A letter from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya, Devarṣi Upādhyāya, Nāhāra Siṃ Thāpā and Śālīgrāma Siṃ to Bhavānībhakta Siṃ Khatrī re the British predilection for puppet theatre (VS 1888)
ID: DNA_0002_0016
Edited and
translated by Manik Bajracharya, Simon Cubelic and Rajan Khatiwoda
Created: 2015-11-20;
Last modified: 2018-06-22
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Abstract
In this letter, addressed to Bhavānībhakta Siṃ Khatrī, dated 1832, Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya, Devarṣi Upādhyāya, Nāhāra Siṃ Thāpā and Śālīgrāma Siṃ report that the British stationed in Patna prefer puppet theatre to other dramatic art forms practised in Hindustan, and suggest that the theatre company witnessed there travel once to Nepal.
Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1⟪नं१३३⟫1स्वस्तिश्रीसर्वोपमाजोग्येत्यादिसकलगुण2गरिष्ठराजभारासामर्थश्री३लेफटैनभव़ा
3निभक्तसिंषतृकेषु•ईतलोकरमनउपाध्या
4य़देव़रिषिउपाध्याय़ज्मादारनाहारसिंथापा
5सालीग्रामसिंकासुभाशीर्वादसलामपूर्वक
6पत्रमिदम्•ईहाँकुशलछ•ताहातपाँईंकोकु
7शलमंगलचाहीन्छ•आगेञाहाकोसमा
8चारभलोछ•उप्रान्त•डि[...]भन्या•गौस्
9महमदषांमहता[...]जन्ह
10रु•पुतलीकोनाचवेस्[...][...]दारह्याछन्
11अंरेजहरुहीन्दुस्तानिको•कसैकोनाचहे
12र्दैनन्•ईनीहेरुलाईवोलाईवोलाईकन•ना
13चगराउछन्•ईन्कोनाचहामिहेरुलेप
14निदेष्यौंगोराकोपल्टन्जम्न्या•तोपको
15सलक्गर्न्या•अकवरवादसाहकोमजीली
16स्जम्न्या•सव्ज्यानवरकोनकल्गर्न्या•वहु
17तैवढियागर्दारह्याछन्ञाहाकासाहेवा
18न्लोग्•मीरउम्राव़हरु•ये़स्नाचकोवहुतता
19रिफ्गर्छन्नैपाल्जान्छौंभन्यारहामिले
20पनिसल्लाहदिञौ•ईन्लाईनैपाल्पुग्न्या
21कामगरि
22दीनुभय़ा
23वढिय़ाहु
24न्याछसोत
25पाँईवाटग
26र्नैहुन्याछ
27वीज्ञेषुकी
28मधीकमि
29तिमाघव
30दी७रोज३
31सम्वत्१८८८
32सालमुका
33मपटनाशु
34भम्¯¯¯¯
Translation
[1r]
No. 1331
Hail! To the thrice venerable Lieutenant Bhavānībhakta Siṃ Khatrī who is worthy and suchlike of all exalting similes, who is laden with all [superior] qualities, and who is fit for royal duties.
This letter, [sent] with salutations and auspicious blessings, is from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya, Devarṣi Upādhyāya, Jamādāra Nāhāra Siṃ Thāpā and Śālīgrāma Siṃ.
We are well here. We wish you well-being there. Further, the news here is good.
Uprānta:2 They consider the puppet performances are better! The British do not watch any of the Hindustani performances. They have them (i.e., the puppeteers) perform—inviting them [back]—time and again. We also watched their performances. They stage very nicely the mustering of British troops, the firing of canons, the council meetings of Emperor Akbar, and imitations of all [sorts of] animals. The sāhebas and senior military officials (mīraumarāva) greatly praise these performances. They (i.e., the puppeteers) said they would like to go to Nepal, and we advised them accordingly.3 It would be excellent if you could arrange for them to get to Nepal. This you will surely do. What more to say to a knowledgeable one.
Tuesday, the 7th of the dark fortnight of Māgha in the [Vikrama] era year 1888 (1832 CE).
Residence: Patna. Auspiciousness.
Commentary
This is the oldest letter so far found in the DNA-series written by Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya. He was still residing in Patna at the time the present letter was written. The document does not reveal the official position he held there. This document has been published in Bajracharya/Cubelic/Khatiwoda 2016 (VS 2072): 123-124 and 130.