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A copy of a purjī from Bhīma Śamśera to the West no. 2 Bakyautā Aḍḍā ordering the purchase of cannabis for the ascetics at Kālamocanaghāṭa (VS 1959)

ID: K_0655_0026


Edited and translated by Christof Zotter
Created: 2024-06-18; Last modified: 2024-10-29
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Published by Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities: Documents on the History of Religion and Law of Pre-modern Nepal, Heidelberg, Germany, 2024. Published by the courtesy of the National Archives, Kathmandu. The copyright of the facsimile remains with the Nepal Rashtriya Abhilekhalaya (National Archives, Government of Nepal). All use of the digital facsimiles requires prior written permission by the copyright holder. See Terms of Use.
The accompanying edition, translation/synopsis and/or commentary are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License CCby-SA.

Abstract

In this purjī Commander-in-Chief General Bhīma Śamśera Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā instructs the officials of the West no. 2 Bakyautā Aḍḍā to purchase up to 35 mohararupaiyā̃s of good-quality cannabis for the ascetics of the akhāḍās at the Kālamocanaghāṭa and visiting ascetics coming for the Śivarātrī festival of VS 1959.



Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1श्री­\

1श्री­३­सर्कार­•
2\

1⟪30­⟫

1२८­नं­

1स्वस्ति­श्रीमद्राजकुमारकुमारात्मजश्रीकम्यांडरइनचीफ्‌•जनरल्‌भीम्‌सम्सेर•जङ्ग•राणावाहादुर•कस्य­
2पश्चीं­२­लम्वर­•वक्यौता­अडाका­•हाकीम्­कारींदाहरूके­पुर्जी­उप्रान्त­•५९­साल्‌का­शीवरात्रीलाई­•काल्‌मो
3चंमा­रह्याका­४­अषडाका­साधु­संतहरूलाइ­•र­सो­सीवरात्रीको­मेलामा­•आउने­•देसी­पर्देसी­साधु­सं
4त­फकीर­फकेडा•हरू­•स्मेतलाई­षुव़ाउना­नीमीत्त­तेस­अडाका­•आम्दानी­•मध्ये­•कीफायेत­साथ्‌­
5असल्‌­गाजा­मोरू­३५­सम्मको­षरिद­गरी­तौल्‌­दर­षोली­चलाेनी­लेषी­¯ \ ¯ ¯तर्फ­गुठी­वन्दो
6वस्त­•अडामा­पुग्ने­गरी­•पौष­मैन्हा­भरमा­•चुक्ती­गरी­पठाइदीने­काम्‌­गर­•सो­चलानी­वमोजीं
7को­माल्‌­वुझीली­मोल्‌­•नीज­अडा­मार्फत­•भर्ना­•हुंन्याछ­सो­गाजा•ले­हर्जा­नहोस­इती­सम्वत्‌­
8१९५९­साल्‌­मीती­कार्तीक्‌­वदी­२­रोज­१­शुभम्‌­¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
9पश्चीम्‌­१­लम्वरलाइ­•माथीको­वेहोरा­सदर­•मीती­सदर­•¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Translation

[Invocatio:]

Śrī

[In the space above the main text:]

Śrī 3 Sarkāra

[In the left margin:]

301

no. 282

Hail! [This is] a purjī of the venerable Commander-in-Chief General Bhīma Śamśera Jaṅga Bāhādura Rāṇā (text: Bhīm Samsera Jaṅga Rāṇā Bahādura), a venerable prince born of a prince, to the chief and clerks of the West no. 2 Bakyautā Aḍḍā (for Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā).

Uprānta: For Śivarātrī of the [Vikrama era] year [19]59, in order to supply the ascetics (sādhu santa) living in the 4 akhāḍās at Kālamocana[ghāṭa] (text: Kālamocaṃ),3 and the native and foreign ascetics and mendicants (sādhu santaphakīra phakeḍā (for phakira phakaḍā))4 coming for that Śivarātrī festival (melā) purchase with [an eye to] frugality, using [as close as possible] up to 35 morus (for mohararupaiyā̃s) of your (lit. that) office's revenue, good-quality (asal) cannabis (gājā for gā̃jā), write a note (calānī), disclosing weights and rates, clear it in full [and] send [the goods] so that [they] reach the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā under [Śrī 3 Sarkāra]5 by the month of Pauṣa. Take charge of the goods that correspond to the calānī. The cost will be reimbursed through the said [Guṭhī Bandobasta?] Aḍḍā.6 Let there be no scarcity of cannabis.7

Sunday, the 2nd of the dark fortnight of Kārtika in the [Vikrama] era year 1959 (1902 CE).8 Auspiciousness.

The above details and date [are also] valid for West no. 1 Bakyautā Aḍḍā.


Commentary

A month after this document, in Mārga, a similar order was sent to the West no. 3 Bakyautā Aḍḍā (see K_0655_0030). For documents relating to the akhāḍās' cannabis supply for the previous year, see K_0642_0024 and K_0642_0025. For a later example from VS 1968, see K_0382_0039.

A purjī from Bhīma Śamśera to the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā (K_0656_0029), dated Sunday, the 11th of the bright fortnight of Māgha in the [Vikrama] era year 1959 (1903 CE),9 gives some figures on the quantities of cannabis sent by the offices addressed and the sums to be refunded (in the following, given in the order of the tapasila of the purjī):

-West no. 3 Bakyautā [Tahasila Aḍḍā] is to receive a reimbursement of 10 morus (for mohararupaiyā̃s), 1 [sukā] 2 [ānās] for 17 dhārnīs (approx. 40.7 kg) of cannabis.10

-West no. 2 Bakyautā [Tahasila Aḍḍā] is to receive 27 [morus] 2 [sukās] for 15 dhārnīs (approx. 35.9 kg).11

-West no. 1 Bakyautā [Tahasila Aḍḍā] records a remittance of 9 [morus] 2 [sukās] for 9 dhārnīs (approx. 21.4 kg), but it turned out to be only 8 dhārnīs 3 [seras?] (approx. 20.7? kg), and the amount to be refunded was fixed at 8 [morus] 3 [sukās] 1 [ānā] 2 [? dāmas].

For the Śivarātrī of VS 1959, a total of about 97 kg of cannabis was collected, the sum reimbursed amounting to about 46 morus.12

Such accounts also exist for subsequent years (by then using the different monetary system of 100 paisās per moru). An unfortunately only partially legible document from Bhīma Śamśera to the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā (K_0661_0027), dated Phālguna VS 1960 (1904),13 lists the following details:

-According to the calānī of the West no. 1 Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā, 253 bundles (muṭhā) of cannabis had been purchased for 5 morus 25 [paisās], but according to the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā the weight was 7 dhārnīs 3 [pāus?] (approx. 17.3 kg),14 and with the rate being calculated as 72 [paisās] 1 [dāma] for 1 dhārnī, the order was given to reimburse only 5 morus 23 [paisās] 2 [dāmas].

-The calānī of the West no. 2 Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā claimed that 8 dhārnīs (approx. 19.1 kg) had been purchased for 18 morus at the [much higher] rate of 2 morus 25 [paisās] for 1 dhārnī. When the sent cannabis was reweighed by the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā the weight was found to be less than 6 dhārnīs15 (approx. 14 kg) and on the basis of the rate given in the calānī only 12 morus 84 [paisās] 1 [dāma] were to be refunded.

-The calānī of the West no. 3 Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā reported that 9 dhārnīs (approx. 21.5 kg) (at the rate of 1 moru 50 [paisās] per dhārnī) had been purchased for 13 morus 50 [paisās]. However, after the cannabis was found to be 9 dhārnīs 2 [seras?] with the rate recalculated as 1 moru 39 [paisās] 3 [dāmas] per dhārnī, the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā was ordered to refund only 13 morus 48 [paisās] 3 [dāmas].

-Finally, the East no. 1 Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā was charged 3 morus 75 [paisās] for 1 dhārnī, 1 [sera] 2 [pāus] of cannabis purchased at the rate of 2 morus 50 [paisās] per dhārnī. After reweighing and recalculating the rate,16 the amount to be refunded was set at 3 morus, 74 [paisās] 3 [dāmas].17

For the Śivarātrī of VS 1960, a total of about 57 kg of cannabis was collected, reimbursed with about 35 morus.18

For the Śivarātrī festival of the following year, VS 1961, the amounts and rates again vary. In another purjī from Bhīma Śamśera to the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā (K_0666_0031), dated Vaiśākha VS 196[2] (1905),19 the following details are provided:

-West no. 1 Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā had bought 6 dhārnīs (approx. 14.4 kg) of cannabis (at the rate of 50 [paisās] for 1 dharnī) and [without any discussion] the amount to be refunded was set at 3 morus.

-West no. 2 Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā was charged 14 dhārnīs (approx. 33.5 kg) purchased for 30 morus. But the weight determined by the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā was 1 dhārnī 2 seras less (approx. 31.9 kg)20 and the refund was set at 26 morus 40 paisās.

-West no. 3 Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā was charged 23½ dhārnīs (23 dhārnīs 1 sera 2 pāus, approx. 56.2 kg) purchased (at the rate of 1 moru 12 [paisās] 2 [dāmas] for 1 dharnī) for 26 morus 43 [paisās] 3 [dāmas]. On reweighing the cannabis, the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā determined that the weight was only 22 dhārnīs 1 [sera] 3 [pāus] (approx. 53.9 kg) and set the amount to be reimbursed at 25 morus 40 [paisās] 2 [dāmas].

Thus, for the Śivarātrī of VS 1961, a total of about 100 kg of cannabis was collected, and the sum reimbursed about 55 morus.

Notes

1. This number was added by a later hand (the NGMPP cataloguer?) using Arabic numerals. It refers to the position of the document in a batch of 137 documents from VS 1959 within a bundle of the "3 Sa. Gu. Ban." (Śrī 3 Sarkāra (?) Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā), microfilmed from K_0654_0073 (no. 1) up to K_0656_0056 (no. 137) (cf. the registration number on the catalogue card). [⇑]

2. This is the old registration number on which the new number (see previous note) is based. The fact that the old and new numbers differ slightly due to different counting methods is documented in other batches (see e.g. K_0642_0024 note 2). [⇑]

3. There are four so-called "wrestling grounds" (akhāḍās) at Kālamocanaghāṭa related to four different ascetic traditions, namely the Śaiva Daśanāmīs and Nāthas, the Vaiṣṇava Vairāgīs and the Sikh-affiliated Udāsīs (see also K_0395_0065 esp. n. 5). [⇑]

4. For these denominations, see also K_0230_0035 n. 1. [⇑]

5. Inserted from the space above the main text.. [⇑]

6. Other documents (see Commentary) suggest that the actual reimbursement was carried out by the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā after it had received instructions to do so from the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā. See also K_0661_0003. [⇑]

7. Alternatively, one could also translate: "Let there be no loss [for your office] because of the cannabis" , but a subsequent sentence in K_0382_0039 and K_0661_0003 make the reading given in the translation more plausible. [⇑]

8. The date corresponds to 19 October 1902. [⇑]

9. The date corresponds to 8 February 1903. [⇑]

10. The tapasila lists two batches: one of 13 dhārnīs of good-quality (asala) cannabis for 8 [morus] 3 [sukās] 1 [ānā] and a second of 4 dhārnīs of common quality (majhaulā) for 1 [moru] 2 [sukās] 1 [ānā]. [⇑]

11. Again two batches are listed: one of 9 dhārnīs 2 [seras] 2 [pāus] of good-quality (asala) cannabis for 19 [morus,] 3 [sukās] 1 [ānā], and a second batch of 5 dhārnīs 2 [seras] 2 [pāus] of common quality (majhaulā) for 1 [moru] 2 [sukās] 1 [ānā]. [⇑]

12. A few months after the said Śivarātrī—according to the NGMPP catalogue card, on Saturday, the 13th [gate] of Āṣāḍha, VS 1960 (i.e. 27 June 1903)—Bhīma Śamśera issued a purjī to the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā (K_0660_0019) stating that of the 40 dhārnīs 2 [seras] of cannabis collected by the three Western Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍās mentioned above, only 14 dhārnīs 2 [seras] 3 [pāus] were consumed during the Śivarātrī festival. The purjī then orders that the remaining 25 dhārnīs 2 [seras] 1 [? pāu] be given to the head (mahanta) of the Vairāgī akhāḍā in the presence the jā̃cakīḍiṭṭhā as witness. Unfortunately, the end of the document (including the eschatocol) is not legible in the available photograph. [⇑]

13. According to the NGMPP catalogue card, the document was issued on Tuesday, the 5th of Phālguna (i.e. 16 February 1904), but in the document photographed as K 661/27 no numbers are given for gate and vara in the eschatocol. The full date may be found, though, in another part of the document, illegible in the photograph (see note 19 below). [⇑]

14. The weight is given as "dhārnīs 7 ' 3". [⇑]

15. The exact weight is given as "5 ' 2 2", here probably meaning 5 dhārnīs 2 seras 2 pāus. [⇑]

16. The Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā determined the weight as "dhārnī 1 ' 2 ।" and recalculated the rate as 2 [morus] 14 [paisās] per dhārnī. [⇑]

17. For this consignment of cannabis, the only one from an Eastern Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā during VS 1959-1961, see also the Commentary on K_0661_0003. [⇑]

18. In contrast to the accounts of VS 1959, no information is given on the quality of the cannabis. [⇑]

19. In the eschatocol of this purjī, the [VS] era year is erroneously given as "1961", and again (cf. note 13 above) gate and vara are not specified, but a note to the right of the beginning of the tapasila section states that the issue was resolved on Saturday, the 31st solar day (gate) of Vaiśākha, [VS 19]62 (this date corresponds to 13 May 1905). [⇑]

20. The cannabis sent by this office consisted of two batches (of different quality?): 9 (and not 10 as stated in the calānī) dharnīs purchased at a rate of 2 [morus] 10 [paisās] per dhārnī, a total of 18 [morus] 90 [paisās], and 3 dharnīs 1 [sera] (instead of 4 dharnīs as given in the calānī) purchased at a rate of 2 [morus] 25 [paisās] per dhārnī, a total of 7 [morus] 50 [paisās]. [⇑]