Chapter 1

This ebook was transcribed by Les Bowler.

[Picture: View of the Temple of Bouddhama]

AN ACCOUNT OF THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL

AND OF THE TERRITORIES ANNEXED TO THIS DOMINION BY THE

HOUSE OF GORKHA.

_FRANCIS BUCHANAN HAMILTON_, M.D.

* * * * *

ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS.

* * * * *

TO

THE MOST NOBLE

RICHARD MARQUIS WELLESLEY, K.G.

_&c._, _&c._, _&c._

THE FOLLOWING WORK IS INSCRIBED, AS A MARK OF THE AUTHOR’S ESTEEM, RESPECT, AND GRATITUDE.

CONTENTS.

Page INTRODUCTION. 1 CHAPTER FIRST. _Of the Tribes inhabiting the Territories of Gorkha._ Original Inhabitants—Hindu Colonies, their 9 period—Brahmans, History—Colony from Chitaur—Colony of Asanti—Success of Colonization in the West, in the East—Colony of Chaturbhuja—Hindu Tribes east from the River Kali—Language—Brahmans, Diet, Festivals, Offspring—Rajputs, adopted, illegitimate—Low Tribes—General Observations on the Customs of the Mountain Hindus east from the Kali—Of the Hindus west from the Kali—Of Tribes who occupied the Country previous to the Hindus—Manners—Magars—Gurungs—Jariyas—Newars—Murmis— Kiratas—Limbus—Lapchas—Bhotiyas CHAPTER SECOND. _Nature of the Country._ Division into four regions from their relative 61 elevatiom—First, or Plain Region, or Tariyani—Soil—Productions, Animal and Vegetable—Cultivation—Climate—Rivers—Second, or Hilly Region—Productions—Minerals—Forests—Birds—Vallies called Dun—Cultivation—Climate—Third, or Mountainous Region—Elevation—Climate—Diseases—Cultivation—Pasture— Sheep and Cattle—Minerals—Spontaneous Vegetables—Extent—Fourth, or Alpine Region—Vallies—Mountains—Productions, Mineral, Animal, and Vegetable CHAPTER THIRD. _Laws and Government._ Parts east from the Kali—Courts, and Forms of 101 Proceeding—Punishments—Provincial Government—Revenue and Endowments—Officers of State—Military Establishment—Differences in the parts west from the River Kali—Revenue and Civil Establishment—Military Establishment PART SECOND.

ACCOUNT OF THE PARTICULAR STATES WHICH FORMERLY EXISTED, AND OF THE FAMILIES BY WHICH EACH WAS GOVERNED. INTRODUCTION. 117 CHAPTER FIRST. OF THE STATES EAST FROM THE RIVER KALI. SECTION FIRST. _Country of Sikim._ Inhabitants—Government—Extent—History—Geography 118 SECTION II. _Dominions of the Family descended from Makanda Sen, Raja of Makwanpur._ General History—Branch of Lohango which occupied the 128 Country of the Kiratas—History—Former Government—Military Force, Police, and Revenue, and Justice—Present State—District of Morang—District of Chayenpur—District of Naragarhi—District of Hedang—District of Makwanpur—Western Branch, which occupied chiefly the Country of Palpa—History—Description—Tanahung Family and its Possessions, and Collateral Branches—Rising, Ghiring, and Gajarkot SECTION III. _Nepal Proper._ Name—History previous to the Conquest by the 186 Gorkhalis—Extent and Topography—Population—Buildings—Revenue—Trade—Coins— Weights—Measures—Agriculture—Tenures—Crown Lands—Lands held for Service—Charity Lands—Tenants—Implements—Crops—Manufactures—Price of Labour—Slaves—Diet SECTION IV. _The Countries belonging to the Chaubisi and Baisi Rajas._ Chaubisi Rajas—Pamar Family, impure Branch—Bhirkot, 237 Garahang, Dhor, pure Branch—Nayakot—Satahung—Kaski—Lamjun—Gorkha, Topography, History—Prithwi, Narayan—Singha Pratap—Bahadur Sahi—Rana Bahadur—Bhim Sen—Royal Family—Kala Macwani Family—Gulmi, Khachi, Argha, Dhurkot, Musikot, Isma—Family of Bhingri and Khungri—Family of Piuthana—Family of Poin—Malihang Family—The Samal Family; Malebum; Galkot; Rugum; Musikot; Jajarkot; Bangphi; Gajal; Dharma; Jahari; Satatala; Malaneta; Saliyana; Dang; Chhilli—The Baisi Rajas—Dalu Dailek—Duti—Yumila—Taklakot, with the adjacent parts of Thibet subject to China CHAPTER SECOND. _Of the Countries west from the River Kali._ Kumau; History, State—Garhawal; History, 291 State—Sirmaur—Twelve Lordships—Besar—Hanur SUPPLEMENT TO THE ACCOUNT OF NEPAL. _Some Information respecting the petty Chiefs who still remain independent to the west of the Dominions of Nepal or Gorkha._ Kangra—History—State—Kahalur—Bhomor—Kottahar—Yasawal— 309 Datarpur—Gular—Nurpur—Chamba—Kullu—Mundi—Sukhet REGISTER OF THE WEATHER, from February 1802 to March 1903 318 CALCULATION OF THE ALTITUDES of some of the Snowy 346 Mountains from the Valley of Nepal. By Colonel CRAWFORD INDEX. 347

DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THE PLATES.

I. View of the Temple of Bouddhama, to front the title-page. II. View of Kathmandu, to front page 209. III. Himaliya Mountains, Plate 1. ) IV. Himaliya Mountains, Plate 2. ) V. Do. do. Plate 3. ) at the end of the volume. VI. Do. do. Plate 4. ) VII. Do. do. Plate 5. ) VIII. Map of the Dominions of Gorkha )

INTRODUCTION.

This Account, which is intended to describe the country as it stood previously to the war with the British, commencing in the end of the year 1814, is derived chiefly from the following sources.

In the first place, during the years 1802 and 1803, I passed fourteen months in the country, mostly in the vicinity of Kathmandu, the capital; and I was accompanied by Ramajai Batacharji, an intelligent Brahman, from Calcutta, whom I employed to obtain information, so far as I prudently could, without alarming a jealous government, or giving offence to the Resident, under whose authority I was acting.

In the next place, assisted by the same person, I passed two years on the frontier, collecting information, both from the Company’s subjects, and from numerous refugees and travellers from the dominions of Gorkha. The following are the persons to whose information I am chiefly indebted:

The account of Sikim is chiefly taken from a Lama, or priest of Buddha, who, with part of his flock, had fled into the district of Puraniya, to escape from the violence of the Gorkhalese, and who constructed a map of the country, which I have deposited in the Company’s library. Besides the Lama, I consulted many of the natives of the Company’s territory, who had visited the lower parts of Sikim, and several of the Gorkhalese, and other people of Nepal; and Mr Smith, of Nathpur, favoured me with several particulars, collected by a Mr Pagan for the information of government.

Concerning the country between Sikim and Nepal Proper, my information is chiefly derived from the following persons:

1_st_, Agam Singha, hereditary chief of the Kirats, a tribe bordering immediately on Nepal, and last Chautariya, or prime minister, of the princes who governed that people.

2_d_, A Brahman, who was the Munsuf, or civil judge of Bahadurgunj, a territory in the district of Puraniya belonging to the Company. His ancestors were hereditary Dewans to the princes who governed the territory between Nepal and Sikim, that is, the Brahman’s family managed the princes’ revenue.

3_d_, From Narayan Das, a scribe, (Kayastha,) whose ancestor Janardan accompanied Lohanga, founder of the late dynasty; and whose descendants enjoyed the hereditary office of Neb, or second minister to the successors of that chief, until their final expulsion from the mountains.

4_th_, A slave of the Raja of Gorkha, who entered into my service in order to bring plants from the Alpine regions; but, finding him very intelligent, and a great traveller, I employed him to construct a map, which I have deposited in the Company’s library. In order to enable himself to execute this with more care, he refreshed his memory by several journeys in different directions.

5_th_, A Kirat from Hedang, near the Arun river, gave me another map, which has also been deposited in the Company’s library. It contains only the eastern parts of the territory in question.

These two maps, together with that of the Lama, as might be expected, are very rude, and differ in several points; but they coincide in a great many more, so as to give considerable authority to their general structure; and, by a careful examination of the whole, many differences, apparently considerable, may be reconciled. The general authority of the whole is confirmed by our maps, so far as they go, and by the intelligence which Colonel Crawford obtained in Nepal.

The account of Nepal Proper is chiefly derived from my own observations, assisted by those of Ramajai above mentioned and by some communications with which I was favoured by Colonel Crawford, now Surveyor-General in Bengal. He favoured me, in particular, with several drawings of the snowy mountains; and, by orders of the Marquis Wellesley, then Governor-General, I was furnished with copies of Colonel Crawford’s valuable geographical surveys and maps of the country.

In one point respecting these maps, I consider myself bound to do justice to the researches of Colonel Crawford. From a treatise on the sources of the Ganges, given by H. T. Colebrooke, Esq. in the 11th volume of the Asiatick Researches, page 429, etc. it might be possibly inferred, although this, perhaps, was not intended to be expressed, that Colonel Colebrooke and his kinsman were induced to reject the authority of D’Anville respecting the sources of the Ganges, merely from examining the authorities, upon which the course of the Ganges above Haridwar had been laid down in the geographical charts then in use. Now, the fact is, that Colonel Colebrooke had other grounds for rejecting the authority of D’Anville, and especially one of the above-mentioned maps, which had been officially communicated to him by Colonel Crawford. In this map the sources of the Ganges are laid down from the reports of pilgrims; nor has the survey, carried on by the suggestion of Colonel Colebrooke, added any thing material, so far as relates to the general outlines of these sources. By this observation I by no means intend to depreciate the labours of Mr Webb, by whom the survey was conducted; nor the judgment and love of science evinced in the recommendation of Colonel Colebrooke to employ him. So long as the matter rested entirely on the report of pilgrims, doubts would exist; and the survey has not only entirely removed these, but has given us many details of a country previously unknown.

Concerning the country between Nepal Proper and the river Kali, I follow chiefly the authority of the following persons: 1_st_, a Brahman, named Sadhu Ram Upadhyaya, whose family was in hereditary possession of the office of priest (Purohit) for the Raja of Palpa, one of the principal chiefs in this district; 2_d_ and 3_d_, Prati Nidhi Tiwari, and Kanak Nidhi Tiwari, two brothers of the sacred order, the former very learned, and the latter a man of business. Their family had been long Mantris, or advisers of the same chiefs, but came originally from Kumau; 4_th_, Samar Bahadur, uncle to the Raja of Palpa, now in exile.

Two maps of these parts, now in the Company’s library, were prepared by Sadhu Ram and Kanak Nidhi, with the assistance of Kamal Lochan, one of the natives attached to the survey of Bengal, on which I was engaged. Although they differ in some points, they agree in so many more, especially in the eastern parts, that considerable reliance may be placed on their giving some tolerable idea of the country.

Finally, concerning the parts west of the river Kali, in the rainy season 1814 I proceeded up the Ganges, with a view of going to Haridwar, where I expected to procure intelligence; but, fortunately, I met at Futtehgur with a person well qualified for the purpose. This was Hariballabh, a Brahman born in Kumau, but who has been long in the service of the Garhawal Rajas, and has travelled much in the adjacent parts. A map of the western parts of the dominions of Gorkha, now also in the Company’s library, was composed by Hariballabh, with the assistance of Kamal Lochan. The same person gave me another map explaining the country, which extends some way west from the Sutluj, and of which a short account will be found in the Appendix.

I regret, that, on the banks of the Karanali, there intervenes a space, with which none of my informants were well acquainted, its communications being entirely with the country belonging to the Nawab Vazir.

I shall have very frequent occasion to mention the account of Nepal by Colonel Kirkpatrick; and, although I often differ from him in opinion, and think it my duty to state these points fully, yet no one can be more sensible, knowing well the difficulties he encountered, of the merits of his work, which is, on the whole, perfectly conformable to his well-known thirst for information and judgment in the acquisition of knowledge. I must here, however, in a general way, caution the reader to place little confidence in the names given in the printed work. I have no doubt, that the numerous errors in the names are to be attributed to the printing of the work having been entrusted to some person entirely ignorant of the native language; and who, therefore, could not be led, by a knowledge of this, to read the names in the manuscript with accuracy. But, besides this source of error, in some degree, perhaps, unavoidable, the printer seems to have been uncommonly careless in reading even those names that are known to Europeans. Thus, (in page 131,) speaking of the birds of Nepal, he has as follows: “The two last belong to the genus of pheasants, the damphia being of the golden, and the monal of the argheer, or spotted sort.” There can be no doubt, that Colonel Kirkpatrick wrote argus, and not argheer, which has no meaning.

The utmost negligence may be also observed in a matter of more importance; for, in the route from Kathmandu to Beni, the capital of Malebum, given in page 290, all the stages from Deoralli 1st, to Ragho Powa, both inclusive, are evidently transposed, as going through the territory of Lamjun and Kaski, after having entered Malebum at Kusmachoor, while both Lamjun and Kaski are between Kathmandu and Malebum. I suspect, also, that the person entrusted with the printing has introduced some matter of his own about the Hindu religion, several passages on that subject being unlike the sentiments of a person of Colonel Kirkpatrick’s known sense and observation.

PART FIRST. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

INTRODUCTION.

Nepal, a name celebrated in Hindu legend, in a strict sense, ought to be applied to that country only which is in the vicinity of Kathmandu, the capital; but at present it is usually given to the whole territory of the Gorkha Rajas, which occupies about thirteen degrees of longitude, and five of latitude. It is my intention now to give an account of the whole of this territory, so far as has come to my knowledge.

East from the territory called Nepal Proper, the mountains were chiefly occupied by a tribe called Kirat or Kichak, who, in remote times, seem to have made extensive conquests in the plains of Kamrup and Matsya, now constituting the districts of Ranggapur and Dinajpur. Although these conquests had long been lost to the Kirats, yet Father Giuseppe, who witnessed the conquest of Nepal by the Gorkhalese, and gives a good account of the horrid circumstances attending that event, {7} considers the Kiratas (Ciratas) in the year 1769 as being an independent nation. Now, although this would not appear to be strictly exact, as the Kirats had then been long subject to Rajput princes; yet the Father is abundantly justifiable in what he has advanced; for the Kirats formed the principal strength of these Rajput chiefs, their hereditary chief held the second office in the state, (Chautariya,) and the Rajputs, who were united with them, did not presume to act as masters, to invade their lands, or violate their customs. These Kirats are frequently mentioned in Hindu legend as occupying the country between Nepal and Madra, the ancient denomination in Hindu writings for the country which we call Bhotan.

Towards the west again, the country between Nepal and Kasmir, over which the present rulers of the former have far extended their dominion, in the ancient Hindu writings is called Khas, and its inhabitants Khasiyas. I am told, that, wherever mentioned in ancient records, like the Kirats, their neighbours to the west, the Khasiyas are considered as abominable and impure infidels.

CHAPTER FIRST. OF THE TRIBES INHABITING THE TERRITORIES OF GORKHA.

Original Inhabitants.—Hindu Colonies, their period.—Brahmans, History.—Colony from Chitaur.—Colony of Asanti.—Success of Colonization in the West,—in the East.—Colony of Chaturbhuja.—Hindu Tribes east from the River Kali.—Language.—Brahmans, Diet, Festivals, Offspring.—Rajputs, adopted, illegitimate.—Low Tribes.—General Observations on the Customs of the Mountain Hindus east from the Kali.—Of the Hindus west from the Kali.—Of Tribes who occupied the Country previous to the Hindus.—Manners.—Magars.—Gurungs.—Jariyas.—Newars.—Murmis.—Kiratas.— Limbus.—Lapchas.—Bhotiyas.

The numerous valleys among the prodigious mountains, of which Nepal in its extended sense consists, are inhabited by various tribes, that differ very much in language, and somewhat in customs. All that have any sort of pretensions to be considered as aboriginal, like their neighbours of Bhotan to the east, are, by their features, clearly marked as belonging to the Tartar or Chinese race of men, and have no sort of resemblance to the Hindus.

The time when the Hindus penetrated into these regions is very uncertain. Bhim Sen, the son of Pandu, is said to have penetrated into these parts, and probably was the first who introduced any sort of improvement. He still continues to be a favourite object with the rude tribes, not only on the mountains, but in their vicinity. Probably at no great distance from the time of that prince, and about the commencement of our era, Sakya, the last great teacher of the Bouddhists, passed through the country, and settled at Lasa, where he is supposed to be still alive in the person whom we call the Grand Lama. His followers seem to have acquired a great ascendancy over all the tribes of Nepal, as well as in Thibet and Bhotan, which they retained until a subsequent colony of Hindus settled in the first of these countries, and introduced the Brahmans, who have had considerable success in destroying the heretical doctrines, although these have still numerous votaries.

Colonel Kirkpatrick, or perhaps rather his editor, seems to have entertained a very different opinion concerning the period when the Hindus penetrated into Nepal. Speaking of Sambhunath, he says, {10} “After all, it is highly probable that the sanctity of this spot might be safely referred to a period very anterior both to the Newar and Khat Bhotiya dynasties (who preceded the Newars) of Nepaul, since the sacred books of the Hindus leave scarcely any room to doubt, that the religion of Brahma has been established from the most remote antiquity in this secluded valley, where there are nearly as many idols as inhabitants, there not being a fountain, a river, or hill within its limits, that is not consecrated to one or other of the Hindu deities.” What idea the author may have held of the terms Hindu and religion of Brahma, I cannot say. If he meant by Hindu whatever colonists may have come from the plains, I agree with him, and have stated, that Bhim Sen and Sakya Singha seem, in early ages, to have penetrated into the mountains, and to have introduced civilization. But I think him mistaken, if, by Hindu, he means the followers of the present Brahmans, introduced into India from Saka Dwip by the son of Krishna, contemporary with Bhim Sen; and if, by the religion of Brahma, he means the doctrine taught by these Brahmans, who do not, however, worship that deity. In the first place, I have been assured, that, in the sacred books of the Hindus, that is to say, in the Puranas attributed to Vayasa, the Khas and Kiratas, the ancient inhabitants of the mountains, are always spoken of as impure infidels. Again, the number of idols and places consecrated in Nepal to the Hindu gods is no sort of proof that the doctrines of the Brahmans have existed long in the country; for the Bouddhists, who follow the doctrine of Sakya, admit of the worship of the same inferior deities (Devatas) with the Brahmans, both having probably adopted their worship from sects that had previously existed. Farther, the changes in the names of places, since the Hindu conquest, has been rapid almost beyond conception; for instance, the capitals of the three principalities into which Nepal was divided, and which are now called Kathmandu, Lalita Patana, and Bhatgang, and which, in 1802, I always heard called by these names, were, during the Newar government, which ended in 1767, called Yin Daise, Yulloo Daise, and Khopo Daise. {11} To these circumstances, explanatory of the author’s mistake, I must add the statements, which will follow, and which reduce the arrival of the present Hindu colonies to a modern period, or to the fourteenth century of the Christian era.

According to the traditions most commonly current in Nepal, the Hindus of the mountains (Parbatiya) left their own country in consequence of an invasion by the Muhammedan king of Dilli, who wished to marry a daughter of the Raja of Chitor, or Chitaur, celebrated for her beauty. A refusal brought on the destruction of her father and his capital city; and, to avoid a hateful yoke, many of the people fled to the hills. A somewhat similar story, related in the translation of Fereshtah by Dow, would seem to verify the truth of the tradition, and fix its date to the 1306 year of our era.