. • Chaudandi did not have a standing army in the K1rat regLm. The local Khambus wc.: re given the respons ibility of defending tha t region •. Ramkrishn� Kunwar tried hard t,J win them over tu his side •. But thd Khambus refus,.;; d t .; accept th\:l G0rkhnli cbmination and resolved to put up a fight . Every Khumbu chief in the Kira t Ngion was 2 fouda l overlord, who regarded the Sen Kings as no more than a titular rule r. Thoy apprehended that th0y might be sub­ jected to.th f;: yoko of law once they a greed to accept the domination of th,. Nepal governmtmt. Hence their determination to fight back ..

Khambu youths., who wera skilled archers, stemrood the advance of the Gorkhali troops at every step with thuir arrows . Thay inflicted heavy loss�s on th.:: Gorkha lis, so that Prithvi Narayan Shah had to send :roinforc<.;:­ mcntso. under the command of Sub,z:dar Shiva Narayan Khatri . Chatim Rai of Rawa-Khola and lital Rai of Pamakha·m were .tho principal leaders of the Khambus . However, th0 bows and arrows of the Khambua ultimately proved ineffac·tive before the muskets of the'Go rkha iis . Within a period of 5 months, the Gorkhalis occupiEid Rawa , Halcsi , Majhuwa, Kulum and Dingla , thus con- quering the whole ·. of Majhkirat. ·

Contd••• 84 • Lput. torwa rd the proposal that he be allowed to Junbarpur was then the h� adquarte;s of S aptari distric t, which fo rrn�d the Tarai are a of Chaudandi state . The Tarai h eadquarters of Vijaya pur -w:)S located in Vi jayapur . The Kings of b oth Chaudandi and Vi jayapur us ed to ,· pay t ributes in the form, of either. cash or elep hc:nts to the Nawab of B�r.g,,i thro1.1gh the Mugha l offic�r in Purnea. Pr ithvi N arayan Shah was angry a1., t . Buddhika rna Rai, ns h� wa s r esponsible fo r . he murder of King Kamadatta Sen of Vijaynpur . Ho therefore plann ed to captur6 Buddhikaran Rai and c.:ccupy Vijayapur e sent Srihc:rs h n ;•1ishra and Brih spati Pandit cis hi : � � � env'>ys to the Br1t1sh Governor-General, Warron Hastings , at Cnlc1..tta t.,.,__/ J�cupy _the rarai areas o!_ .A.rnb arpur and Vi j ayapur in view of th� injus ticJ L. ,m by E1...Lli �Karna Rai. t a ah offered, in re turn, to pay Pri hvi Nar yan27 S h 1973). r..,. asopable tributes .to the British (May , Prithvi Narayan Shah was in Makwanpur at the time. But before he could get a r eply from the British Gove'rnor-Gener9�, f-t bhiman Simha Dnd Para th Bhandari attacked Chauda King and ndi in the mi,�dle o f the monsoon, and 7dr3)o. vG out both the his ministers from the capital (July 16 , 17 With t h8 flight o f the Kinr,, tho H ag ars of Udayapur han ded over Udayapur fort to the Gorkha lis • r to P i t.hvi .;arayan Shnh want�d a void a c onflict withto the M aga rs . Thi s explains why he instruc ted Ji bhiman Simha Basnyat t-·r A.:uod t0 C hauda ndi i w thout occupying Utodayn pur. When Karna iten ran Inawa y to Vijayapur, Buddbi- · karna invited him occupy the y2 oant throne. tbis manner, the hi ll and Tarai terri11 tories of Chaudandi_ wore fully ann�xe d to Nepal within a perio d_ of months.

u:i• The Bri tisb East India C umpany G ov�rnm1:::nt wa s not only carrying on a dministrntion of tht:: areas under its com;r,)l , but also conducting trad:. , British trading firms' were opera ting a t, different pl8ces along the SJut,h... �· ­ borders of thu Tarai refiun. At that time, gangs of Sa nyasi. b:mdit.s wo r­ harassing trnders from Hardwar to E ast Dinajpur in . The Snnyasi b�r.­ dits used to hide in 'the Tarai forests when the troops of the Company pu:r� sued them. Wnrron Hastings thought that P rithvi Naray,r n Shn h was in a p-:)si­ tion to contro l these bandits. Hence he evaded a reply to the m:-:: ssagl'· of Prithvi Narayan Shah . He wrote t') Prithvi Narayan - Shah llnd .&b himan Simh� t Bw177sny3 ) a. t requesting hem to halp in suppressing the ba ndits (Octobe r JO, In rep ly to this m8ssnge , Prithvi Na r:,yc:in Shah asked th1;: Governor General to let G0rkhali troops mov0 info Betti.:;h, since the bandits · frequ,, ... entered into 'that area wh177i le4 ) fl. eeing towards the 0ast after crossing th' , Gandaki river (January, Prithvi Narayan S hah th·.is expected to gc:Jt a foot-hold in Betti? t': · J:-\ kept waiting for a r eply from the British, wi.::..·. at thE:: same time continuing to prevent the bandits from infiltrc:iting int,. his d 6minions'. However , 'Warren Hastings thought it undesirable to· l3t t�,.. j 0 -:.,rkhn lis enter into Bettiah. Ho therefore did not send any:replyto Prithvi Narayan Shah . Prithvi Narayan S hah accordingly procel::lded t.Jwards Chaudm,Ji.

Contd • • • as,

·::..:; ·i ,·, .: The si'tuation in the Limbuwi1n region. of Vijayapur wa's pi•itical at · .-. 'that :time. l'aking advantlige of the dis·sensions between the · King and his ., . ministers King Phunchek Namgyn l of Sikk:i.m uwan from the no. rth-west of 11am . The Limbus of :these regions were therefore anxious to welcone the Gorktfali troops. Realizing this , the Gorkhali troops comnded by R am krishna Kunwar crossed the .Arun r�ve r from Dingla arid reached Chainpur . Nobody b::.ockec too ir advance. The writ of the King a'nd his minister was confined to the areas surrounding the cap:tta. l of' · Vijayapur ; where King Karna Sen and his minister, Buddhikaran• . were·stayi ng . It ·was the nxmso on sea::;on. Bvt h too King and . his minister were ;�ol!lplacent , be.cause they thought that �he Gorkhali troops would not C!OSS the; Koshi and en ter into Vijayapur during this seaSon. However , Abhil"lllln Simha B�snyat achieved this impossible task. Go!"kha li troops, .riding i:m elc:phants, crossed the turbult:int Koshi and launched a surprise · attack .ori Vi jayapur (July 17, 1774)'. · U:::iablu to repulse this attack, King Ka rna · Sen and Ministe r Bud dhikarna fled to Sikkim along with their troops . \-Ii.th the occi1pation of .Vi jayapur, the .!,:-.mb·1.1 Subbaa ( chwfs) of th� area from lslingwa to Changthppu in. the Li.Jnbuw a_n ·region bordori_ng Sikkim acceo+..ud Pr i thvi N araya n S hahrs ·suzerainty., 7'hus the enti re PaJ.lokirat r egion, wi t�1 the_ exception of Ilam, wa s anrexed without fight. · . .

· .. King Karna Son arid hia mini�ter sought asyJ,.um in Sikkim . Abhiman Si�i"_: �snyat.· sent a messag-, to 'the King of Sikkim asking him to vaccte 11am 3r.rl extradite both Kama S�4'. and Buddhikarn:i'. On r·e cciving this me ssage, tha King of · Sikldm r.; eded Ilarr. to Nepal (S�pt.:>moo r 1774), But b efore Ilam co ulri be actually hande d ovor to N epal j both K arns Ser. Dnu Bu ddhikarna separi.i tei,r escaped from there and he aded for CE1lcutta . While in t1xile, ·t;hey cuntin u t.d effo rts to recon quer the Kirat region.

Previously:' , the Tishta 1·ivt1r formed' tho eastern bo�dary �f 1'Io rang • . vJ.hile · �nne:xi.ng Ilam'., t.he Kbg · of Sikkim had also occupiuq the ·area �ituat(d be twt;Jen the ' Kanka i and '.N.sbta riv(;}rs . · When the Ki ng of Sikkim .refusad tv res tor1:1' . this. 'l'arai ar-.: a'., AbM.man Simha. Basnya·i; sought P!'i.thvi Narayan . Shc1 '1's order to)ccupy· it t n::.·ougi.1 invas:l.on . Prith·,i i iJara�·an Shah at first· ha_ds.::.>c:.. res �rvations11 on -this nroposaL He instruc ted .Abhiman Simha Basnya t to cros .. K is the ankai if Si.kl::im in tent on wagiHg11 a war· against 1;.s instea d .of seek• · ing'. peac� and make a decis ion yourself � The· King of S;lkkim sought _re(?o.on · liation by handing over Ilam, and Abhiman Simha Bas�yat then 9ccupie d th;,;, Tarat �gion of M o:-ang, si·i;uated b E,it'we�m the r,:o shi and Kankai river·s, thus bringing a n· end to tho. Kira� w ar. With· th� oecupRtlon 6!' · Chaudandi and Vi j ayapur ·withiu o period of 2 years : tll·3 a11ti� K irat region be�ame part of Nepal, · · ·

)tJOHOOHUOOOI ·l Po litical Boundaries Of Nepal

.aagadish Chandra Regrn·i •

. IOllO( �ltU

· The politicai map· of every country changes along· with ;ts history. · This is so bec;ause ot:' tho imperia list tendency of ne ighboring· countries. 'lbe struct�e of a count;ry or a $tate changes frequently owing to mutual conflicts . ·This is true also of the po litical botmdaries of Nepal. · ·

· :. · It i::' known to all that the present map of Nepal emerg0d afte.r the .:·.sugauli Treaty of 1815 . After tha�. event, Jung Bahadur prepared the prcsant . po litical map of Nepal, by. incorporating the 11N�ya Muluk11 territories. Bo­ ,·fore the Sugauli tre�1iy•.was signed and afwr the unification of NP-_-� al by • J:>rithvi Narayan Shah, we find Greater NO[)O l, wnicp was awroximataly doub l-3 ' in size ·to· that of present Na pa l. B0fore Pritl;lvi , Nc rayan Shah, Nepal was divided into the Baisi; Chaubisi anJ Malla Kingdoms and the Makwanpur , Chaudandi and Vijayapur principalities.

Every indep�ndent nation has two typus of boundarieso. '.l'ho first type of boundary is rotres tricted by political fl! ctors. Th1:1 cu1t.ural bounck.rios of Nepal were consolidcited anJ expanded in a we ll-organized marmer aftt:ir its revo lutionary· unification by Prithvi Nar�yan Shah.

. It· is veey difficult to. determine th"' culturcl bo undarios of lfoi:,>al from anc ient times, because of: thu paucity of historica l mutGrial. • Nepali . inscriptions even from tha time of thE:: Lichchhavis do not con-win_: ap�ro :.. • priate and reliable avidence rega rding the then bolllldaries · of N.::1-1al. In such a situation , 'Wu have to determine those bc.'tmdariE::s through a comµara- tive study of tha political botmdarias of tht: · cont dmporary Indiao. We shouU, ,a t· the - sa111e• tire , pay attention to the -sources and trDditi ohs of Nepel. Wa will discuss the bo\lllda:ries of �epi3l from this viewpointo.

° ·1. Jagadish Chandra Regmi, Lichchhavi Samskriti (Lichchhavi Cultur.e )o -Kathmandu s Ratna Pustak Bhandar, 2()'�6 · ( 1969), Chapwr · II : 111-lspa lku ·o. Rajanaitik Sima 11 (Political Boundaries of Nepal), pp. 89-94� · --

Contd ••• . lfup. a l Before The Lichchhavi . . . · '.Ih: Kira t Kings ruled over Nepa l b�fore the Lichchhavis came heri:i . there is no historical basis . to· .Jetormine the perio d of reign o f these rulers ( approxim,rte ly_ 600 or 700 years). No reliab le evidunce or inscrip­ tion is found to wri w the history of this v� riod. That is why the history of th� Kirat l:Jerio d is no t c lear, and ths; po li ti c,,l b,; undarids of Nepal duting this period are not definitd . We hav� :to discuss Indian squrces, as mentiondd _above, to know the condi-tion of Nepal during ·tt); Kir�t period. At th� time when Nepa l wa s rulad by the Kirats, India was ruli ct by the Janapads (Shodashmahajana pada ) , th;;, Nandas .and thi:1 M:9u�as.

: . The Buddhist 1:,ext Mulasa.rvasti va davinayasangraha refers to Ki:i-:-.at _N�;,a_l fo r- the- firs t. t ime:-, It· mdntions that the Jisciplus of the Budoha 2 ha d entered into Nepal alung with traders while the Buddha We.ISyet · alive . It a lso sta tes that the traders bactb· coll).:.; to Nepal from Shrav0sti. Thc:lre- ; fcrre the _boundary of Ncipal can b� said to hav0.J s tr:r, ted from Shrava,stib.

· ,.: .:.The iltharv�pa rishista, which wa s crJmp ildd b;:.ford thu abov&-m0 ntion0 d ,�· Buddhist t.�xt. 1 al.su refors to lfo �al, a long with Kamarut)a, Vic.i1;;ha,· . Udumbar, ,�vanti .pnd Ka ikaya • .3: We thus k:now that th,:; follJwing st.Litas ware s it.uc..1taJ un th1:1 borders o f N 0,pal: K.:;marur> {1issam) on th.., west, Vid-::ha (northtirn i)art of modern Bihar) on tht.: south-cast, Ud urnbar (moJurn .Punjab) 1..m thod s outh-wast, and i.vonti (central India) on th� south.4 Although ·thi s do�s not direc tly r•;:fer t.J th� b,Jundaries of Nepa l, it gives nn idaa of the then .Nop al•. · .

Two o ther contemporary w:i rks also n, fer to · Kirat Nepa l. 'Ihest" are the itrthashastra of Kautilya: an:j tl'Kl Mahabha rata .

2 • Mulasarv9sti va davinaya snngraha : Chapter 21, 16 , ;Na ishargika , p. 100; · · S� Lovi., . 1.3 N�pal, Vo l. III, pp. 39, 181 and 185. .

l .3. Ji�hnrva �rishishta (Kurmavibhl g) Weber, Verznic!-1 der Hrs Kon Bibli ) TB,arlin , Vo l . I ., p . 93 .

4. D.C. Sircar� G'eography of f.ncient and Madiuvc1lI ndj,a , P• 21•.

Contd••s • · . 88.

Aroong these two books, the �rthashastra of Kauticya 1'.;fers only to th�· name of Nepal. But the. Mahabharata , (Vana-;Parva ) .de.scribes Nepal as a Vishaya � According to ,s�holars, ·the. ·te.rm Vishaya means a di strict. Even · - . • . t.ht'!�,. it · may b.e defined a�s -�· regi·on· ; · · · .. ·., . . : ., .·-: \' •.: .. ·.-...... ,; Nevarth:ei.e.ss, nothing we have mentiorii2d :above presents any evidence reg_arding thi:! bound3rios of· Nepal. at t-ba t time . It only proves that Nepa l at_ that time _:had aln:;ady e100orgc3d as a distinct political and g�ographic·a 1 entity. There )Iv� small republican (ganarajya)St ates in northern India . when ·· the Kirat Kings ruled ov�r N�palo. Juoong the se re publican states, somo were situated on the borf1f::rs oi modern Nepal. -If -we discuss thi;.; structure and condition of th�st.i' sta-ws, we can for1'l ·s ome idea regarding the general map ot' tho thtm Nepal. i,. brief discussiun of these border states is given below� . •:. . Kuninda · ·aanara jya

iuni?lda is an old tribe of India.o· ·Scholars believe that this tribe had spre.9d up to .l.ioora (wast of modem Nepal). ·Rapson5 ·has agreed with . :t>argiter',that a group of this tribe had settled iri W:Stern N�pa l .

Moriya (Mauryo ) Of Pippalivana

In anci�nt timas, tha Mariya r<.:public (ganarajyc1 ) was situ'ated to tht;; north�st of Ko liya ganarajya and south and south-west of thf:o_oMalla g�n�­ ra jya. The origj.nal homo of the Moriyas was called Pippalivana . Piprawa (12 miles south and south ...we st of Iwnb ini)o, which is situated in the sou­ thern part of modern Nt,pal, is ragarjed as th1::ir orig'..1.nal home . 7

· 5. E . J. Rapson, Cambridge History Of India , Vo l. I. s._B. Chaudhary, Ethnic Se ttlements in iiiclent�dia , p . · 155 . ·

6. Pargiter, Markandoya �rana, Bibliothaca Indica, .1904, p . J.l.6 . 1. B.C. Law, India as D�scribeJ in E3rly Texts of Buddhism and Ja inism, p . 56.

Coritd••• 89.

Koliya Ganarajya · Anc ient Bud dhist texts have referred to the _ Koliya gana r9jya in differe nt contexts . [�ccord ing to these texts , Ramagr.aina -and Devaadaha wer� wel�-known �o liya sattlements. ii.ccording to .Xuan Chw9nlg, Ramagrama W'as · situated JOO · a ec:s·t of Kapilava stu. Scho la:rs. h av� r�gcr�ad Dhamauli, a :v�llage 'sit'uat:::dbetween Gorakhpur and tbe butd9rs ·_ of mod�rn lie pal, as the o rigin � site B ' al of . the Koliya Gan arajy!:I. Vrijji · (Baj}l) darirl r�jya

Bijji was a b ig republic in . no rthern Bihar during th� 7th century B.c . Its no rthern borders ad joinad too suuthern bord,;.; r s o f··ioodem Ndpaal � ·

. £heti '·Rashtra I. furnng the ganarajyas situa ted in southern parta·of modern Nepai, Che tira ttha (Cheta•Ch�t,i Rm, htra) was one . accordµig m Vessantara Jataka ( J�taka ,' Vot. yr;'· p,. 554)(Chetara ttha wa s situated at a di stance ··of 30 YoJc:nas ·from Jt)iutta'rartci gara on ·tho;; way to t.hc' }iimalayasa. knother Choti Kingdom or Jariapa'da wa s situated in undol Khand . Th.;; Chl3t1 Kingdom r(;l­ B r ferred to in the Vti ssantara Ja taka wa s si tw tcld in the �outhcrn part o f

mocre·rn· Nepat, accordi·.. � to Bima l Charidra La. ba . 9 . ', ' .. . . . : . . ·' •,· ;--· Q, . · !,tJa sh 1n_· J;nd _Stla kya Ganara;yas· � . . ; ._ . . � . ;...... ' .� . The K ingdom of K�shn}� wa,s p robably situa�q in Sah

8 • Jouri:ia t of the Ro yal Asia tic Society, 1902, p. 151; S.B. Chaudhary, ghnic Settlements In Ancient India, p. 63 .

9 C • · B : • Law, India as· d�scriba d in Early Texts of· -Buddhism and Jainism, p. : . .- . . .41 . .. . ' . lo. S B_•. .Chaudhary., Ethnic Se ttlurnents 1n imcient India, P• 62. ll. ----·Ioid

Contd •a• • 90.

E,abbat a Ratt.ba (Parba ta· Ra shtra )": ...... ( The Buddhist w�t -Sargyattanikaya '.l\ttaka tha · ·'ref rs to Pabbata Ratha­ . � nagar in Videharatthaa. It is belfoved t.o have been situa ted on th� , southern pert of modern Nepal.l.2si.nce Parva ta Rashtra may have been so ealle.d becaust:l it extended to tho hi lls. ·ahd tha adjoining areas up to the inner Tarai regi bbata Ratha, s on of modern Nepa l may have constituted Pa ince· 1 t formed a part of Vid�ha a nd oxtende d to too hills.

....I·· ,.. : .. id h .. . V c a ( ) · : . - ... . . ' Anci1:m t t�xts refer to Videha a s one of the 7 important Kingdoms, of India . lJ Janakpur in roodern Nepa l is b1;:1lie ved to have been its cap ital, Mithila .a14

·. · A study of the geogr�iph;r of the al),ove ..'.ment�qri� d. gan�z_-a�;ya� �tjeds light on th€' general map of the then Nepa l. However, it does not give any information about Nepal I s northern and eastern boundaries.a·

We may also arrive at correct conclusions regarding cultural condi­ tions in Nepal J uring the K:i:rat perioda. itll the a bove-mentio:oo d ganarajyas were o f Arya origin and their culture and civilization were we11 advanct3d. Since it was in close contact with these ganar�jya s, the Nepali society of the Kirat period must have boon well a cquainted with the new cu ltuxa and civ Uizat1on. Lichchhavi culture emrged agains t this ..b,ack grounda.

12 • M.S. Pandey, Historica l Geography and Topography of Bihar, · P1� }j . l). S B . Cha udhary,. · Ethnfc .Settl�m�nts'.in Ancient India-, 'p� l.6J . 11..- Ibid . Nepali Coins DurihiThes ' M�diaeval Perio21- i

By Surya Bikram Gnyawasl.1,•

.. ":•·.:

·. •· .s. · There is ·evidence that coins of some type or other ha ve .b.�en used in Nepal from · ancient tirm .•s The coins of the Kushan Kings, who ruled in India at the bt;1ginning • of the. 'christian era , .artt discovered here from, time to tire.,.·:The 'ancfe·n·t c·otns of Nepal re samblcs. the Kushan coins. Since the coins of Yaudhoya,, 'a:n- :·ancient re pub lican trib�, rest:mbl1;; the Kushan coins, his­ torians have sa·1d· that the coins used in anciont tfopal r.;;!semble t;use of the: Yaudheyass.

- .. ,•;s.>,Al-L �he a·vailabld coin� of ancitmt N�pal a r� of- copper, Th� words "Mananka'.-'·I 11Gunc:ink�II, · 11Vaishravana 11 , . 11Pashupatfll, . �tc, ares• in�cribcd on th&in� 'l'ha coins ha vo the:rt::.fosr,./ b&on· named ., c.::ordingly, 'Ih;:is� coins art/' •. undatoct, and it. has not so·. fa/ beeri possiblb to ascertain t.heir datvs. HiStorians belie v.; that fiananka coins wero issued by the Lichchhavi rul er Manade:va·. The • hypothesis that, Gunanka coins wer,3 issued by GunakamB d�va seems d0ubtful, however, because Gunaka,nadevc;1 ruled from the end of thv 10th century to thE: beginning of the 11th: Thes· Gunanka coins seem to hev�: been issut:: d much e arli�r. There- is no e. vide nl.:e . regardi nc th..: d.ste of the: Pas hupati and Vuishravana coins ,

ic.lthough · the dcte of t:1ese coins has not been ddtermined,'.:tht3s. names of Kingss· are inscribed on· the othur t1-;o coins of. ancient Nepal a nd so thci:a.· date has · been fixed. The nmrie s · of Arilshuvarma and his sucGessor,. :Jishnugupta hav0 been inscribed· on th�su c-:>tns . This proves t_ha t thesa coins .belonged to t�e 7th centUI;{ . ·•· ·

l. Surya Bikram Gnycwa li, Ndpal Upatyakako M�_�hyaka lin Itiha s (M�diaeval History of Neplll Valley) . Kathmandu: Roy.:;;s1 ifopnl J1 cademy, 2019 (1962).. Note at the end cf C!1�pt,er XII, pp. 135-145 ,

·Contd•• , 92 .

:· . Ancient inscriptions· of Nepal refer to �, Karshapana and Pana-PurcJr1£> coinsa. The 'lbankot inscription of Ji shnugupta indicates that 16 Pana s mad0 one Karshapa na . This inscription states that 50% tax axamption had been grante:d to th� people of Dakshinkaligramaa. It also states tha t those who wGre liable to pay l Karshapana as tax should pay 8 Panas. ·This shows th3t 16 Panas we re equa l to l Kar shapana in Nepa l during th� 7th centur;ra. Inc;_a,·r, books on political economy stata that 80 Cowri

· 'lbe Khopasi inscription of Shivadava I statbs that vi llagers should pay 50 white Mr ittikas during the ir visit to ·Kailashakut (palace). The Mrittika referred to in this inscrip tion probably meant coins made of baked white clay.

Sadashivadova , .who ruled at the beginning of the 12tha· century, intro­ ducad coins in which .the imag\;j of lion was inscrib(;jd. But this coin ha s not yet been idiscovered. It wa s an ancient tra dition in Nepal to ins cribe the imlgij of tho lion on coinsa. This has been done on Mananka coins, as Wi:i ll as on the coi.ns minw d by �shuv.:i rma , Similariy, Ratna M� lla, · J' :i.rst King of Kathmandu ·.ifter the di vis ion of tha Kingdom of r�1:,;pal, circalc:ted copper coins with the imLJge of the lion at the end of ·16th century . This coin too has not bedn discovered.

Unless we ar e to ignore the unavailabl,.; coins of Sadashivaduva, who rult;;; d ,J_,1ring the_ twe lfth century, and of Ra tna Malla , who reigned during th� fiftednth century, no coins of. the pe rioda· from the s0venth century to the sixtet:nth are available in Ne pa l . The first availabla dated coin belong to King Ja�llt Prakas h Nalla of Bhadg aun . This coin is dated 752 Nepal era (1632 i.D. ). How�ver, undated coins of earlier Kings, Laxmi Narasimha of Kathmandu,a_ and his father, Sbi va simha, hava be1:m discovored. It was ·Mahendra Malla, fatherof Shivti simha, who first minted silv--=:r coins in Nd pa l during the ::iixteenth century.2 The prusE;r.t Hohnr c-:., ins (which arc of th� donominu tion of Rs 0.50) arG named afttirMn hcndra Mal la . It has been established that Ma hbndra Mn lla had mintad his Mohar coins in 684 N�pal era (1564 A.D.)a.

2. These coins ware put on display at a numismatic exhibition sponsored by the Depa rtment_of Tourism som� time ago .

Contd ••a• 93.

The coins of the Muslim rulers of Bengal, who ruled from the thirte�nth ce ntury, that is, from tho t ime whtin Muslim powe r w a s ushert:d in India, to the sixte�nth century, aN known to hava c irculated in Nepal. Contemporary · documents of Nepal r�fe'r t'o the.se ¢�ins a s gold c oins (Swa rna -Mulya ) . Th0 _ tre ooury of thE! Pashupa tinath temph:. is belie ved to b1:: in possession of -­ several such co ins � 'Hari Gopal Mukerjee ha d procured some of t he.se .coins for examination. His s tudies reve a led that these coins belonged to the contemporary Mus lim rulers of B,.mgaL Hari Gopal Mukerjee sut�s thn t a larg� numbar of such cpihs wera' in' thG po ssession of the treasury of th€: Pashupatinat h terripl. '. e·.J '·. . . ; ' .· ' . . ·· " · · Pre-:Mah Gndra :t,,Ia lla coins belong,jd t9_' the rulers of Bengal and so wz may a ssuine" that .l-la hehd;a fo l.la I::, coins were s'imilar to the� .. Howeve;r , this is not the '6as0 'With the c oin$ of �hivasimha, a facsirn�k of which. has .been given· tr. H-arin· Gop_a r'MukE'rJe'e, o r .d9.:1� no t m�n tion any date. �oreover, th6 circle Sltunt<,;d 1.n the · cGritar · o f the coin contf;_ins thii, w orl d 11 Sri qr� 11 , with 11fillauddan�bad Din U:rs Suitan.)1.bul ·Muza{farir on the margin, But on too·r everse Side th� coin ·�ar!i t�e imag� 'of_ Shiva a.s W•31l as of a lion (Simha ) . Tl) ken ·-·ntog8 ther,: tfio ·n·�mag

1 .::on ·on.J sid� 'of ·L�xrninarasimha � coin is mentioned the ni1IT!e of � Muslim ruler, ans in the c a s e o f t hos e of his fatha r, _ whili: the oth0r side bears th . . e uffigy ' , .. . .. a). of 1axnii, .'Na. ra (man) . and lion (Sim.h· . ' ; ' . "'. ._;· • The co ins of ·Prata'p MallB, s �n of Laxm:.narasimha , me ntions the tlahi ti:r>�r 'on on8 sid�/ and 'the nmnG of JiJhc1nl:!;ir Shoh in thw -"r,'1bic scrip t -on . · tho othor ( 775 N..:pnlera or 1655 A.D .) ,, It is no t c laar .why it- becaioo n,-:;cu;:,­ sary for this coin, minted El t th� c l0$1.l of the r& ign of ._Shah Ja han, son of 1 J;;i hangi-r,' to·men tion the: Ila hi e r a si;,0rtod by Akbar, 9r _ tho na_me o.f ,JLihDng.L-. , . Th(/ Monar coin of·, Nripcndra Mallan, _ s on o f Pratap Mall�;n da t�d 79$ -Nepal er,i ( 167"� LD .) also contEiins designs· ·resembling Arabic lettors. S() dq thci coins i of Parth:v.,:.;ndt-a }W lla. Bhupa lendra Ma lla Is coins do no t bear su ch designs. But the coins of Bhaska r Malla or Ma hindras imha Ma lla, BhupDLndran"'Ma lla ' s h��ir, aga_in imitate tl1e Arabic p racti.c2 . Jagajjc!lya Yuill.a dep arted from this r c 1 P n :tice � ,.,1a.y9 Prakash Mial la, . on ·th8 othe r han· d, · minted · MohDr coins with i,. :::btc designs � .· . . .

J. P;� rc��al La ndq�, Nepal, Vo1.•. ·2 , pp. 318-323.n_ Contd.·•• 94 ...

. -·.-_ ,. ,, ' ,; - ' . .. -� . . . 9 . ..- · · Several J{�gs of .P�t,an and Bpadgaun app�or to have acbpted the. practic ; of minting Mo h.ar- coins contc:ini�g J� rabic. le tters. q:r . q�signs. To sum up; it /

! · min'" t_ · had in a:way become '.a· ., · · traqi� · ion),d !,h the Kir!g�'_of diyidec;I .N�pal to such co ins.·'· · . · iven · Th,3 ac�ount g in· th� V.:unsfravaiis with regar� to the arrangements made by Mahendra :Ha lla for minting coins ind1;1p0n \J:c: t].y, is. wor-::·. � t.u i:< nci: .· in this context . According to this. account, .M.a ht-ndra Malla' . had pleas�d tb.3 0 Emp eror of Delni'. by . pN santing him with sw�ns nnd hav!ks. The 1mperor grant •d him a stamp to :mint coins;15 wi64th which }I.:: h� ndra Ma_lla. minted coins . called Mahendra Malli J..dhe li in ' A.D. At thC;l t1� when Ma hendrn Malla intro- · · duced his coins , thto Emp�·r.or occupying thu· throne. of Df.:; lhi ·,ras i.kbar, who had ju st f:raod hirr�.:::lf_ from th o. control of hi.s guardians ar�-j began to rule indet)t:nckntly. Hf;. ha. ct not. even laid tht3 foundation of tho vast Mughc,1 1 empjfi that hEi subsequ\:lrltly; establish�d throug h a serie s of'. cunquests .• In the litbt. o f this ·fact,· it·doe� n; t ;,eein reasonable -to �saurne that he turned .his atti;Il" tion to ), b:3· internal, •f.ina4cia l: pro�lems of N(jpa°l •.Howevo r, the fact remein5 tha t the c;:oins of tht'.i ·,rule r� of Bung al circulatl:;jd_ in Nepal. This had some­ · 5 thing to do w.i.th't bl;)'_ geograpnical proximit:r bstween Ne pal and Bung aL Nl:;jpal', coins nad ;not �een_ circulating for. a l�ng time ,. and _only the coins. of rulc.t5 of Beng al circµlat�d •' '.l'his natur ally created the. impress ion that the solo . authority to mint Dnd circulate coins ve sted in the rulers of Bengsl •.Tha . · Delhi-based Musl im power which dominat�d the whol� of India at that time exerted tr�mendo us inf luence on the minds of _the people . It wa s agains t thi c background th at Mah,mdra Ha lla minted co ins of hi.s own. N1;;ithar thG thr(:je states comprj,sing Ka'thrnandu Valley nor any hill regions of Nepal had · coma under tl16 control of ·1-:iu·slims . It was therefore natural1 to do ubt whotnot the. peoplo wo�ldif no t hesitate to' . accept Ma hendra Nall� s coins in thc:ir transa ctions thesa wero brought into circulation all of a au.ddep in are86 ·, whFore_ro coJns of ttiEJ u M sl�ms ruler s of Ror1ecilwar e alreadyin circulatio n. thi:;i 'reason to0, someone must ho•io publicized the stocy of Mahendra · : ; Ma_lla'. tia v.ing rccoi v"3d the ·pe rmission of. the Empoz:c,r of Delt.ii for minting · hiS own cOins� J.nd 't his may ba tl)u reason'. why _Arabic'. letters or de signs conti-. nu-::d_ to he _;!,.nscri°®,d on tpe Loins of Nep.a'l . .As c: ma tter of fact,· .i:t ha...i: ➔ . . ; . . . . bt::come a . .�r� �itipn. ·t9 dQ so. rhe coins 'of Shivasimha, �nd LaJqnin.arasimha · ' . . . . : . ' ' ; . ' .. ' , . •, : ...... ·, · . . . . : . 4:. ,:0ne contemporary N.e pali painting. depicts a King�• playing dice with a ,·. . J?r.incess. T�e :King is' ·: pres'\lll'¥3 d tob� Nnhendra Ma lla, and •. the Princ1;;_ss· _.8 1 the daughter of a Muslim ruler of Bengal. The legend ha s it that Maht:mdr 1 MallD had �btc:lined permbsion from th.J hW?lin; .r.u.lo r of Bcng al." t.o . .mint,- · · · i coins in his own name becc1usu he had gre atly pleased tho Princ ess, by . ; playing dice . However, th:;;: ,purp0se- of making this painting or sprea ding th.a legend was nothing but to cree�c a false impression among hti peoplfJ � t - It is .vury hard to be lieve that Mahan dra Malla, King of Kathmandu, ]·- -� sho uld have been required to ph:ase a Princuss of Benga l by playing di ..�-,

Contd • • • 95 .

even contain�bd tht:1 namt:;s of contemporacy u M s lim rule rs of BPng al. Not much info!'Tllation on thl:l ttXact r0blationship exist ing betwEi\jn the t:irul rs of Bengal and thcl Kings o f Nepal is . availablv. The cvins, b..;aring tho IlPme s 01' the Muslim rule rs of Bangal, .resomp led dXisting coins and so corrunc nbded· the poo p·l.i:iI $ confiddnce •

. · · In this conto::xt, tbe views of Tavernier, a French tra wbl.lerb, who visited · Iridia during the rule of Aurangzeb, ar;;: worth studying •. In his travel .. a ccount1 Tavornier writes : 11 .After trave lling 5 or 6 leagu,3s from Gorakhpur, '.i:. one arrive s in t he u:rritory of th-..:. King of N\:l pal. Tht:1 Ki.ngb· of ·N�pal i s a _vassal of thb grent Mughal King. a.1d st:nds on8 elephant annually c!S tri bute ." ·This· s�tement o f Tavernier la.::ds us ta infer tha t Nepal had once b.aen a va ssal ·of the Mugha l Emperor and used .to s-::nd an 0lephant annually a s .. tribute to him. If this assumption is no t ineor .. e ct, it would not b::: appro - . _priate to doubt that Nepal had minted coins of its own wh h.thd approva l · ?.f'. ·tru:; Mughnl Emperor, a� statod in Vamshavalis� ·

. · ;..:. J?uri.ng._ the:' reign of Aurangzeb, the Muslim administrators of Tirhut and_ Pa�a · attacked M.:ikwanpur on the prE-t(;.x.t that it had encroached upon �nd· ahnexed an a rea strE.tc hing from wha t is now known as Ba ra .to Morang. 'I'h�y �ap:ture'd King Shubhn Sen ()fMa kwanpur and t<_.c.,k him ·-t:> Darbhanga . Shub ha Sen then updortook· to.poy ll tribuW of Rs 1, 200.00 for that area . An ele­ phant or thu valu-: of Rs 1,200.00 w�s sant f;rom Mdkwanpur to th,:; Mugha l Suoedal:" at Da :rb hc:mga . For the Mughal co urt in D.a lhi, thero wa s no differtinc� betwc�m Mnkwanpur and Nepc1l. Th€: moiv familiar. Nepal DS conc eive d by tho Mugha l Emperor consis tkibd ,, of a hill region . Th.:;: Mugh.:il CJurt in De lhi kriew toe well that tbe statd ,;)f Mukwnnpur co{llprisod both Tarai ;:nd hill ragi ..ms , . arid that· tho statc::bs uf .Nop3J. Va l hiy wer..: si tuat..Jd acro ss thv Nahabha rat rang\; . Many peoplt.i probably thought thrJt tn..:.: burde;;r� ..Ji th<.: .hughal t1mpir1;; cl?joined Nepa l. 1'a vt:lrni0r _D ls? impli0s that th-.. distanc� ·b"tw��n Gorakhpur 1 < nd tti.; 'krri-t:>ry of th� state: of Nt:pal was jusi; 5 or 6 la ague:s . Bu t t,his ·r1.;fer&nco was to tha sta·.w of M<1kw:mpur, for thu sta tes of Ne pal w�r.a · lu c nted · far away" · fr-�m Gorakhpur � Th� vai:isa.l. s�atc rt:ferred to by h:i:m wa's lVUJ kwanpur and none �ls1.;:; not N\:lpa l • .

· .Ai'tf, r having sa:i:d so much ab�ut the exterior form and shapo of the C8ins o f d ivided NEtpa l, it is necassnry to discuss what· actually p:rompt;;;d · M11 h2ndra · M� lla to mint his own coins . It was qui t-..:1 natural tor· him to oosir•'.; to inint hi� 'own.. coins on' th� b� sis; 9f t.he princ iple- thn t -oVtilY indep�ndc mt s tate musf· havti . its own coins •. At, .thvtb. tim.:; . Akbar, t hu. gre�t Emparor of India , ha d just~ ascended th;.; thror.�b. Mc1 hc:ndra Ma lla ther<.:foro appr0 h1;;;nded that tht; Mughat' Emperor .might invv de his state, tc1kingb. its inds;p,mdent coins _ as a sign of it�. ro pvrlty. But none of tbe:1 .Muslim .Sultans of Delhi, · p � ,

Contd ••-. tinp A:n. ,:andnot ev.�n�t,hE= Mugtia 1'·- ero�s; .ha� -: �11vadad Nepal since 1206 This greatly encouraged Mahe ndra ·Ma ll� to m_int_ his own coins'�. There was also the history ·of Borigr!;ll,be f9re him.• The· Sultans of·. Dt:lhi had, from tiI!S to . time, tried to' . invade and •ooniuer &ng al. But Bengal rema ined independent from the time of Ii'eroz Tughlak ( 1353 ..54 �.D . ) to 1576 A.D.' , when it was finally conquered by .41<:bar. ils such, it is lq.gical to assuroo that Mahendra Malla should .have been encourag�d to mint tiis 9wn coins with the assurance . of. the rul.. ers. . of neig.. hboring Bengal. '.11., No.pal 's growing .trade with bet wa s ano ther factor. which prompted Jvl.a heridra Malla to mint silver coins . He needGd co ins of his own to facilitatB the exchange ·of goods betwet::n Nepal and Tibet. He the refor t.1 .conc luded a q treaty wi th Tibet, under which Nepal woul mint. co ins for .Tibe t with silver , to' ·be su pplie d py the letter. The silver made available by Tibet was ·a d;.,-;qus1iil for minting c9i�s for NeP,aL:'- .niu supply of c0ins to Tibe t proved very pro.fitt' able to Nepal. This . arrangement also che cked the flight of both g·Jld and . - silver from Tibet td third countries•' .Traders brought silver .fru m Tibet and ·: handed it ove r ·to the Mint of _the Ne'pal gove�nt, whi ch ·utilizeci thtl · silver to mint coins -for Tibe t The gov-:rnmcnt of Nepal ma de a pro fit of . •. 12% from this business. Of this amount, 4% was cnargcld by the mint, whi le 'the ba lance ( 8%) was derived as profit from the alloy . Tho tota l annual - revenue 'from this source 'amounte d to Rs 190, 0QO.OO. Tibe tan _ traders sold goltl at Rs 8.0Q per to la to the mint.' · The same go ld wa s sold i.ci th"-' :n'rk0li at Rs 14 .00 per to la . Nupal thus ma de hugo pr_ofi ts from transactions in bullioD:• (Kirkpatrick, pp. 211-.2 12) .

Kathmandu. a�d Patan wore under a unif ie d rule f�um 1461 i.D., -Whi..ln Rd.ii� Malla �s K ng to.1644 1'.D. in which yoc:.r Siddhinarasimha Mali.a ·est blistl11i i ,' . , a ·an-: independent staw in Patan • . Bha cig aun was unde r the grip: of K�thmandu. Froin all this, it apvoars tha t Kathmancu was thi,; so 1-:J bani:'ficiary of tra Jv in these pr ecious metals. But with the start cf int erna l strife in ll1:; �al: 5 'b,.:. � h Patan ancJ Bhadgaun · aspired for n _'s_'hare in th� we alth accruing frum ·.;t-d..; g gaun in 16 32 li.. D. acL, f>� trado.· Jagat Praka sh J:-ila lla, who became.Kin ,Jf .Bhad a po licy_ of no t remaining under the aomination uf Kathmandu. Thi. same ye2..t.·, he minted co i:fls. independently. His coins re si::mblel! those of Shivasimha w .l Laxmin.rirasil!lha'� _'lhis indicat.es tha1;, he too wanted to have: hi s coins circu- - late d in.Tl.bet •. Si ddhinar.ssimha Malla of Patan too d&cided no t to ·cast h:i.S lot any mre with Ka thmandu ,. Accordii.;gly, ho minted his vW n c' 0ins in 1641 · A .D. ( 1761 ifopal era) . King __Pr at:::ip �o lla ) f _Kathmandu minted hi s coins ctur­ . ing the __ same year . Thus all the three states of l�e pal Valley minted coins s�p.arat<:3ly and tr ie d to have _ thc:n circulate d in Tibet. 1�11 the three stri ta5 . SUC'C.C SS ,1 .ap�ear to have ac hieved to some .ex-rent in this task. The Mo har oon, ing ·coins"of Bhupat:i.ndra Y..a lla rmJ i:lis Rann jit Malla , the last two K s1 · iof Bhaktapur, were de:finH,ely in circulatio n in Tibd t', Bhupntindra MallE1 s

Cont d ••'• 97. coins were ca lle d Angi · fugpa in Tibet. These Tibetans wo rds mean Hsixt'� number 11 • The coins w�re so named because the la st numer�:: l of the date inscribe d on the coins minte d by BhU(AJ tincJra Malla in 816'Ne i:)al e:ra (1666 A.D .) wa s 6. Ranajit Malla •s .coins weN named Nagatang (iooaning black c:.iins ) (�falsh, p. 633) . 'Ibest: c0ins must have become black be_cause of debasement .

Nearly 100 ye ars later,Prithvi'. Na r ayan Shah, King of Gorkra c onquered Nuwakot. Nuwa kr;t wa s tha principal route through which trade was conduc toJ with Tib�t. Hence, Prithvi Nart:y;m Sha h saw that much profit could be madu if he _to o 1T1i,ntead coins for exchange_ purpo.ses . Ho det,�nnine d to compe te w ith th•J other, ·r)ri.nc;i.palities of Nepat :in this fiul•:la. He therefore minted coin� 1 of 'tho sa!T);; de sign as that of Nepal _s C•) ins. His first �� coin, minted in 1676 ·aShaka era (1754 A.D.), ha s boon J.i scovereda, -K description of anot her Mohar coin minted. by him in 168.0 Shakn era (1758 .� .D.) · is also avai lable . . I (Iti has ·Prakash,; Vo l • l) . Prithvi Narnyan S hah s objective in m,inting co!fls before conque ring Nepal Va lley was to (fominate tNde with Tibe t�

ln subsequent years, both Jaya Prakash Ma lla of Kathmandu apq Ranajit Malla of Bha"jgaun. sta rted sending debased silver coins to Tibet. The ir revenue was dwindling as a result of the economic blockade :j.mposeJ oy P:rithvi Naraya n Shah . /it the sa rr.e time , their t;iX()enditure was mountf r: ,,. :i:;, a . re·sul_t ·(,f the wa r. For this reason, thc:y were compellad to start minting debased silve r c:.iinsa. /,fter conquering Nepal in_ 1768-69 h .D., .Prithvi Narri:; an Shah withdrew thost debased coins of tht: last Ma lla Kings , anp rcpl�ced th�rr: . by his pure coins . Ho,.m ver, tho Jcbesvi c::iins alro,wy in circulation in TibGt created a great difficulty. Pri t:1 °. i Narayan f.hah Jecidud to withdraw thcs,-3 coins. and ca n� l them . Tibt3t diJ no t acc&pt this 11r•;_. _sal, wbich would have invu lveci it in .Lussa. Later,a. supar2to rates werE:= [Jrescribed for t.hr::: debasad C1..•ins and th._ pure: c uins Jf Prithvi Narayan Shah. This fµrthe r aggravateJ the difficulty and ultimat0 ly led to a war with Tibet during the reign .of R.:ina BaahaJur Shah in 1789 .•

-Fr--Jm tho artistic view[Joint tuu, the coins of divided Nepal are in n•) way inferior to contemlJornry Indian coins. The emb lems inscribed on them have their own charact•.::ris tics. Further study is neede<;i in this regarj.

One or two Kings occa sicna lly minted

Sup;.,lie s For Munitions Fa ctories

( C..?riti�lU '.:d)

T9 . - :Ben-qq�tta, -Kamsam. ani ' ·and .• .Dama n ' l(hawas •'

,Sine�, large quantities of saltpeter are _raquirea· hart) as in rrevioUS years ,,we .h.cl.9. deputed you ' to make arrangeme:nts for'· its pro curement·� We a s .:had ?iso,'rna o� proyisions for (the as s ignme nt of) 'lancts' · az4c! vi llage s,'.' WC 11 as ro·r:� money and for your erno'luroonts;- f-or this purpose. Since yo1,1 s 1,o;ft, we hD ve rec�·iyed 227�18.-:-5 (dharnis ?} of sa ltpeterby A hadh ·9udi b ,· 15,'. 1862 ( July 1805 ), including 181-10 througr · Si�dhul� and 46.:.S-5 -throug Hitaur?.� .· · . · . · · .· · • '. _ . - Work has been. hampered here l;>ecauoo of the la ck of saltpeter. You . probably . think_ that you will be able to evade yo ur responsibilities with s s the suppe>rt of the Bhardar � If you continue to d i ch!:U"ge your responsi­ bilj,ty of proc;:uring s alt?eter in this manner, we shall flay yuu alive'. Saltpeter is urgently required· here . SenJ SUiJplii:;s quickly in l\:1t1the r b,ags,, so th at rio water may L;et 1n· •. Station one or 'two of yu'ur men both in SinJhuli "and in Hitaura , to whom ·supplies of s alt'peter s ent by_ you may b� · · · ee li vere J. · ·'·

s If you continue to make uolay, we hall flay yo u alive.'_ You must ha'IJ'ij s 8 -_r�ceived news regarding the man with whoso ·sup t,i'.)rt you have mad1::' . uch d� l 1'

. Shrawan Badi · l, 1862 . < July 1ao5) l:l.ogmi rtes,;arch Collections, Vo l. 6, pp . 190_;191. Ircn

From. King Girban. ,

s T,) Ditth� Bi hrarn K atri. , .. ·- h . tai:tory Large ·quantitit. s of iro_n ·are roquireJ for the -muni tions n�rc'· ; s As _' a reof sult the price of iron h'1' gon.-o up hert:i'. Hand over Rs · 100.00 to each the. following Sub. . e dars' to . purch . a.• se iron at the price current at

Contd ••• 99.

local mines. Sme lt the ir0n and purify it, and send it to the palace throuvt1 Hulak l)O rters along with tro ups be longi:1g to differtJnt companios. Obtain -­ receipts for supplie s delive red . Remissions shall later be gr anted against those receipts whi le 'scrutinizing th1;1 accounts of your work. fu no t make any delay in this work, but finish it quickly. Sond supplies of ircn on an urgent basis ..

Rs-100 to. Subedar Chamu K hatri to purchnse iron.

Rs 100: to .Subedar Bag Singh ,,

Rs 100 .to Subedar Jarul_ Bo hara J J

Rs 100 to Subodar Chhirbire Khawas , ,

'Rs 100 to Subedar Kirtibha kta rhapa ,·,

Rs 100 to .Subedar' Biru. Gu� n·

Shrawan Sudi 13, 1862 (hugust 1805 ) ,-- Regmi Research Collections, Vo l. 6, p�. 298-299 .

Supply Of Meta ls

Frum King Girban, . . ' To Dittha Bish+a m Khatri. . . UJ • Some tim.J ago, on o rder had been s ant t.J Jayadrath dir ecting him · supply motals •· !fowever, ht:'' · has not sent any so ·rar. You . are now directied t., Gxpc dite the supply of metals , ·.sirice the manufactura of'· cannon has been hampered here . M.:lke arrangement s th�refore to sup[;ly m<;) t.,ils qu1 ickly. Sen, \ supplies a long with a re li ab le persun without m.::iking l\ mo�nt' s delay, s_·. thc: t metals may . reac_h hero quickly. We have sent you this :.,rd1::1r, sin cu JayDdru tll has not beGn · able to send supplies quickly. l:..xpe dito tha supply of meta ls .

Baisakh Badi 14, 1863 (May 1806 ) Rcgmi Research Colloctions , Vo l. 6, p . '765. 100,

_Sulp hur

From King Girban ;

To Ram' · Chandra Thapa , ·. • . . . . . We have sent men to different a re as in' . the: Tarai rogi on to purchase saltpeter worth Rs 16 /000 ·in ax·ces·s of the quantity pro cured in 1862 Hkram:: ( 1805-1806 ) in 0rde1· to increase the production of gunpowder . I ' • ._ • \ We have plclced a 11 sulphur miries under your jur isdi ct ion. The (su lp hur, mines at, Jherlang had been dam3ged by landsli des. You have now reported thq � the mines ha-,re ne t been cle·ared yet. On Chaitr a ••• , we hav& sent Sardar Dirabhadra K�nwar ancl your nephew, Man Simha Kanwar , along with some noc ess,"1,j equ �.pmen t and supplies; to · G:xpedite (the clec1ring of the mines). Give them' . ·,1 eceosar-.1 orders anJ instructions and do what i s ruquirod to expedite the 1-JOrk'. J You ha d been� and still a re, exp loring deposits o f sulphur in Pa nchs�Y ' kho la and e lsewherc . On Chai tr a • • • , wo ha ve sent Sardar .Rewanta Kanwar, R:mabir Baki1eti, Davas harmii Dhnrnal; and t,ha Dware of th� l.rna li, to expa::lito tl:e exp lorations . Give th0m ne cessary ordtl rs and instrt1ctions in this tnsk to You hav8 lnfo;.�n)J d ua ·�b2 t yol! were leaving f 0r the' . Ru i-Khc.,la area ( cxi::,!.ore sulphur deposits) , We had confirmuu tbi::; prc,gra m . In- order to in su.r:1 tnat JE-tailt. d ;,;1 (.'.. c:.:::t,ens.i:,e exp 1.o rations art;;: conductad, we have sent Rana jur., Karti. son of .!u·jun Ka::-1.ti"; La.r::hhya Khatri c:n-:.: thd Dwar� of tht:: Ama li on C:haitra ••• Conduc t exp lorations on b(1th s::.c.Gs (of thu n.ui-Khola.) , _Wherevr..:r ( sulphur deposits ) .'.lre locate J .; emp loy the local inh8bit.::mts (to axt,ract sulphur) and inform ·1..1s . We sha 1_ 1 send ne cessn 1·y equi[Jm,mt and sup�licJS, as :1:.:ll c.S ancrd-.r for iml:,)ressing Jhara lab0r, as req1�ested by you.

W-3 are s&r.ding1 meu co 8 xo i.ore ( sulphur d,}po•si ts) in Lamjung, ·Parbat nr�J the adjoining a :-eas als'.)'. · 1:fo roquiro • • • dha rnis of 3ulphur a�d sa ltpct,.;:' €very ye ar •. You h3V8 taken 11p tr.a r1onopoly cont.ract (for the· ·supply of) sul' piLur . In case yo u suppiy this quantity of sulphur every ye·ar, we .shall gra-it , y ->U Bi�ta lands an� other· rt�wards in appreciation . Wc,r k hard wt th Que ass11t'L!r.c� . 1 Hq!:)Ort w_ha t you are in need of and wci' sh• . &ll send I ·whn tovcr �- s rcquirod · for 1,i tJ o • mining • opcrat ions .. . . :. • We have ·received reports that thore are sulphur doposi ts in the Listi .rc.,g5.on. We have tha-reforc sent a man who ha s seen tht3se cleposi +,s , along wi 1,ti Kavira j Khatri . Send one of your me:1 :who is skilled in thb production of sulphur . We have s-ant ord":rs in the names of the Ama li and the Dware ·of Listl'•

Chai tra Ba1i 9, 1662 (March 18 06) 6 , 744-74 Regmi Re search Collcctbns, Vol. , pp. 7. . (To Be Contd )

(S.B • .Maha rjan)'.