A copy of a rukkā from King Gīrvāṇayuddha confirming land in Phedāp under the subbāṅgī of Āsāhāṅa Rāī and other subbās (VS 1860)
ID: E_3420_0009
Edited and
translated by Julia Shrestha
Created: 2025-02-17;
Last modified: 2025-11-18
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Abstract
In the document of which this is a copy, the king reconfirms the territories under four subbās of Phedāp, upholding the customary land tenure granted to their ancestors during the Sen reign of Makwanpur.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1७1श्री दुर्गाज्यू सहाय1स्वस्तिश्रीमन्महाराजाधिराजकस्यरून्का2आगेआसाहाङराईतुम्वांईतराईकिदाहांराईमनुवाराईकेहि
3तंम्रावावाज्यादादेखिसेनकापालामासांधकिलोगरिदीयाको
4फेदापघडवारीसेङसेङरूम्मादेषिपूर्वातमोरदेषिपश्चिमछ
5वुवाषोलादेखिदक्षिननोफुखोलादेषिउत्तरईतिचारकिला
6भीत्रकेजिमिजगामाभाईसरहकोतिरिसुवांगिआजतकगरि
7आयाकोरहेछतसर्थहिजोकावमोजीमथीतिरितिथामिवक्सौं
8आफ्नाषातिर्जामासंगथितिरितिजीमिजानिदहादसलिम्वुकासरहा
9संगभोग्यगरसेवाटहलमारूजुरहुईतिसम्वत्१८६०सालमिति
10मार्गसिर्षवदि३०रोज२सुभम्
Translation
[1r]
71
[May] Śrī Durgā [be our] help.
Hail! [This is] an executive order (rukkā) from the supreme king of great kings.2
Āge: To Āsāhāṅa Rāī, Tumvāṃīta Rāī, Kidāhāṃ Rāī, [and] Manuvā Rāī. From [times] even longer [ago] than your fathers’ [era]—during the rule of the Sens—the Phedāp settlement area was given [to your ancestors] with [the following] boundaries: from Seṅaseṅarummā [in] the east, from the Tamora [in] the west, from the Chavuvā Kholā [in] the south, [and] from the Nophu Kholā [in] the north. The subbāṅgī [on whose] landholdings within these four boundaries [exactions] are paid as brothers, has continued until today. Therefore, we confirm [it (i.e. the subbāṅgī)] in accordance with previous customs and traditions. Being mindful of your duty, know the customary land [to be yours], of equal status to [the rest of] Das Limbu[vān]3 [and] enjoy [it]. Remain present in [your] service and duty.
Monday, the 30th of the dark half of Mārgasirṣa in the [Vikrama era] year 1860 (1803 CE).4 Auspiciousness.
Commentary
The present document confirms the hereditary rights of the mentioned persons as subbās of Phedāp and defines the boundaries of their territories, which their ancestors had been granted prior to the Gorkhalis by the Sen kings of Makwanpur. The subbāṅgī included authority over tax collection and jurisdiction in the assigned territory. This document is a later copy made well after the original was written, as evidenced by its transcription into a modern paper notebook and the frequent mixing of earlier and later spellings—for example, the use of both the forms deṣi and dekhi.