A letter from Candra Śamśera formalizing a lokābhāra contract in favour of Mukhiyā Karmā Chikyāp of Chākagāũ (VS 1945)
ID: E_3446_0003
Edited and
translated by Rajendra Shakya
in collaboration with
Yogesh Budathoki
Created: 2019-12-06;
Last modified: 2023-01-23
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Abstract
This letter from Candra Śamśera formalizes a lokābhāra lease contract in favour of Mukhiyā Karmā Chikyāp of Chākagāũ under terms similar to a previous lease of the land, namely without any requirement to post a deadline notice or submit collateral.
Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1श्री\1श्रीराज2१1श्रीदैवि
2२1श्रीदेवदेवता
2३1[Seal of Candra Śamśera]1[Unknown seal]1स्वस्तिश्रीमद्राजकुमारकुमारत्मजश्रीपश्चिम्तर्फकाकम्यांडिङ्ज
2नरलचन्द्रसम्सेरजङ्गराणावहादुरकस्यपत्रम्¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
3आगेछाक्गाउकामुषिय़ाकर्माछिक्याप्केयेथोचित्उप्रान्त[...]
4ठारसयेषोलाकोसाविक्काजागीरदारहरुवाटलोकाभारकाजगा
5हुनालेम्यादनटाँसिवेज्मानिमालोकाभारकोसालवसालीपट्टा
6गरिवक्स्याकोहोहजुरवाटपनिसाविकवमोजिंहजुरलाईसोषुव़ाछंज्याल्सालवसा
7लीपट्टागरिपाउभनिजिम्माव़ालसुव्वाछेम्दोर्जेषुनुलेरतिमिमुषियारैतिहरुले[...]
8त्हाम्राहजुरमाविन्तिचढाउदासाविकमाचलिआयावमोजिम्सालवसालीपट्टाक
9वुलियेत्गरिदिनुभनिहामीवाटप्रमाङ्गीलेफ्टेन्जित्वहादुरथापाक्षेत्रीभैआउदा
10सोवमोजिमंअठारसयेषोलामध्येकुतांपट्टिछाक्गाउ१कोईस्तकसम्वत्१९४५सालआ
11श्विणवदी१रोजदेषी४६सालभद्रसुदी१५रोजतक्वर्ष१कामितिलेहामीलाइ[...]
12षांगीछंज्याल्सालवसालीसिवाये¯ ¯१¯अंककल्यान्धन्धर्माधिकारपंचखत्रहता
13वहताउडंतागडंतारकमीघरकाझारावेदर्तारकम्कलम्पगरिकाचुक्षत्वाहेकव़ाज
14विसेर्मासाउन्याफागुस्याफल्सिर्तोसाविक्देषिदरिचलीआयाकोरकम्कलम्अैनवमो
15जिंकादंडकुंडमर्योअपुतालीचाकचकुईमारिमेटिवेमोजरैसाविक्४५सालका
16लोकाभारकाठेकवमोजिंमोरु३४३॥जिन्सीनुन्पाथि।६।२मारैतान्लोकाभारको
17ठेक्गरिवक्स्यौंगाउमारस्तिचलाइवस्तिवसाईअवादगुल्जार्गरिरैतिराजिराषि
18साविक्दरिचलीआयावमोजिंअसुलतहसिल्गरिकवुलवमोजिंकानगदीजि[...]
19सालसालकायेकैकिस्तामाघमैन्हामानिजजिम्माव़ाल्सुव्वाछेम्दोर्जेषुनुको[...]
20तिजाछांवाषुनुमार्फतचुक्तीगरिहाम्रातहसिल्अडामादाषीलगरिरसिदलिनुकदा
21चित्जिम्माव़ाललेदाम्काम्हिनामिनापार्योमर्योभागीनासिगयोभन्यातिमिमुषि
22यारैतिहरुकाघरघरानावाटवुझाउनुपर्लासर्कारवाटरहामीवाटकेहिफर्मायेसिमा[...]
23लेषीआयोभन्यासाविक्वमोजिंगाउमाचल्याकादरभाउलेषरिदगरिसोमालचलान्
24गर्दाअघिचलीआयाकाअडाअडावाटचलाईदाषीलगर्नुतिम्रागाउमाभयाका
25मैन्कस्तुरिअनेत्रनवेचनुजोभयाकोल्याईहाम्रातहविल्मादाषिलगर्नुसालआ[...]
26भयापछिदाषीलगर्याकोरसिदहरुल्याईव़ासिलवाकीगरिफारषतिलिनुकवुल[...]
27मोजिंकानगदीजिन्सीमा¯ ¯२¯पर्योअथवाजगामाउठ्नसकेनभनिमिन्हामोजरा
28कोउजुरगर्यायेक्दाम्मिन्हापाउन्याछैन¯ ¯३¯काजात्राआजापुजादसैमामुलि
29षर्चजोछसाविक्वमोजिंकतिनघटाइठेकवाहेक्वाटचलाउनुलोकाभारकाठे
30क्मानाफाभयापनिनोक्सान्भयापनिरैतिगैह्रसंगदामासाहीकाहिसावलेलिनु
31दिनुगर्नुअसुलतहसिल्मामिलामुद्दाईन्साफ्गर्दाअैनवमोजिंजाञीगर्नुगाउ[...]
32रमापरिआयाकातिमीमुषियाहरुलेछिन्ननसक्याकोरतिम्रानाउमानालिस्ग
33र्न्याहरुकोझगडामुद्दाहेरिईन्साफ्गर्न्याहाकिम्१साविक्वमोजिंहामीवाटपठाई
34वक्सौलातिमीमुषियारैतिहरुसामेलभैझगडाछिनिसोझगडामुद्दामाभयाकोआ
35म्दानिलोकाभारकाठेकवाहेक्वुझाउनुयोलेषीयावमोजिंनगरिघटीवढीपारिघुस
36रोस्वत्सर्सलामीषाईनञारकम्कलम्लगाईलिविजाञीविदुतगरिदुषदिकाम
37काजगर्यौरकोहिरैतिकराउनआयोसोमुद्दासावित्भयोभन्याअैनवमोजिंतिमिह
38रुलेवुझाउनुपर्लामैनकस्तुरिजोभयाकोहाम्रातहविलमादाषीलनगरिअनेत्रवेच्यो
39भन्यारकिस्तवंदिमावुझाउनुपर्न्यासालसालकायेकैकिस्तामाघमैन्हामादाषीलग
40र्नसकेनौभन्याकिस्ताकिस्तानाघ्यावापत्नगदीकोकिस्ताषिलापिसुत्रजिन्सीमालकोअ
41सन्वजारकादरभाउलेमोलस्मेत्मुषियारैतिहरुमाजोफेलापर्छउस्वाटवाकीउ
42ठाईलिलोकाभारतोडीवक्सौलाभनिसाविक्वमोजिंसालवसालीलोकाभारको
43ठेक्कापट्टागरिवक्स्यौआफ्नाषातिरजामासंगलोकाभारकामुषियालीपट्टा
44जानिजगामाचलन्गरईतिसम्वत्१९४५सालमितिफागुणसुदी७रोज७सु
45भ्म्¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
Translation
[1r]
Śrī Rāja –1
Some act of the glorious divinities – 2
The glorious divinities – 3
[Seal of Candra Śamśera]
Hail! A letter from Western Commanding General Candra Śamśera Jaṅga Rāṇā Bahādura, a prince born of a prince
Āge: To Karmā Chikyāp, the mukhiyā of Chākagāũ
Yathocita uprānta: “Former jāgīradāras had [khuvās suitable for] lokābhāra land [leases] in the Aṭhāra Saya Kholā [region,] so they made annual lokābhāra [contracts,] [but] without [either] a [seven-day] deadline notice [or] collateral [requirements]. We beg you to provide us also with annual lokābhāra leases, as usual, for as long as the khuvā[s] remain yours.”
This came to our notice after JimmāvālaSubbāChem Dorje Khunu together with you, Mukhiyā [Karmā Chikyāp], and the ryots as well made petition to us.
[Therefore], [we] sent out (lit. "there came [to you]") a pramāṅgī in the hands of Lieutenant Jit Bahādura Thāpā Kṣetrī, stating: “Let an annual lease contract be formalized in accordance with previous custom.” Pursuant to it, we [hereby] formalize an annual raitānalokābhāra lease contract for the 1 village of Chākagāũ [among the cluster of villages in the] Kutang [sector] within the Aṭhāra Saya Kholā [region] for 1 year beginning from (istaka) the 1st of the dark fortnight of Āśvina in the year VS 1945 (1888 CE) to the 15th of the bright fortnight of Bhādra in the year [VS 19]46 (1889 CE) for [the sum] of 343 mohararupaiyā̃s 2 sukās [in cash], along with 6 pāthīs 2 mānās of salt in kind—in line with the previous lokābhāra lease for the year [VS 19]45—for as long as this khānagī remains with us, with the following details:
“Except for rāja-aṅka2 , kalyānadhana, dharmādhikārapañcakhata and arrearages (rahatā bahatā, uḍaṃtā, gaḍaṃtā)3 , jhārā levies on rakamī households, unregistered customary taxes and levies (rakamakalama), and the [fines for] faults (cukṣat)4 [committed by holders of] pagarī [contracts], there shall be a complete exemption for the scheduled (vājabī) sermā, sāunephāgu, syāphala5 and sirto [revenue], [along with] registered customary taxes and levies, and daṇḍakuṇḍa, maryo aputālī, cākacakui [levies] that are imposed in accordance with the Ain.
“Keep the ryots well disposed in the village by overseeing affairs, founding settlements and making the cultivation of land flourish (ābāda guljāra garī), and collect revenue as listed and managed previously, and submit [the total amount] which you have agreed to pay, in cash and kind, for each year in a single instalment in the month of Māgha through Chāṃvā Khunu, the son of the brother of the said Jimmāvāla Subbā Chem Dorje Khunu; deliver it to our Tahasila Aḍḍā and obtain a receipt.
“In the case where a jimmāvāla mishandles money matters, [and then] dies or runs away, and [the amount due] is lost, then you, the mukhiyā and the ryots, will have to pay from your household property. When [there are orders] from the sarkāra or us in writing for needed items, make the purchase at the current rate in the village as was done previously, and when dispatching such items, [have them] delivered by dispatching from the government offices (aḍḍā) that were previously used. Do not sell elsewhere the wax and musk available in your village. Deliver all available [wax and musk] to our treasury.
“When the [fiscal] year comes to an end, bring all receipts for the deposits [of levies and goods], hand over the ledger (vāsila bā̃kī) and obtain a phārakhatī. If you request a remission, stating that -2- [some act of the glorious divinities]6 has befallen you or that you failed to collect [what is due] on [lokābhāra] land, you shall not receive the remission of even a single dāma in cash or kind contracted to be paid for any reason.
“Besides [the commitments] under the contract, you shall bear the basic expenses from your own households for the religious processions for and worship of -3- [the glorious divinities]7 during the Dasaĩ festival, without any reduction in the previous outlay. In cases of profit or loss in the lokābhāra contract, proportionally distribute to ryots etc., or collect from them, [the surplus or shortfall]. Follow the rules set by the Ain when collecting revenue and adjudicating lawsuits [among ryots].
“We shall send 1 hākima to look into and adjudicate, in accordance with the Ain, cases involving disputes that arise in villages and households that you mukhiyās fail to settle, and also cases involving disputes of persons who file lawsuits against you. Deposit revenue from cases and disputes that you, the mukhiyās and ryots, settle separately from [the amount due on] the lokābhāra lease.
“If you do not act in accordance with what is written here [and go against it] by taking bribes or embezzling sarsalāmī payments, imposing and collecting new, superfluous levies, or [otherwise] causing injury and oppression so as to make [ryots] suffer, and if any ryot comes to complain and proves such a case, then you shall have [a price] to pay in accordance with the Ain.
“If anyone sells wax or musk that is available [in the village] elsewhere instead of delivering it to our treasury, and if [anyone among you] is unable to deposit the instalment that is to be paid as a single annual instalment in the month of Māgha, then you shall have to pay interest on the instalment for having crossed the instalment [deadline], and at market rates for goods at Asana8 . What is due shall be exacted from you, whether mukhiyā or ryot—whoever is found [wanting]—and the lokābhāra [contract] shall be annulled.”
We have therefore formalized an annual lokābhāra lease contract under the previous terms. Tend the land with content (khātirajāmāsaṃga), considering [it] as a lokābhāra lease contract [that also authorizes you] to perform the duties of a mukhiyā (mukhiyālī paṭṭā).
Saturday, the 7th of the bright fortnight of Phālguṇa in the [Vikrama] era year 1945 (1889 CE). Auspiciousness.
[Unknown Seal]
Commentary
The topmost part of this document is intact, and its references to, for example, Śrī Daivī and Śrī Devadevatā allow the lack of such references that appear in almost all of the lokābhāra lease contracts from the region to be cleared up. This document is slightly different from the other lokābhāra lease contracts in that at the end it identifies itself as a mukhiyālī paṭṭā. This suggests that, while it is a regular lokābhāra lease contract, it also authorizes Karmā Chikyāp to serve as the mukhiyā of Chākagāũ. It appears that he had been appointed only recently, and that this document was meant to serve as a letter of appointment.