A letter from Jīta Jaṅga reinstating the annually leased lokābhāra revenue-collection contract for Ruibhoṭ without taking collateral (VS 1937)
ID: L_0923_0001
Edited and
translated by Rajendra Shakya
in collaboration with
Pabitra Bajracharya and Nadine Plachta
Created: 2018-10-07;
Last modified: 2019-08-08
For the metadata of the document, click here
The accompanying edition, translation/synopsis and/or commentary are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
.
Abstract
This letter from Jīta Jaṅga reinstates, after a lapse of one year, the annually leased lokābhāra contract for Ruibhoṭ village with previous clauses that do not require collateral or the posting of a deadline notice.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
[Seal of Jīta Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā]1स्वस्तिश्रीमद्राजकुमारकुमारात्मजश्रीपुर्वतर्फकाकम्यांडिङ्जनरलजीतजङ्गव[...]2दुरराणाकस्यम्¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
3आगेअठारसैखोला:कुतांभोट्मध्येरूइभोट्गाउकामुषियाछिजुकेहाम्रा
4गाउअघि¯ ¯१¯¯ ¯२¯लाइषुव़ाछदामापनिधनज्मानीचर्हायाकोथि
5यन७दिनकाम्यादकापुर्जिपनिटासियाकोथियनठाडैसालवसाललोकाभार
6वन्दोवस्तगरिपट्टागरिवक्स्याकोहो:३७सालकावालिलाइ∙हजुर्कासव़ारीम
7ध्येसतर्फभैवक्सनालेकारिन्दाहरूलेसालवसाली∙लोकाभार∙पट्टागरिदि
8नालाइ∙सव़ालछैन∙भनी∙यकसालापट्टाभयकोहो:अघिकाजागिरदारलेवन्दोवस्तगरिदियावमोजिम्:
9म्यादनटासिवेज्मानिमा∙३८सालकावालिदेषि:सालवसालि∙पट्टा१गाउगाउकामुषियाहरूकानाउमाछगरी
10पाउभनिजिम्मावालछिमदोर्ज्येषुनुलेविन्तिगर्छनसालवसालीवेज्मानीमालोकाभारवन्दोवस्तगर्नालाइअैन
11सव़ालमिल्दैन∙अैनसव़ालनमिल्यातापनिवेज्मानीमा३८सालकावालिदेषिसालवसालीलोकाभारठेककोप
12ट्टागरीवक्सनुनवक्सनुजोमर्जिभंन्यावेहोराकोवन्दोवस्तवाटहाम्राहजुर्मारपोटचर्हाउदा३७सालमाघवदि११रो
13ज४मा∙हामिवाट३८सालकावालिदेषिअघिकाजागिरदारहरूवाटगरिवक्स्यावमोजिमअैनसव़ालनमिल्यापनी
14वेज्मानिमा∙म्यादनटासिसालवसालीपट्टागराइदिनुभंन्यावेहोराकोरपोट्सदरगरीवक्स्यामुताविक्हाम्राषान्गिमा
15दरियाको∙अठारसैषोलाकुतांभोट्मध्येरूइभोट्गाउ१कोइस्तक्सम्वत्१९३७सालआसिनवदि१रोजदेषी३८
16सालभाद्रसुदि१५रोजतकव़र्ष१कामितिलेहामिलाइषान्गिछंज्यालसालवसालसिवाय¯ ¯३¯अंककल्याण
17धनधर्माधीकार∙पंचषत्∙रहतावहताउडंतागडंतारकमिघरकोझारावेदर्तारकमकलमपगरिकाचुक्षतवाहेक्
18वाज्वी∙सेर्मासाउन्याफागुस्याफलसिर्तोसाविक्दरीचलीआयाकोरकमकलमरअैनवमोजिमकाडंडकुडमर्यो
19अपुताली∙चाकचकुइ∙मारिमेटि∙वेमोजरै∙तपसिलवमोजिमका∙नगदजिनीसमारैतानलोकाभारठेकगरिवक्स्यौ
20रस्तिचलाइवस्तिवसाइ:जगाअवादगुलजारगरी:रैतिराजीराषी∙साविक्दरिचलीआयावमोजिम्:असुलतहसि
21लगरि∙कवुलवमोजिमकानगदजिन्सी∙यकैकिस्ता∙सालवसालकामाघमैन्हामा∙जिम्माव़ालमार्फतचुक्तिगरीहा
22म्रातहसिल∙अडामादाषिलगरि:रसिदलिनुकदाचितजिम्माव़ालले∙दामकामहिनामिनापार्यो∙मर्यो∙भाग्योभन्या
23तिमिमुषियारैतिहरुकाघरघरनावाटलीवक्सौंलाफर्मायसिवेसौतिजिन्सीमालहरूचाहिन्दा∙सनदपुर्जिमाले
24षीपठाइवक्स्या:मुताविक्कोमाल∙साविक्वमोजिमगवै़याभाउले∙दाषिलगर्नुसोमालचलानगर्दा∙अघिचलीआया
25काअडाअडावाटचलाउनुआफ्नागाउमाभयाको∙मैनकस्तुरीअनेत्रनवेचनुजोभयाकोहाम्राहजुर्मादाषिलग
26री∙ठेकमध्येमिन्हालिनु¯ ¯४¯काआजापुजादसैमामुलीषर्चजोछसाविक्∙वमोजिम∙कत्तीनघटाइ∙ठेकवाहे
27कचलाउनु∙कवुलवमोजिमकाज्मामा¯ ¯५¯पर्यो∙अथवाजगामाउठाउनसकेनौभनीयकदाम∙मिन्हामोज
28रापाउन्याछैन∙लोकाभारठेकमा∙नफाभयारैतिलाइ∙दामासाहिगरिवाडिदिनुनोक्सान∙पर्यारैतिसंगदामासाही
29काहिसावले∙उठाइअसुलतहसिलगर्नुरैतिदुनिञाकोझैझगडामामिलामुद्दापर्दा∙अैनथितिवमोजिमजाइ:
30गर्नुविजाइविदुतनगर्नुलेषियावमोजिमनगरीघटिवढिपारि∙घुसरोसवत्सर्सलामीषाइनञारकमकलम्
31लगाइलीहक्कुराछोडी∙विजाञीवीदुतगरिरैतिदुनिञालाइदुषदीकामकाजगर्यौर∙कोहिकरा∙उनआयोर∙सो
32मुद्दामासावितगरायो∙भन्या∙अैनवमोजिम∙वुझाउनुपर्लाकवुलवमोजिमकानगदजिनिससालवसालमाघ
33मैन्हामादाषिलगर्नसकेनमैनकस्तुरी∙हाम्रातहवील्दाषिलनगरी∙हिनामिनापार्योरअनेत्रविक्रीगर्यौभन्या
34अैनवमोजिमसजायगरि∙नगदरूपैञाकोदोचंदारजिन्सीमालकोअसनकादरभाउलेमोलस्मेततेराघरघ
35रानावाटलीलोकाभार∙टोडीवक्सौंलालोकाभार∙होभनीउजुरगर्नपाउन्याछैनपगरीकाचुक्षतकोअस्मा
36नीआम्दानीठेकवाहेकवुझाउनल्याइरसिदलिनु∙भनीसावीक्दरसाविक्वमोजिमसालवसालीलोकाभारठेक
37थामिपट्टागरिवक्स्यौआफ्नाषातिरजामासंगरैतान्लोकाभारठेकजानिजगाकोचलनगर
[table1]
| 1 | नगदमोहरू | २२२ | |
| 2 | वाजवी | अस्मानी | |
| ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ | |||
| 3 | जिन्सीनुन | x | |
38इतिसम्वत्१९३७सालमितिमाघसुदि५रोज६सुभ्म्¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯[Unknown Seal]
Translation
[1r]
[Seal of Jīta Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā]
Hail! A letter from Commanding General of the Eastern Front Jīta Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā, a prince born of a prince
Āge: To Chiju, mukhiyā of Ruibhoṭ village within [the] Kutāṃbhoṭ [cluster of villages in the] Aṭhāra Saya Kholā [region]
“JimmāvālaChima Dorjye Khunu requests [the following]:
'Also in the past when our village was a khuvā of ¯ ¯1¯ and ¯ ¯2¯1 , [we] did not submit any property as collateral, nor was a 7-day deadline notice posted, and an annual lokābhāra lease was directly formalized. [However,] as you were visiting Madhesa, the clerks (kārindā) said that there was no savāla [allowing such]an annual lokābhāra lease to be formalized [in your absence], and [hence] a one-year lease for the [VS 19]37 (1880 CE) crops was formalized [with such provisions]. For crops from the year [VS 19]38 (1881 CE) onwards, may annual lokābhāra leases be formalized in the names of the village mukhiyās without requiring the posting of a deadline notice or collateral, just as the previous jāgīradāras [of our village] have done.'
"Formalizing the annual lokābhāra without taking collateral does not conform with the Ain or savālas. It is up to you whether or not to formalize the annual lokābhāra contract without taking collateral for the crops from the year [VS 19]38 (1881 CE) onwards, even if [doing so] does not conform with the Ain and savālas.”
After the Bandobasta [Aḍḍā]2 submitted its report to us with the above details, the following was approved by us on Wednesday, the 11th of dark fortnight of Māgha in the year [VS 19]37 (1881 CE): "Even though it does not conform to the Ain and savālas, have an annual [lokābhāra] lease formalized as done by earlier jāgiradāras, [namely] one that does not require collateral or a deadline notice for crops, for the year [VS 19]38 (1881 CE)."
We have reinstated and formalized the annual lokābhāra contract in the way done previously, [as follows]:
In line with the [our] approval of the report on these matters, we have made a raitānalokābhāra contract for the 1 village of Ruībhoṭ within [the cluster of villages around] Kutāṃbhoṭ in the Aṭhāra Saya Kholā [region] — which [village] is registered as our khānagī — for 1 year beginning from (istaka) the 1st of the dark fortnight of Āśvina in the year [VS] 1937 (1880 CE) to the 15th of the bright fortnight of Bhādra in the year [VS 19]38 (1881 CE) for the [following] stated [payments in] cash and kind [and] for as long as this khānagī remains with us: ¯ ¯3¯ [rāja?-]aṅka3 , kalyānadhana, dharmādhikārapañcakhata, arrearages (rahatā, bahatā, uḍaṃtā, gaḍaṃtā)4 , jhārā levies on rakamī households, unregistered customary taxes and levies (rakamakalama), and [fines for] faults (cukṣata)5 [committed by holders of pagarī contracts, for which there shall be no deductions, [but] there shall be total exemption for the appropriate sermā, sāunephāgu, syāphala6 and sirto revenue, regularly imposed customary taxes and levies (rakamakalama), and, in accordance with the Ain, daṇḍakuṇḍa, maryo-aputālī and cākacakui.
Keep the ryots well disposed by overseeing affairs, founding settlements and making the cultivation of land flourish (jagā ābāda guljāra garī). Collect the revenue as listed and managed previously and submit [the total amount], which you have agreed to pay, clearing the amount due in cash and kind in a single instalment annually in the month of Māgha through the jimmāvāla. Deposit it at our Tahasila Aḍḍā and obtain a receipt.
In the case where the jimmāvāla mishandles [monetary] matters and then dies or runs away, we shall take [the amount due] from the household property of you, Mukhiyā and the ryots. If a sanada is sent to you when there is a need for specially ordered goods or grains (besautī) purchased on the market, present them to us as usual at the current rate in the village. When dispatching such items, do so from the offices (aḍḍā) that were previously used. Do not sell elsewhere the wax and musk available in your village. Present all that is available [in the village] to us and receive a reduction in [the amount due mentioned in] the contract.
In addition to the [required] contractual amount, you shall bear the main expenses for the religious worship of ¯ ¯4¯7 during the Dasaĩ festival, without any reduction in what has been customary. You shall not receive remission of even a single dāma because there is ¯ ¯5¯8 in the total amount agreed to be paid or because you fail to collect [what is due] on [lokābhāra] land or have incurred a loss. If a profit is made from the lokābhāra contract, distribute [it] proportionally to the ryots. If there is a loss, obtain [the shortfall] proportionally from the ryots and submit [the amount].
Let justice be done in accordance with the Ain and custom when there are lawsuits regarding disputes among ryots. Do not cause injury and oppression. If you do not act according to what is written here—going against it by taking bribes or salāmī, imposing and collecting new levies, overstepping your authority, causing injury and oppression, and [so] making [ryots] suffer—and if anyone comes to complain about it and proves [such wrongdoing], then [you] shall pay in accordance with the Ain.
If you fail to deposit the cash and kind amounts that are to be paid annually in the month of Māgha as agreed, if you misappropriate the wax and musk—not delivering them to our treasury and selling them elsewhere—then you shall be punished in accordance with the Ain: double the sum [due] and the market rate in Asana for the goods [due] shall be taken from your household, and the lokābhāra contract shall be annulled. You shall not have the right to file a complaint that states: "It is a lokābhāra [contract]."
Deposit [all] asmānī revenue from the [fines for] faults (cukṣata) [committed by holders of] pagarī [contracts] in addition to [the regularly collected amounts mentioned in] the contract. Bring it and obtain a receipt [for it].
Manage the land with content (khātirajāmāsaṃga), considering [it] as a raitānalokābhāra contract.
[table1]
| Mohararupaiyā̃ in cash | 222 | ||
| Vājabī | Asmānī | ||
| Goods (salt) | x |
Friday, the 5th of the bright fortnight of Māgha in the [Vikrama] era year 1937 (1881 CE). Auspiciousness
[Unknown Seal]
Commentary
This letter from Jīta Jaṅga reinstates the annual lokābhāra contract for Ruibhoṭ village with previous clauses that do not require collateral or the posting of a deadline notice. This reinstatement of the annual contract came after a break of one year due to the unavailability of the approving authority, probably Jīta Jaṅga himself, to formalize it at the time.
Like other documents with similar content, the present one instructs the local contractors, beyond the contractual amount that they have agreed to pay, to ensure that there is no reduction in the expenses for the main worship of a certain deity during Dasaĩ. The Dasaĩ festival is synonymous with animal sacrifice. Interestingly, another document from Kutāṃbhoṭ (E_3446_0011) dated three years earlier exempts that village from any obligation to sacrifice buffaloes and goats on the occasion of the Dasaĩ festival in view of the fact that the jimmāvāla of the region had earlier been granted the authority to have this festival performed according to the usual practice in the region, where blood sacrifices were avoided. This exemption from the obligation of animal sacrifice came in 1878, which suggests that the instruction to ensure that the Dasaĩ worship continued as usual referred to merely the custom of lighting incense and lamps at the monastery.