A pramāṅgī from Dilamāna Rānā re the tender process of the gambling license at the market square of Asana (VS 1959)
ID: K_0499_0041
Edited and
translated by Simon Cubelic
in collaboration with
Rajan Khatiwoda
Created: 2015-06-12;
Last modified: 2023-01-25
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Abstract
This document records the decision of the commander-in-chief regarding a petition made by Kularatna after he missed the deadline for submitting a bid for the reassignment of the gambling license for the market square in Asana in VS 1959 (1902 CE) and wherein he asks to be allowed to participate in the selection process. In the first part of the document the opinion of the Apīla Aḍḍā regarding the case is quoted. It is followed by a statement of Buddhī Bahādūra, a clerk at the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā, who argues that the participation of Kularatna would violate the prescribed procedure. Finally, the decision of the commander-in-chief is quoted to the effect that Kularatna be allowed to submit his bid, but instead of a formal tender process the bidders should be assembled and the license be auctioned off.
Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1श्री\1श्रीअंनपुर्णा2१1श्रीकम्यांडरइनचीफजन
2रल¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
3२1
2¯ ¯१ ¯काचारकील्लाभीत्रकाअसनडवुलीकोवालमावढावढकोपुर्जीटासीयाकोमा
3१दीनवाकीम्यादमामेरासराध्येगर्नुपर्नेहुनालेअवेराअडामाभंनजादाअडाउठीसकेकोहुना
4लेपालेलाईभनीजाहेरगरेकोछुवढावढगर्नपाउभनीकुलरत्नलेवीन्तीचढाउदावढावढ्
5गर्नपाउनेरहेछभनेऐनवमोजीम्वढावढ्गर्नदीनुभनीगुठीजाँचअडामापठाईदीनुभंन्याम
6र्जीभयाकोछभंनेवेहोराकोअपीलअडाकोपुर्जीभैआयाकोमा१दीनवाकीम्यादव
7सेकादीनअडासकेपछीअडामारातीजकुलरत्नआईवढावढ्गर्न पाउभनीउजुरगरी
8गयाकोरहेछअडानउठीसकेपछीआयाकोहुनालेऐनलेवढावढ्गर्नुनहुनेजस्तोदेषीं
9छसावीककवुलगर्नेमेहेरमानकानाउमैम्यादगुज्रेकोसदरगरिवक्स्योतरतेसैदीनउजुरग
10र्नकुलरत्नआयाकोहुनालेवढावढ्गराउनेजोमर्जीभनीगुठीजाचअडाकाराईटरवुद्धीवहा
11दुरले¯ ¯२ ¯साहेवकाहजुरमावीन्तीचढाउदाजुवामापासाथापनुपर्नेरतेसैदीनउजुर
12गर्नआयाकोहुनालेम्यादटासीरहदादसैकावीदामापरेकोरजुवाआषीरभैम्याद
13लेनभ्याउनेभयाकोहुदाऐनवमोजीमवढावढ्कोम्यादटास्नुपर्दैनकवुलगर्नेमानीस
14हरुअडामाज्मागरीरोहवरोमावढावढ्गराउनुजस्लेवढीकवुलगर्छउस्कानाउमा
15तेसअडाकोवाहालीकोपुर्जीगरीदीपछीरपोट्सदरगराईलीनुयस्मावातलाग्दैन
16भनीगुठीजाचअडामापठाईदीनुभंने¯ ¯२ ¯साहेववाटमर्जीभयाकोछभनीप्रमांगी
17कपतानदील्मानरानालेसहीछापगरेकोछाप¯ ¯ ¯[seal of Dilamāna; at the bottom-left margin][seal of Dilamāna; at the bottom-right margin]
Translation
[1r]
Venerable Annapūrṇā – 1
Venerable commander-in-chief general – 21
A note from the Apīla Aḍḍā [earlier] arrived with the following details: Kularatna has submitted a petition saying: "‘In the matter of the note posted for the bidding process for renting the market square of Asana within the four boundaries of -1- (i.e., Venerable Annapūrṇā [Guṭhī]), given that I had to perform a death ritual (śrāddha)2 on the last day before the deadline, and since the Aḍḍā had already closed when I went, [too] late, to tell this to it, I informed the watchman, [so please] let me participate in the bidding.’ [The following] was ordered: if he is eligible to bid, let [him] make a bid in conformity with the Ain and send his bid afterwards to the [Guṭhī] Jā̃ca Aḍḍā. Buddhī Bahādūra, the clerk of the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā, informed -2- (i.e., the commander-in-chief general), saying: "Kularatna came to the Aḍḍā in the night when the Aḍḍā had already closed, on the day which was the last day of the deadline [period] and made a petition, saying: ‘[Please] let me participate in the bidding.’ It seems that according to the Ain we should not let him participate in the bidding, since he arrived when the Aḍḍā [already] had closed. You gave post-deadline approval in the name of Meheramāna who had earlier promised [a sum in the bid], but since Kularatna came that same day to make a petition, whatever order [you give] in the matter of the execution of the bidding [we shall obey]." -2- (i.e. the commander-in-chief general) sāheba has ordered [the following]: "Since he came on the same day to make a petition as the dice for gambling had to be arranged and since it was during the Dasaĩ holidays that the deadline had been posted, and since a [new] deadline cannot be announced, given that [the days left for] gambling are coming to an end, a [new] deadline for the bidding need not, according to the Ain, be posted. Assemble the people who have promised [a sum] in the Aḍḍā and carry out the bidding in their presence. Issue an appointment letter from the Aḍḍā in the name of the person who promises the highest [sum], and later obtain approval of the report [sent]. In this matter you will not be blamed. Forward it (i.e., the report) to the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā." This has been signed and stamped by Captain Dilamāna Rānā.3
Commentary
This document is the first one of a series of four documents that have to do with the tender process for issuing a gambling license for the market square at Asana for the years VS 1959–1961 (1902–1904 CE) (cf. K_0499_0041, K_0499_0047, K_0499_0048). Like the other three documents, it shows that the procedures prescribed for concluding revenue-farming arrangements in the Mulukī Ain of VS 1945 were being put into practice (cf. M. C. Regmi 1980: 65 ff.). However, it is noteworthy that such procedures could still be altered by order of the prime minister. Indeed, petitions such as the one recorded here may have played a decisive role in influencing just how the state law was implemented.