Documenta Nepalica

Published by Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities: Documents on the History of Religion and Law of Pre-modern Nepal, Heidelberg, Germany, 2025. 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 .

Commentary

This purjī, issued in 1925 by Commander-in-Chief General Sir Bhīma Śamśera Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā, exemplifies the intricate relationship between state authority and religious institutions during the Rana period in Nepal. The document is addressed to Colonel Hamavikrama Bahādura Rāṇā, instructing him to provide a travel pass (rāhadanī) for the vairāgī priest Ajudhyādās and his six companions. This pass was to be issued for passage through Cisāpānī Gaḍhī, a military outpost and checkpoint at the south-western entry into the Kathmandu Valley. These ascetics were affiliated with the vairāgī akhāḍā at Kālamocana, Thāpāthalī. The akhāḍā’s recognition by state authorities reflects how religious actors and institutions operated within, and were often integrated into, the formal structures of state governance. The command to facilitate safe passage illustrates the state's role not only as regulator but also as protector of certain sanctioned religious groups.

The broader historical and religious context further illuminates this interaction. Akhāḍās, as religious centres for ascetic communities, were very influential, and their members frequent travellers within Indian religious circuits. The presence of such communities in Nepal underscores the country’s position as both a sacred landscape and a crossroads for trans-Himalayan pilgrimage. Vairāgīs, though committed to renunciatory ideals, were not entirely detached from worldly connections—they operated within networks of patronage and recognition. The requirement of a rāhadanī for their travel exemplifies how the Nepalese state, wary of unchecked movement, imposed bureaucratic measures to manage and surveil such groups, reflecting concerns about not only order but also the porous nature of Nepal’s borders.

Tandan (1999: 158-160), referencing two documents issued in VS 1988 and 2006, details the arrangements made for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kathmandu. Before the political changes in Nepal in 1951, Indian tourists or pilgrims were permitted entry into Nepal exclusively during the Śivarātri festival. Entry into Nepal was otherwise restricted, necessitating a travel pass. These were issued for a maximum seven-day post-Śivarātri stay. It is likely that this tradition commenced following the unification of Nepal under Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa Śāha. The construction of the Tribhuvan Highway in 1956 subsequently facilitated easier access for Indian pilgrims to Kathmandu.

Finally, this purjī must be understood in the light of Nepal’s geopolitical position during the early 20th century. The inclusion of a British imperial honorific (KCVO) in Bhīma Śamśera’s title signals Nepal’s entanglement in regional colonial dynamics. Movements of ascetics across borders could arouse suspicion, particularly entering in the Kathmandu Valley. By formalizing the movement of such individuals, the state both legitimized their religious mission and mitigated perceived threats to security and order. In doing so, the Rāṇā regime asserted its authority over sacred geography and sought to keep local, religious and governmental actors within prescribed bounds.

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