Documenta Nepalica

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An istihāra to the hill districts announcing the non-imposition of a separate levy on winter crops (VS 1988)

ID: L_0922_0008

Edited and translated by Rajendra Shakya in collaboration with Rabi Acharya and Nadine Plachta
Created: 2018-08-20; Last modified: 2023-01-24
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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, 2019. 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

This istihāra attempts to encourage the hill districts to cultivate more winter crops by announcing the non-imposition of a separate levy on such crops, except for land where such a levy was already being imposed. It also prohibits the grazing of cattle on land cultivated for winter crops and makes arrangements for providing compensation for the loss of crops due to grazing.

Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1इस्तिहार

[Seal of Bhīma Śamśera]

[Seal of Juddha Śamśera]

[Unknown seal]

1आगेपाहाडजिल्लाकातालुकदारजिम्मावाल
2झुत्तावालथरीमुखियामिझारसुवाराईमोहिना
3ईगौरुंकटुवालकर्ताकारोबारीइत्यादिरसन्तम
4[?]भलाद्मीजानिफकारछोटाबडारैतिदुनिञा
5गैह्रकेयथोचितउप्रान्तपहाड्‌माअघिदेखिहिउँ
6देबालीकोतिरोलागेकोजग्गाबाहेकअरुजग्गामा
7हिउँदेबालीकोतिरोलाग्नेछैनहिउँदे
8बालिलाउनहुनेजग्गामाहिउदेबालिलगाई
9खानुभन्नेउर्दीदीसोबमोजिमगर्नलाउनु
10भन्नेसमेतजिल्लाजिल्लालाईपटकपटकसनद
11भैगएकोमापहाड़तर्फवर्षेबालिकाटेपछिचौपा
12याछाडागर्नेचलनभएकोलेकसैलेहिउँदेबालिलगाएकोपनीचौपायाछोडिख्वाईदिनेभै
13नोक्सानपर्नेहुँदाहिउँदेबालिकोउन्नतिहुननशकेकोव्यहोराकौशलमार्फत्‌जाहेरभएकोहुनाले
14सोहिउँदेबालिकोउन्नतिबढदैगैतिमीरैतिदुनिञालाईसुविस्ताहवस्‌भन्नानिमित्तयोइस्तिहार
15जारिगरिबक्सेकोछतसर्थअबउप्रान्तगाईभैंसीचौरीभेडाबाख्रासुँगुरगदाहाइत्यादिचौपा
16याहरुगोठालानलगाईछाडागर्नहुँदैनबाह्रैमहिनागोठालालगाईबालिनलगाएकाजमिनमामात्र
17चराउनेगर्नुसोबमोजिमनगरीलगाएकोबालिमाचौपायाछाडिअर्काकोबालिनोक्सानपारी
18दिबालिकाधनिलेतालुकदारसँगउजुरगर्नआएमाउसैउसैगाउँकातालुकदारभलाद्मीसमेत
19बसीनोक्सानिबालिकोबिगोधनीलाईभराईमिलाइदिनुतेस्तोचरिचराईगरेकोकुराबडाहा
20किमडौडाहागर्नजादावाअड्डैमावसेकाबखत्‌उजुरगर्नआयोभनेपनीनोक्सानिबालिकोविगोध
21निलाईदिलाईमिलाउनशकेसम्ममिलाईदिनुभन्नेगौंडागोस्वारालाईसनदभएकोहुनालेसो
22वमोजिम्‌गौंडागोस्वाराडौडाहागर्नगएकावखत्‌बाअड्डैमाबसेकाबखत्‌तेस्तोबालिकोनोक्सा
23निभैउजुरगर्नगएमागौंडागोस्वाराबाटआफ्नानाउँमाभएकासवालबमोजिमगरिमिलाईदिने
24छन्‌सोमिलाएकोमाबक्सौनिसरसलामिदैदस्तुरकेहितिर्नुपर्दैनसोबमोजिममिल्ननशकिनालेस
25गर्नआएमानालेसदर्तागर्ननपाउँदैअदालत्‌माखटिरहेकामेम्वरहरुलेसमझाईबुझाइमिल्नशकेसम्म
26मिलाइदिनेछन्‌सोमिलाएकोमापनीदैदस्तुरकेहीलाग्दैनगाउंकातालुकदाररबडाहाकिमअदा
27लतमाखटिएकामेम्बरहरुकाँहामिल्ननशकिअदालतमानालेसपर्नगयोभनेऐनबमोजिमअद
28लमिचेमासजायसमेतहुनेछसोजानीलेखिएवमोजिम्‌गर्नेगराउनेकामगरइतिसम्वत्‌
29१९८८सालभाद्रआसिंगते२१रोज६शुभम्‌_ _ _ _ _

Translation

[1r]

Istihāra

Āge: To all of the tālukadāras, jimmāvālas, jhuttāvālas1 , tharīs, mukhiyās, mijhāras, subbās, rāīs2 , mohīnāikes, gauruṅs,kaṭuvālas, kartās, kārobārīs, etc. and santas [and] heads of maṭhas, respected local persons (bhalādamī), the learned (jāniphakāra), lower- and upper-[class] (choṭā baḍā) ryots and [all] people of the hill districts

Yathocita uprānta In the hill [districts], no separate levy shall be imposed on winter crops on land other than land on which a levy has earlier been imposed on winter crops.

Sanadas were sent on various occasions to various districts [of the hill region], instructing [them] to have the following order carried out: "Cultivate and consume winter crops on land that is suitable for winter crops." It has since come to our notice through the kauśala that there has been a tradition of letting cattle graze after the monsoon crops are harvested in the hills, whence some leave their cattle on land seeded with winter crops and let them eat [those crops]. This has caused losses and hindered the spread of winter crops. We have thus issued this istihāra with the desire to spread [the production of] winter crops and make things [more] convenient for you ryots.

Therefore, from now on cows, buffaloes, yaks, sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys, etc. shall be attended by a herdsman and be allowed to graze only on uncultivated land throughout the year [lit. in all 12 months]. If they do not do accrodingly and cattle are left [to graze] on others' seeded crops, resulting in losses to crops, and if the owner of the crops comes to complain to the tālukadāra, then the tālukadāra and respected persons (bhalādamī)of the village in question shall sit together and settle the matter, compensating the crop owner with an amount equal to the loss in crops.

A sanada has been issued to gauḍās [and] gośvārās, stating: "If a baḍā hākima [comes across such cases] on an inspection tour (dauḍāhā) or if [someone] comes to complain about such grazing while he is in his office, settle the case by compensating the crop owner with an amount equal to the loss suffered; settle it as far as possible. Therefore gauḍās [and] gośvārās shall settle cases in accordance with the savāla issued to them if anyone goes to complain about such a loss of crops while [the head of] a gauḍās [or] gośvārā is on an inspection tour or in his office. No baksāunī or sarsalāmī need to be paid for the settlement (of the case).

If such a settlement cannot be reached and [the crop owner] comes to file a case [at court], the members assigned to the court shall try to convince [both parties] and settle the case as far as possible before the case is registered. No fees shall be charged for that settlement either. In the case where a settlement cannot be reached [through] the tālukadāra [or] baḍā hākima of the village or members assigned to the court, and a case is registered at court, punishment shall be assigned in accordance with the law (ain) if injustice has been done. Be informed of this and act in accordance with what is written [in the istihāra].

Friday, the 23rd of Aśvina3 in the [Vikrama] era year 1988 (1931 CE). Auspiciousness.

Commentary

This istihāra shows the state's concern over fertile land being left barren during the winter and its attempts to encourage the hill districts to cultivate more winter crops by announcing the non-imposition of a separate levy on land that produces winter crops, unless such land already is subject to one. It also prohibits the grazing of cattle on land used for winter crops and makes arrangements to provide compensation for the loss of crops due to cattle grazing.

The seal of Bhīma Śamśera, who was the prime minister when this istihāra was issued, appears at the top while, the seal of Commander-in-Chief Juddha Śamśera appears below it. This suggests that the istihāra was issued by Prime Minister Bhīma Śamśera.

Notes

1. The meaning is unclear, but perhaps the word denotes members of collective land holdings. See Wilson 1855: 243, s.v. juth [⇑]

2. Here not the name given to a group among the Kirā̃tī peoples, but rather a now defunt title given to a class of officers who collected land revenue. [⇑]

3. The date and month are confusing in the original. The two-digit date appears to be 21, 22 or 23. There are two months mentioned: Bhādra and Āsiṃ, which is obviously meant for Āśvina, the scribe having simply forgotten to cross out Bhādra. The day, i.e. ‘6’ (Friday), is clear. Therefore, if Friday is correct, that narrows down the date and month to 23rd Aśvina. [⇑]

Glossary

Word	Notes
āge	[fr. S. agre] adv. lit. "henceforeward" (Riccardi 1976: 150 n. 6), especially used in administrative and legal documents to mark the beginning of a text or paragraph. In its function it is similar to uprānta.
baḍā hākima	n. chief administrative officer of a district (M.C. Regmi 1978: 853); "district governor in the later Rana period" (Sever 1993: 478).
baksāunī	var. baksāuni; n. a government fee, tax; government fee for settling a case between two parties, for granting a permission or on birtā land transactions (M.L. Karmacharya 1996: 62; M.C. Regmi 2002: 297; M.C. Regmi 1970 (No. 4): 100). 2) fine collected from Magar beef-eaters in Salyan).
bhalādamī	var. bhalā ādamī, bhalādmī; n. lit. a gentleman; local prominent person (Karmacharya 2001: 320), local notable; see also bhalā mānisa.
gauruṅ	n. a village agent.
gaũḍā / gauḍā	var. gaurā; n. 1) a fortification, fortress (see Parājulī et al. 2052: s.v. gaũḍā and gauḍā); 2) certain districts were known as gauḍā, according to Adhikari (describing the situation after 1850): Doti, Salyan, and Palpa in the West and Dhankuta in the east (Adhikari 1979: 16); 3) a district office for maintaining law and order (cf. Karmacharya 2001: 91) established in the districts known as gauḍā. According to Adhikari this judicial offices were placed under responsible military officials—at first under kājīs or sardāras, and later on, under generals (janarala) and colonels (karṇela). In the Ain the chief officer of a gauḍā is referred to as hākima or mālika. Gauḍās decided original cases and served as appellate courts. They had jurisdiction regarding pañcakhata cases but could order a death sentence only after receiving a lālamohara from the kausala (Adhikari 1979: 16). The other levels of courts in the disctricts besides gauḍās or gaũḍā adālatas (cf. Adhikari 1984: 310) were: adālata (sometimes also called aḍḍās) and amāla (Adhikari 1979: 14). According to Kumar there were three "first courts of appeal" known as gauḍās covering twelve lower courts after the reorganisiation of the country's judiciary by Vīra Śamśera Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā in 1887: I. Palpa gauḍā (covering 1. Salyan, 2. Piuthan, 3. Pokhara, 4. Doti, 6. Bhagwanpur, 6. Taulihawa), II. Doti gauḍā (covering 7. Jumla, 8. Dailekh, 9. Banke, 10. Kanchanpur), III. Dhankuta gauḍā (covering 11. Morang, 12. Saptari) (Kumar 1967: 129f.).
gosvārā	[fr. A. gośavārā] var. gośvārā; n. 1) belonging to a single group or being an integral part of, common to several, joint. 2) chief, main, of the first level (gosvārā hulāka, gosvārā lagata, etc.). 3) an administrative office of a baḍāhākima that looks after the security affairs of the whole district during olden times (Parājulī 2010: 339).
istihāra / iśtihāra	[fr. A.] n. official note by the government to the public.
jimmāvāla	var. jimavāla, jimmavāla, jimvāla; n. a chief contractor (ṭhekedāra) who, before the introduction of the land administration, collected revenues from the lands in the hill region and submitted them to the government (Parājulī et al. 1995: s.v. jimmāvāla).
kārobārī	var. kārabārī, kāravari; n. 1) a trader, businessman; 2) a steward, paymaster; 3) a “member of the village council under the kipat system in Pallokirat.“ (M.C. Regmi 1978: 860)
kartā	n. a member of the village council under the kipat system in Pallokirat (M.C. Regmi 1978: 860)
kaṭuvāla	var. kaṭuvālyā; n. 1) a civil functionary; 2) a village messenger.
kausala	also Bhārādāri Kausala (cf. Adhikari 1984: 70); n. the State Council.
maṭha	[fr. S.] n. abode of ascetics, monastery.
mijhāra / mijāra	var. mījhāra; n. headman of certain groups of low caste status who was responsible for the collection of levies, jurisdical fines, escheated properties and expiation fees from the families under his jurisdiction.
mohīnāike	var. mohināikyā, mohināīkyā; n. headman of tenants, often also has tax collecting functions (cp. M.C. Regmi 1970 (No. 8): 199; M.C. Regmi 1978: 228; M.C. Regmi 1978: 862; M.C. Regmi 2002: 301).
mukhiyā	var. mukhīyā, muṣiyā, muṣīyā; n. a designation for an administrative post used at the local, district and central level. At the local level mukhiyās functioned as village headmen and revenue functionaries (Pant and Pierce 1989: 93; M.R. Pant 2002: 134; cf. M.C. Regmi 1988: 269). District headmen were also called mukhiyās. In the central administration, mukhiyās were writers who kept accounts or supervised officials of lower ranks (Edwards 1975: 107 ; cf. M.C. Regmi 1978: 228 ; M.C. Regmi 1978: 862 ; Kumar 1967: 16).
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).
santa	n. "a holy man; a saint; a hermit" (Karmacharya 2001: 93)
savāla	n. 1) an enquiry. 2) a set of directives issued especially for the administrative purposes. Contrary to a sanada which is applicable to general public, a savāla refers to rules within a particular organization or an administrative unit (see Siṃha 1981 sv svāla. 3) rules and regulations enacted based on an existing law; administrative regulations (Adhikari 1984: 356; Karmacharya 2001: 328).
subbā	var. subā; n. 1) governor or chief administrative officer of a province or district (cf. Kumar 1967: 168; Krauskopff and Meyer 2000: 185; M.R. Pant 2002: 135; M.C. Regmi 1999: 137; M.C. Regmi 2002: 303). 2) civil officer ranking higher than a mukhiyā, but lower than a sardāra (Stiller 1981: 382). According to Edwards subbās were stationed at Gorkha (cf. also Michael 2012: 134) and Chitwan, “with five others being administrators in the Terai” (Edwards 1975: 106). Edwards further mentions that “men of subba rank were also assigned in the capital to the Kumari Chowk, and Kat Bhandar offices, where they were the deputies of the kaji and kapardar in charge” (ibid.). 3) headmen of the Limbu community in the far-eastern hill regions (M.C. Regmi 1978: 229; cf. also 1978: 865).
tālukadāra [tālukī]	n. a person who collects land revenue from the raitī and enters them into the māla and who works in accordance with the Ain and savāla and performs tālukadārī; mukhiyā of the village; jimmāvāla (Parājulī 2010: 565); "headman in the capacity of a ṭhālu; authorized person [agent]" (Karmacharya 2001: 329)
tharī	var. thari; n. 1) head of a clan (thara), elder; 2) "nonofficial tax collection functionary (in the hill districts)" (M.C. Regmi 1978: 867).
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.

Bibliography

Wilson, H. H. 1855. A Glossary of Judicial and Revenue Terms, and of Useful Words Occurring in Official Documents Relating to the Administration of the Government of British India. London: WM. H. Allen and Co..