A letter from Dhīra Śamśera awarding a three-year monopoly on the purchase of nirbisi herbs to Chimi Dorje (VS 1931)
ID: E_3446_0012
Edited and
translated by Rajendra Shakya
in collaboration with
Pabitra Bajracharya
Created: 2019-11-26;
Last modified: 2021-09-06
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Abstract
This letter from Dhīra Śamśera sanctions a three-year contract in the name of Chimi Dorje that awards him a monopoly on the purchase of nirbisi herbs and also authorizes him to punish anyone who sells them elsewhere.
Diplomatic edition
[1r]
[Seal of Dhīra Śamśera][Unknown seal]1स्वस्तिश्रीमद्राजकुमारकुमारात्मजपुर्वतर्फकाक2[?]डिङ्जनरलश्रीधिरसम्सेरजङ्गराणावाहा
3[?]कस्यपत्रम्¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
4आगेअठारसयेषोलानम्रुकगाउवस्न्याछि
5मिदार्ज्येकेहाम्राजनरलीषान्गीमादरीया
6कोषुव़ाअठारसयेषोलामध्येउपागाउ१
7पाङ्सिगाउ१फिलुनगाउ१सिग्लागाउ१सा
8मागाउ१यामचागाउ१षोर्लागाउ१ज्मागाउ७कोरैय
9तदुनीञाँहरुलेवनमानिर्विसीषनिषोर्सीमाहाजन
10हरुलाइविक्रीगर्याकाभाउलेगाउल्याहरुसंगतैले
11यकहट्टीगरीलीनाकेसावीकठेकमोरु४०मा१९३२सा
12लदेषी३४सालतकवर्ष३कोवर्ष१कोमोरु४०कादर्ले
13मोरु१२०मात्रीसालाकोपट्टागरिवक्स्यौंठीकाकारु
14पैयासालसालकाचैत्रमैन्हाभरमामोरु४०काहीसा
15पलेचुक्तीगरिवुझाउनुअघिदेषीनचल्याकादर
16भाउमागाउकारैयत्हरुलाइकरलगाइनलिनुअघि
17माहाजनहरुलेलीयाकादरभाउवमोजीम्षरीदगर्नु
18दरमारैयतहरुलाइपीराइलीयाकोठहर्योर∙कोही
19रैतीकराउनु∙आयोभंन्याअैनवमोजीम्तैलेवुझाउ
20नुपर्लायेकहट्टीकोकवोलगरितैलेलीयाकोनिर्वी∙
21सीरकम्माकसैलेलुकिछलिनिर्विसीमालहट्टीमा
22वीक्रीनगरिअनेत्रवीक्रीगर्याकोपक्रीयो∙भन्या∙
23किन्नेवेचन्यादुवै़लाइअैनवमोजीम्सजायेगर्नुभ
24नित्रीसालायकहट्टीकोपट्टागरिवक्स्यौइतिसम्वत्
25१९३१सालमितिफागुणसुदि३०रोज१शुभम्¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
Translation
[1r]
[Seal of Dhīra Śamśera]
Hail! A letter from the venerable Eastern Commanding General Dhīra Śamśera Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā, a prince born of a prince
Āge: To Chimi Dorje, a resident of Namdrugāũ1 of the Aṭhāra Saya Kholā [region]
We have sanctioned a three-year contract for a monopoly with the following details:
“We have formalized a three-year contract [in your name] beginning from the year [VS] 1932 (1876 CE) to [VS 19]34 (1878 CE) [set] at a total amount of 120 mohararupaiyā̃s, at the usual contractual rate of 40 mohararupaiyā̃s for 1 year, awarding you the monopoly of making purchase of nirbisi2 that is dug or scratched up from the forest, at the rate the ryots of a total of 7 villages sell [the item] to merchants for—[namely] Upāgāũ-1, Pāṅsigāũ3 -1, Philunagāũ4 -1, Siglāgāũ-1, Sāmāgāũ5 -1, Yāmacāgāũ-1 [and] Khorlāgāũ-1 from within the Aṭhāra Saya Kholā [region] that have been allocated to me as khuvās of a khānagī for [my] generalship.
“Deposit in full the contractual amount at the rate of 40 mohararupaiyā̃s for each year within the month of Caitra. Do not impose levies that have not been exacted previously from the ryots of the village. Make purchases at the rate which other merchants did so in the past. If you are found to have tormented the ryots [by making a reduction] in the [current selling] rate when the purchase is made and any ryot comes to complain, then you shall have to pay in accordance with the Ain.
“If, after you have agreed to submit the stipulated sum (rakama) for the monopoly on nirbisi, anyone is caught selling nirbisi somewhere else in a secretive and fraudulent manner instead of selling it to the shop which enjoys a monopoly on the said item, punish both the buyer and seller in accordance with the Ain.”
Sunday, the 30th of the bright6 fortnight of Phālguṇa in the [Vikrama] era year 1931 (1875 CE). Auspiciousness.
Commentary
This document awards Chimi Dorje of Namdru village a monopoly on the purchase of nirbisi from the ryots of seven villages named in the document and also authorizes him to punish anyone who is found to have sold or purchased the herb elsewhere. The document does not state whether the villages are from the western or the eastern side of the Buḍhī Gaṇḍakī River. As the villages of Pāṅsi, Philuna and Sāmā are in Kutang, we may assert with some confidence that the other villages, too, lie to the west of the river.