Documenta Nepalica

Documents on the History of Religion and Law of Pre-modern Nepal

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A report by the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā re the tender process of the gambling license at the market square of Asana (VS 1959)

ID: K_0499_0044

Edited and translated by Simon Cubelic in collaboration with Rajan Khatiwoda
Created: 2016-10-13; Last modified: 2018-06-15
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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, 2017. 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

Abstract

In this report from the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā the matter of concern is a tender process for assigning the gambling license for the market square at Asana for the years VS 1959-1961 (1902-1904 CE). It is reported that a certain Meheramāna Nhuche Pradhāna offered 35 mohara rupaiyā̃ per annum for the license and submitted a promissory note (kabula) of his bid accordingly. In the second step, a notice of Meheramāna’s bid was posted. On the sixth day of the seven-day deadline, a man called Kṛṣṇavīra submitted a bid which topped Meheramāna’s bid by two mohara rupaiyā̃. However, Meheramāna quickly went Kṛṣṇavīra three mohara rupaiyā̃ better. It seems that Kṛṣṇavīra then dropped out of the competition, since the report mentions that a new notice with Meheramāna’s bid had been posted for another six days. After this, another notice with a one-day deadline was posted, to give prospective bidders one last chance. When no other bids were received, the license was granted to Meheramāna for 40 mohara rupaiyā̃ per annum.

Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1श्रीअन्नपूर्णा
2१

[seal]

1गुठीजाचअडावाट

1उप्राँन्तअसन्‌¯ ¯ १¯कागुठीको४कील्लाभीत्रकोडवुलीलगत्‌‌मादर्तानभयाकोरजुवा[?]
2कासाल्मासोडवुलीमापासाथापेवावत्‌मोरु३५कादर्लेठेकदारवाटलीषायाकोछजुवा[?]
3कासाल्मारनफुकेकासाल्मास्मेत्‌‌कोवर्षकोठेकमोरु३५कादर्लेतीर्नेगरिमेरानाउमा[?]
4नदपुर्जिहवस्‌भनीसहरकाठमाडौकसुवीलाछिकोहाल्‌टुंवाहालवस्नेमेहेरमा[?]न्हु
5छेप्रधानलेजाहेरीमुचुल्कालेषीदीयावमोजीम्‌येसअडावाटरपोट्जाहेरगर्दाऐनवमो
6जीम्‌सालवसाल्माताँसपुर्जिगरिदीनुभनिमुल्कीअडावाटतोकलेषेकोमाहुकुम्‌मर्जिल
7गा⟪ये⟫त्‌सदरभैसोरपोट्येसअडामाआयाकोरनीजमेहेरमानलेयही५९सालवैसाषवदी१[?][?]
8न्देषी६१सालचैत्रसुदि१५रोजतक्‌वर्ष३मासालसाल्कोठेकसालसालकाकार्तिकमैन्हाभ
9र्माकवोलवमोजीम्‌‌कोमोरु३५कादर्लेसोवर्ष३कोमोरु१०५तीरुंलाभंन्याकवोलनामा
10लेषीदीयाकोहुनालेनीजकानाउमावढावढ्‌को७दीनेम्यादमामासीदीयामासोम्यादनगुज्र
11दै६दीन्कादींकोसोहीठेकमोरु३५मामोरु२वढिज्मावर्ष१कोठेकमोरु३७कादर्लेलेषी
12दीयाकावर्ष३कोठेकमोरु१११तीरुंलाभंन्यावटुटोलवस्नेवैदकृस्नवीरलेयेसअडा
13माकवोलनामालेषीदीयाकोतेस्मावर्षकोमोरु३वढिमोरु४०कादर्लेसोवर्ष३को
14मोरु१२०सालसाल्कोठेकसालसाल्काचैत्रमैन्हाभर्माचुक्तीगरिवुझाउंलाभन्यानीजै
15मेहेरमानन्हुछेप्रधानलेकवोलनामालेषीयसअडामादीयाकोहुनालेनीजकोनाउमा
16५९सालभाद्रवदि४रोज७मावढावढ्‌को७दीनेम्यादतासीदीयाकोमा६दीनसम्म
17पनीसोठेकमावढिकसैलेकवोलगर्ननआया⟪को⟫⟪हुनालेजाहेरगरीनीकासाभैआया⟫वमोजीम्‌वाकी१दीनेम्यादकोपुर्जिटा[?]
18नुपर्दाआजकामीतीमातासीदीयाकोछतसर्थसोठेकमावढिकवोलगरिलेषीया[?]
19रकमलीनाकोकसैकामनसुवाभयाआज्कादीनभर्माकवोलनामालेषनआउन्याका
20मगरम्यादगुज्र्योभन्यानीजमेहरमानकानाउमाऐनवमोजीम्‌भैजानेछईतिस
21म्वत्१९५९सालमीतीआश्वीणवदि१३रोज३शुभम्¯¯¯¯¯¯

Translation

[1r]

Venerable Annapūrṇā 1

From the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā.1

Uprānta: The market square which is within the four boundaries of the guṭhī of -1- (i.e., Annapūrṇā) at Asana is not registered in the record book. The contractor has been made to write down the rate of 35 mohara rupaiyā̃ for establishing gambling at the market square during the years when gambling is permitted. A report was sent by the Aḍḍā in accordance with testimony given by Meheramāna Nhuche Pradhāna from Kasuvīlāchi, city of Kathmandu, who currently lives in Ṭuṃ Bāhāla, stating: “A written order (sanada-purjī) should be issued under my name that I pay the rate of 35 mohara rupaiyā̃ per annum during the years when gambling is permitted as well as the years when it is not permitted.” It was sanctioned by the Mulukī Aḍḍā, which stated: “Every year post a notice in accordance with the Ain.” This report was returned to this Aḍḍā with the approval of the [above-mentioned] order. Meheramāna has written a promissory statement stating: “As promised, I will pay the annual contract [sum] for three years starting from …2 day, the 1st of the dark fortnight of Vaiśākha in the year [19]59 to the 15th of the bright fortnight of the year [19]61 every year within the month of Kārttika, [which amounts to] 105 mohara rupaiyā̃ for three years at the rate of 35 mohara rupaiyā̃ [per annum].” Therefore, the seven-day deadline for [the submission of] bids was posted under the name of that person. On the sixth day when the deadline had not yet expired, Vaida3 Kṛṣṇavīra, who lives in Vaṭu Ṭola, wrote a promissory note to this Aḍḍā, stating: “As I wrote, I will pay 111 mohara rupaiyā̃ for the three-year contract at the rate of 37 mohara rupaiyā̃ per annum, which is two mohara rupaiyā̃ more than the 35 mohara rupaiyā̃ [promised earlier].” [In response] to this [bid], Meheramāna Nhucche Pradhāna wrote a promissory note and submitted it to the Aḍḍā, stating: “I will pay 120 mohara rupaiyā̃ for three years at the rate of 40 mohara rupaiyā̃ [per annum,] which is 3 mohara rupaiyā̃ more, with each year’s contract sum being cleared within the month of Caitra.” [Thus,] the seven-day deadline for [submission of] bids was posted on Saturday, the 4th of the dark fortnight of Bhādra in the year [19]59. Since nobody came to promise more for the contract even by the sixth day [of the deadline period], the notice for the last day of the deadline period had to be posted in accordance with the decision [taken] on the information given. It has been posted today. Therefore, if anybody wishes to take the contract fee as described by promising more [than the bid of 120 mohara rupaiyā̃ for three years] for this contract, come to write a promissory note by today. If the deadline expires, [the contract] will be [issued] under the name of Meheramāna.

Tuesday, the 13th of the dark fortnight of Āśvina in the [Vikrama] era year 1959 (1902 CE).

Commentary

This report from the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā is the first one of series of documents in which the matter of concern is a tender process for assigning the gambling license for the market square at Asana for the years VS 1959-1961 (cf. K_0499_041, K_0499_047, K_0499_048). According to the Mulukī Ain of 1888 (NGMPP reel no. E 1214/3), the process of stipulating the payable sum of an ijārā was ascertained by a tender process, which is the subject of section 8: "When [a contract] is to be issued on either high[est] or low[est] bids, a notice with a seven-day deadline shall be issued in the name of the person who promises [the highest or lowest sum] and observes [all] formalities in accordance with the Ain. [At that time] the stamp of the office shall be affixed [to the notice] and one [notice] shall be posted at the door of the office, one at a place where everyone can see [it], and one at place in question itself. On the sixth day, a report on the notification shall be given [to the higher office]. When a decision on the notification (i.e. the submitted report) arrives, then once the deadline has expired whatever is to be done shall be done (i.e. the necessary action shall be taken). No [contract] shall be granted even after the seven-day deadline has expired if [all] formalities have not been observed in accordance with the Ain. A government officer who does not observe the formalities shall be punished" (MA 1888, Article "On Revenue Arrangements" [rakam bandobastako] section 8, p. 15, translation is mine). The document proves that the process laid down in the MA 1888 was followed: Bids were invited, notices of the highest bids publicly posted for six days, a report was sent to the Mulukī Aḍḍā, which gave its sanction, and finally a one-day deadline for receiving further bids announced.

Notes

1. A seal, probably of the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā, has been affixed to this line. [⇑]

2. Due to breakage in the manuscript, the weekday cannot be determined. [⇑]

3. This is probably meant as the professional title vaidya, an Ayurvedic doctor. [⇑]

Glossary

Word	Notes
aḍḍā	var. aḍā; n. an office, post or station where state functionaries carry out their duties.
guṭha / guṭhi / guṭhī	[fr. S. goṣṭhī] var. guṭh, guthi; n. 1) a socio-religious organization that manages and finances religious and charitable functions, a trust. 2) “endowed lands or other sources of revenue for financing religious and charitable functions“ (M.R. Pant 2002: 132; cf. M.C. Regmi 1988: 267).
Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā	n. an institution serving an oversight function within the state’s supervision of local guṭhī management, for example in matters relating to tender arrangements.
ijārā	[A.] var. ījārā; n. 1) a system under which the government granted to an individual the exclusive right to collect revenue from a specified source subject to payment of a sum stipulated in advance (M.C. Regmi 2002: 299). 2) a contract for collection of revenue, exploitation of mines, etc. (M.C. Regmi 1978: 226; cf. Adhikari 1984: 349; M.C. Regmi 1978: 162).
mohararupaiyā̃	var. mohararupaiyām, mohararūpaiyā, moharaṭaṃkā (New.); often abbreviated as moru, morū, moharu, moharū, moharru, mohorru; n. monetary unit based on and equivalent to two eight-anna silver coins (moharas); in calculations usually broken down into four sukās, 16 ānās or 64 paisās (cf. Pant and Pierce 1989: 93) or 256 dāmas; the exchange ratio with paisās was calculated differently at different times and in different parts of the kingdom, depending on the relative values of silver and copper, ranging between 52 and 80 paisās (Regmi 1982: 73). In documents sums are represented in four numerical fractions, with the rupaiyā represented by numbers; the sukās by one to three daṇḍas or the avagraha sign representing zero; the ānās by one to three diagonal dashes, sometimes as a loop with two or three jags; the paisās again by daṇḍas or numbers; the dāmas by numbers or horizontal dashes.
Mulukī Aḍḍā	n. a kind of home ministry, under direct control of the Commander-in-Chief and the central administrative unit for internal and civil affairs (cf. Agrawal 1976: 11) and under the executive head of the mulukī subbā; the office recommended to the PM regulations for government servants and laws, chaneled petitions to the PM, supervised revenue collection etc.; was created under Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā (Kumar 1967: 101).
purjī	[fr. P. purja] var. purji, pūrjī; n. 1) slip of paper, note. 2) formal letter written by a government institution or an official to another institution or to a person.
sanada	var. sanad; n. a regulation, order, decree or certificate of appointment, esp. from the prime minister (prāimaminisṭara yaṇḍa kamyāṇḍara ina cipha) or the commander-in-chief general (kamyāṇḍara ina cipha janarala); "government orders" (Karmacharya 2001: 327).
uprānta	var. uprāṃta, ūprāṃnta, ūprā̃nta, prāṃta; also yathocita uprānta; conj. after that, besides, in addition to, hereafter. In earlier prose and official documents, this word marked the beginning of a text or paragraph. It has no equivalent in English (Clark 1989: 231). In some (mostly Rāṇā period?) documents, it takes the form of yathocita uprānta.