Rana dynasty – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Rana dynasty (Nepali: राणा शासन, Rāņā shāsana) ruled the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other government positions hereditary. The dynasty is descended from one Bal Narsingh Kunwar of Kaski who moved to Gorkha in the early 18th century and entered the service of Raja Nara Bhupal Shah around 1740, and of Bhimsen Thapa (1775-1839 who is counted among the National heroes of Nepaland was the maternal granduncle of Jung Bahadhur and his brothers.
Janga Bahadur Kunwar (Nepali: जंग बहादुर कुँवर) began the dynasty. He came to power through the 1846 Kot massacre (Nepali: कोत पर्व, Kot Parwa) where 36 members of the palace court including the Prime Minister and a relative of the King Chautariya Fate Janga Shah were murdered on the orders of the ambitious junior Queen. These were unstable times and Janga Bahadur brought stability to the country by putting himself firmly in control something even the junior Queen had not anticipated. He took the title Rana ("king"), the honorific Shrī Tīn (Nepali: श्री ३) meaning his name was preceded by Shrī-Shrī-Shrī, and was accorded 19-gun salutes by the British Raj. However Shah kings were Shrī Pānch (Nepali: श्री ५) — Shrī-Shrī-Shrī-Shrī-Shrī—called Maharājdhirāj (Nepali: महाराजाधिराज), "king of kings", and given 21-gun salutes. Junga Bahadur’s sons and brothers inherited the title Rana and took it as their family name instead of Kunwar.
After Junga Bahadur’s death his brother Ranodip Singh Rana took the Prime Ministership and title of Maharaja as per Junga’s established wishes, which unlike the Kingship where the eldest son was to inherit the throne,the Rana dynasty was to be firmly established with the eldest male member of the Rana family at the helm and not the eldest son. This Jung and his brothers thought was the best way to secure a long reign as they had seen too much instability with the different queens trying to influence the King into making their sons the next King. Unfortunately though the childless Prime Minister Ranodip had different ideas (that of making Jung’s eldest son Jagat Jung the Maharaja and Prime Minister after his reign and thereafter, Jagat Jung’s eldest son and so on). This did not sit well with his nephews from his other younger brothers, notably Bir Shamshere and his brothers (they were the sons of Jung’s most trusted and youngest brother and Commander-in-chief Dhir Shamshere). Therefore Maharaja Ranodip and Jagat Jung, known as "Mukhiya Jarnel" both were murdered by Bir Shamshere and his brothers for their conspiracy.
Presently if someone carries the name Shumshere Jang Bahadur Rana, then they come from Dhir Shumshere‘s lineage (Jang Bahadur’s youngest brother). Two of Jung Bahadur’s sons Gen. Ranabir Jung and Commander-in-Chief Gen. Padma Jung Bahadur Rana KIH Gold Medal 1877 were escorted to Allahabad. Gen. Ranabir Jung later attempted to reclaim his position, after having raised an army, but was thwarted and finally killed in battle. Ranabir Jungs descendants with the title Bir Jung Bahadur are very widespread, and live in Kathmandu, Dehra Dun, Delhi, Kolkata, Australia and The UK.
Many Rana daughters,were/are married to the Nepalese royal family and various Maharajas of Indian Principality States. Similarly many sons, are married to the Nepalese royal familiy and Princesses of Indian Royal Houses. Maharaja Sir Jung Bahadur Rana of Kaski & Lamjung himself started the process of marrying Rana Gentlemen and Ladies to the Indian Royal Households in mid 1800 AD. [http://www.royalark.net/Nepal/lamb3.htm Commander-in-Chief Gen. The shortest serving Rana Prime Minister was Dev Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana who ruled for two months in 1901, he was deposed by his brothers because of his reformist ideas. Known as "The Reformist" for his progressive policies, he proclaimed universal education, began to building schools, took steps to abolish slavery, and introduced several other social welfare schemes[citation needed]. He also made improvements to the arsenal at Nakkhu (south of Kathmandu) and started The Gorkhapatra newspaper. Dev Shumsher felt guilty for what had transpired during the coup, also a key incident happened during the coup which affected him deeply. He was held at gunpoint by General Dhoj Narsingh Rana, but was allowed to live and forgiven. For this, he felt a lot of guilt and asked for the exiled family members to return to Nepal. This brought him to a clash with his immediate brothers.
The Ranas were acclaimed and given much prestige and a 19-gun salute by British as well. All with the exception of Deva Shamsher received knighthoods.
The Rana dynasty developed into a powerful and wealthy family clan and some Ranas are still very influential in the country today taking higher positions in Nepal Army. To keep the power and influence the Rana family formed a close alliance with the Shah dynasty via marriage.
Notable among the Rana Prime Ministers were Jung, Bir, Chandra and Juddha, who together established the first formal written laws, formal schools, hydro plant, industries and banks in Nepal.
Contents
[hide]
Ashweena's Blog 