Documenta Nepalica

Commentary

This document, a purjī from the Pāhāḍa Bandobasta Birtā Phā̃ṭa to the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍa of Śrī 5 Sarkāra, offers insight into ritual and the state religion during the Rāṇā regime in early-20th-century Nepal. Dated VS 1988 (1931 CE), it underscores the intersection of religious obligations, royal authority and administrative structures within the Nepali state.

The Rāmeśvara temple mentioned in the document is situated on Rameswaram Island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Rāmeśvaram is one of the Cāra Dhāmas, four prominent Hindu pilgrimage sites in India, the others being Jagannātha in Odisha, Dvārakā in Gujarat and Badrinātha in Uttarakhand. The temple is dedicated to Ramanathaswamy (Śiva) in the form of a liṅgam. According to tradition, two liṅgams reside within the sanctum: one crafted by Lord Rāma from sand, known as the Rāmaliṅgam, and the other brought by Hanumān from Kailash, called the Viśvaliṅgam. Hindus traditionally believe that a pilgrimage to any of the Cāra Dhāmas is a highly meritorious religious act, and many try to visit at least one site during their lifetime. This belief has led many Nepalese to embark on such pilgrimages.

The purjī concerns a guṭhī founded by Queen Trailokya Rājya Lakṣmī Devī and Prime Minister Raṇa Udīpa Sīṃha Rāṇā in the 19th century, both significant figures in Nepal’s political and religious landscape. The guṭhī system, a form of land trust in Nepal, was integral to the support of religious and charitable activities. In this instance, the guṭhī was established to ensure the daily recitation of the Rudrī (a Vedic hymn dedicated to Śiva) at the Rāmeśvara temple (dhāma), highlighting the significance of royal patronage in sustaining religious practices.

The mention of a saṃkalpa (ritual declaration) testifies to the ritual’s importance. Support of the daily recitation of the Rudrī reflects the religious devotion of Rāṇā rulers. In addition, the appointment of Nepalese Brahmin priests (paṇḍās) to perform religious duties in a South Indian temple, coupled with (as stated elsewhere in the sanada mentioned in the document) the establishment of a new guṭhī assigned land in Nepal’s Bārā district to maintain this religious tradition, reveals the close cultural and religious ties between Nepal and India.

The document also provides insight into the bureaucratic processes involved in managing royal endowments. The Pāhāḍa Bandobasta Birtā Phā̃ṭa, responsible for overseeing state land and resources allocated as birtā land grants, instructs the Guṭhī Bandobasta to issue the necessary financial disbursements for the guṭhī. The request to inspect the revenue ledger (śrestā) of the māla (revenue office) demonstrates a systematic approach to fiscal accountability, integrating religious endowments within the state's financial management.

The explicit order to calculate and dispatch the expenses for the Rudrī recitation over a 24-year period, from VS 1942 to 1965 (1885–1908 CE), amounting to 561 rūpaiyās, illustrates the long-standing obligations of the guṭhī and the detailed accounting practices governing such transactions. The reference to a calānī (dispatch letter) and the requirement of a receipt is typical of the formal and bureaucratic nature of these communications.

This document serves as evidence of the vital role guṭhīs played in maintaining religious practices in Nepal, and of how well they were integrated into the broader socio-political and economic structures of the state. The involvement of the prime minister underscores the personal investment of the Rāṇā rulers in religious patronage, while also illustrating the use of religious institutions as a means of consolidating political power.

Notes