Ram Shah

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King Ram Shah
राजा राम शाह
King Ram Shah.jpg
King of Gorkha Kingdom
Reign1606–1636
Coronation 1606
Predecessor Chatra Shah
Successor Dambar Shah
Born1550
Nepal
Died1636
Gorkha, Gorkha Kingdom, Nepal
Issue Dambar Shah
Dynasty Shah dynasty
Father Purna Shah
Religion Hinduism

Ram Shah (Nepali : राम शाह; reign before 1606 –1636) was a king of the Gorkha Kingdom (present-day Gorkha District, Nepal). He was the son of Gorkha king Purna Shah and brother of Chatra Shah. He acceded to the throne c. 1606 after his brother's death. He expanded his kingdom as far as the Trishuli River to the east, the Marshyangdi to the west, the Rasuwa to the north, and the Mahabharat Range to the west.[ citation needed ][ clarification needed ]

Contents

Shah was known as the "great conqueror" and "conscientious". He brought many changes to the Gorkha Kingdom, including fixed and uniform weights and measures, criminal codes, created a fixed rate of interest and built the Newar architecture palace Gorkha Palace. His statue is displayed at his Chautari where he used to administer justice to the people.

Reign

When the first ruler of Gorkha Dravya Shah's son Purna Shah acceded in the throne, he ruled for about thirty-five years. [1] Upon his death, his son Chatra Shah became the King and ruled the kingdom for about seven months until his death, as he did not have any children his brother Ram Shah acceded in the throne in c. 1606. [1] Shah was described as "great conqueror" and "conscientious". [1] He wanted to expand his kingdom which only consisted of Liglig, Gorkha, Siranchok and Ajirgarh. [1]

Gorkha was neighbours with small kingdoms ruled by the Gurungs, Bhotias and the Rajputs. [1] Shah started to expand his army and created a friendship between the kings of Palpa, Jumla, and Lalitpur. [1] King Narsingh Malla of Lalitpur, sent 24 merchants to live in Gorkha. [2] In 1620, Ngawang Namgyal signed a friendship treaty with Shah; which allowed 50 people from the kingdom to live in Bhutan. [3]

He began to colonise Barpak, Shyartan, Atharsaya Khola, Ferung, Khari, Meghi Charage, Niwarchok, Dhading; his conquest led the size of the kingdom far as the Trishuli River (east), the Marshyangdi (west), the Rasuwa, (north) and the Mahabharat Range (west). [1] Fearing the rapid expansion of Gorkha, the Lamjung kings invaded the kingdom; which was unsuccessful and led them to withdraw their troops beyond Marshyandi. [1] During the expansion, Kaji Ganesh Pandey led the army against Ghale Raja of Sallayan, in which the Kaji died in the combat. Shah was furious and ordered the soldiers to go back "for running from the field of battle and ordered them to go back to redeem their hounour, which they finally did". [2] Ghale Raja was defeated and killed by a sword. [2]

During his reign, there were not any "fixed and uniform weights and measures" which varied from location to location; in order to fix this, he brought standard weights and measures throughout the kingdom. [1] Shah created a fixed rate of interest, money lenders were not able to charge more than 10% interest and if it was in the form of PIK loan not more than 25% interest. [1] Though, if not paid within 10 years, the moneylenders were able to raise the amount double or triple if it was in PIK loan. [1]

He created an agreement "for grazing grounds for the cattle in each and every village" and those who claimed them would be "severely dealt with"; punishment also extended to the people who cut down trees near a road. [1] Shah introduced many titles including Kaji, Sardar, and Khardar. [1] He introduced criminal codes; that created a saying around the kingdom "Nyaya napaye Gorkha janu (translation: If you don't get justice, go to Gorkha)”. [4] [5] He would "dispense justice and display fairness". [6] During his reign, the Gorkha Palace, Newar architecture palace was built circa 1610; [7] it was destroyed by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. [8] [9]

Personal life and legacy

Statue of Ram Shah, Gorkha.jpg
Statue of Ram Shah in Gorkha Durbar.
Ram Shah.jpg
Nepali stamp featuring Shah c. 1969.

The birth date of Ram Shah is unknown; he was the brother of Chatra Shah. [1] He was born to Purna Shah. [10] Ram Shah asked King of Bhutan to send Lamas "to perform [the] rite for the peace in his family and for the birth of a son". [11] They were successful; he had three sons including Dambar Shah. [11] He followed the religion Hinduism. [12] It was believed that he ruled the kingdom for about 27 years until his death in 1633; however, newly discovered information indicated he was ruling in 1636. [10] So it was concluded that ruled until 1636. [10] Upon his death, his wife committed sati or "burn[ed] on the funeral pyre with her husband". [13]

In Gorkha, there is a statue of Ram Shah in Ram Shah's Chautari, where he used to provide justice to the people. [7] His criminal code was used by his successors, including the last king of Gorkha and the first king of Nepal Prithvi Narayan Shah. [14] It is said that wife of Ram Shah possessed the power of the Devi, following the death of Queen, and before revolutionary Lakhan Thapa Magar, another Saint 1st Lakhan Thapa Magar, who is also described as a spiritual guide for King Ram Shah and he also had a very close relationship with the Queen, who was also considered an incarnation of the Goddess Durga Bhawani, an incarnation of Parvati, in that place he Built a Manakamana Temple in Gorkha District and it is mandatory for a priest to be a Magar, the Main Priest must be a descendant of Saint Lakhan Thapa Magar. [15] He was also noted for his justice system. [15]

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The Shah dynasty, also known as the Shahs of Gorkha or the Royal House of Gorkha, was the ruling Chaubise Thakuri dynasty and the founder of the Gorkha Kingdom from 1559 to 1768 and later the unified Kingdom of Nepal from 1768 to 28 May 2008.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biraj Thapa Magar</span>


Kaji Biraj Thapa Magar played an important role in the Gorkha Kingdom. His leadership, prudence and courage all exhibit that he was one of the important Gorkha Bhardars that helped Narbaupal Shah become King of Gorkha. He may also be seen as a King Maker in the modern day term. According to different genealogies, he had taken Narabhupal Shah and his mother Malikavati in custody for three months. The Queen Mother and her son were secretly protected at his residence. After the death of his grandfather, Narabhupal Shah became the King of Gorkha in 1716 and died in 1743. His son, King Prithvi Narayan Shah, succeeding him began unification of small principalities to found modern Nepal.

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Vamshidhar Pande known by Alias Kalu Pande was a Nepalese politician and general who was appointed as Kaji of The Gorkha Kingdom. He was born in 1713 A.D. in a Gorkha family. He was the commander of the Gorkhali forces during the Unification Campaign of Nepal who died in the first Battle of Kirtipur in 1757 A.D. Pande's real name was Banshidhar Pande. He was a son of Kaji Bhimraj Pande who was minister during reign of King Prithivipati Shah of Gorkha. He was descendant of Minister of Gorkha and Dravya Shah's accomplice Ganesh Pande. He had three sons: Dewan Kajisaheb Vamsharaj Pande, Sardar Ranasur Pande and Mulkaji Sahib Damodar Pande.

Ganesh Pandey or Ganesa Pande

Dalbhanjan Pande or Dalabhanjan Pande was a Nepalese minister, politician and military officer of the aristocratic Pande family. He had held ministerial positions and military offices. He jointly headed the military administration of Nepal in 1837 along with Mukhtiyar Rana Jang Pande.

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Battle of Khurbura or Battle of Khudbuda also known as Gorkha-Garhwal War occurred in May 1804 near modern-day village of Dehradun, Khurbura 30.3256°N 78.0267°E. The battle is regarded as the first major attack in the history of Garhwal Kingdom that triggered between Kingdom of Nepal forces and Maharaja Pradyumna Shah, and continued for 13 days until the Garhwal king was defeated. It is chiefly regarded the only defeat of Pradyumna Shah's life and the victory of Gorkhali forces under Kingdom of Nepal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Nuwakot</span> 1744 battle

The Battle of Nuwakot also called Siege of Nuwakot or Invasion of Nuwakot was fought in Nuwakot in 1744. Nuwakot was controlled by the Kingdom of Kantipur and it was an important location as it had a trade route to Tibet. The Gorkha Kingdom previously attacked twice by Nara Bhupal Shah and his son Prithvi Narayan Shah respectively. To prepare for the war Prithvi Narayan Shah visited Varanasi to get war materials, ammunition, acquire weapons, train the soldiers, and Pilgrims. He improved his army personnel and included people from any caste including the blacksmiths, cobblers, sweepers, Damai, and anyone who was bodied and physically fit was able to join the crew.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "The History of Ancient and Medieval Nepal" (PDF). Himalaya. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Singh, Mahendra Man (30 June 2013). Forever Incomplete: The Story of Nepal. SAGE Publishing India. ISBN   978-81-321-1805-3. Archived from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "Human Rights Violations In Bhutan" (PDF). Iowa Department of Human Rights. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Supreme Court Self-Strangulates (Itself and Loktantra)". SpotlightNepal. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  5. ↑ "Nepal's living link with history". BBC. 14 June 2001. Archived from the original on 23 January 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  6. ↑ "Shifting Conceptions Of Social (In)justice in Nepal" (PDF). UEA Digital Repository. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Gorkha: A major destination to consider for a rich travel experience". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Four years since the earthquake, Gorkha Durbar still in ruins". kathmandupost.com. Archived from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  9. ↑ Sapkota, Narahari. "Gorkha Durbar reconstruction slow". My Republica. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 "The Royal Edicts of King Rama Shah of Gorkha" (PDF). Apollo – University of Cambridge Repository. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  11. 1 2 "Historical Overview Of Gorkhas in Assam" (PDF). Shodhganga. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "From Peace Settlement to Political Settlement" (PDF). Berghof Foundation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.; Sen, Pawan (1 July 2015). "Should Nepal be a Hindu State or a Secular State?". HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies. 35 (1). ISSN   2471-3716. Archived from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  13. ↑ "Shifting States: Mobile Subjects, Markets, and Sovereignty in the India-Nepal Borderland, 1780–1930" (PDF). University of Washington. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  14. ↑ Shah, Bimal Pratap. "Paradise lost". My Republica. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  15. 1 2 "An introduction of Nepal" (PDF). Department of Information & Broadcasting. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
Preceded by King of Gorkha
1606–1636		Succeeded by
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