A rukkā from Jaṅga Bahādura ordering Jimmāvāla Chimi Dorjye Khunu not to allow Tibetans to collect sirto tax from locals (VS 1931)
ID: L_1200_0009G
Edited and
translated by Rajendra Shakya
in collaboration with
Rabi Acharya
Created: 2019-07-15;
Last modified: 2023-01-24
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Abstract
This rukkā from Jaṅga Bahādura orders Jimmāvāla Chimi Dorjye Khunu not to allow Tibetans to collect sirto tax from locals in the Kutang region, citing the treaty of 1856 CE. The rukkā was issued after locals informed authorities that Tibetan ḍhevās had come to Lārkyā for that purpose.
Diplomatic edition
[1r-part1]
[Seal of Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā][Seal of Raṇa Uddīpa Siṃha Rāṇā][Unknown seal][Seal with the inscription Śrī Hṛdaya Ratna][Unknown seal][Unknown seal][Unknown seal][Unknown seal]1स्वस्तिश्रीमद्दति[?]श्रीश्रीश्रीमहाराजजङ्ग[...]2हादुरराणाजीसीवीअैण्डजीसीय़ेसआईथोङ्लीन्पिम्माको[...]
3ङ्वा[?]मिनिष्टरय़ाण्डकम्यांडरईनचीफकस्यरुक्का
4स्वस्तिश्रीमद्राजकुमारकुमारात्मज
5श्रीकम्यांडरईनचीफजनरलरण
6उद्दिपसिंहकु़वरराणाकस्यपत्रम्
7आगेजीम्माव़ालछिमिदोर्ज्येषुनुके
8यथोचितउप्रान्तआषाडव[...][...]
9रोज२मारुईभोटकासाधमाला
10र्क्यावस्न्याढेवासय़हरुआय़ाका
11छन्उतातिर्नुपर्न्यासिर्तोयतैतिर्नुपर्छभनीलार्क्या•आईरह्याछन्
12भन्याषवररूईकारैति•लेल्याउदागैकुरागर्दा•सधालाग्याको•
[1r-part2]
13सीर्तोनआउदालार्क्याआय़ाकोहुंतिमिहरूलेवुझिआय़ाको
14सीर्तो•अवउप्रान्त•जीम्माव़ाललेवुझ्न्याछतिमिहरूलेलीनु
15हुदैन•भनी•रुक्कादस्षत्पठाय़ाकोहोसोरुक्काकोजवाफली
16आय़ाकाहौभंन्याक्याजवावदिन्छौघौ•सीर्तोउठाउनआ
17य़ाकाहौ•भन्याउठाउनहुदैन•भंदा•य़ौटाकागज•आय़ाको
18होनागरिअक्षरहामिजान्दैनौ•हाम्राभागकोसीर्तोछा
19डनगर्जहामीलाईछै•नमलाई•हाम्राराजा•को•हुकुमैले•
20मआय़ाकाछौ•तीम्रामालीक्लेहट्कीहट्किन्याछैन
21तिम्रामालीक्•कोहुकुम्छभन्छौभन्या•काट्छौतापनी
22थुन्छौतापनी•वाधिलैजान्छौतापनीतिम्रोषुस•सीर्तोनली
23गञाँभन्या•हाम्राराजाले•मलाईकाट्छन्वरुलडाञीहु
24न्छभन्या•हाम्राराजापनीतय़ारछन्झुगाकेरुङ्वाटसीर्तो
25पनीवुझ्न्याञाहापनीहाम्राहक्सीर्तोथुत्न्या२कुराफा
26पैनभंन्याजवाप्दिअडिरह्याछन्•उनकाहातहतिय़ारत
27य़ारछरुईकामुषिय़ाछिमिदोर्ज्येलाईहाम्रामुष्यन्जीवाधी
28काट्छुभनीच्याप्सास्मेत्झिकीताक्योर•रैतिगैह्र•लेविन्ती
29गर्दा३घडिपछिछोडिदिय़ा•य़उटासनदगराईपठाईदि़या
[1r-part3]
30वढि़याहोला•भंन्यावीस्तार•लेषिआषाडवदि•३०रोज१कादीनतै
31ले•डिठ्ठाहरिभक्त•लाईलेष्याकाचीठिलेहाम्राहजुरमाजाहे
32रभय़ोतसर्थ•गोर्षामुलुक्कामाहाजन्वेपारि•हरुसंग•भोट्वा
33वाट•लीन्या•जगात्•महसुलदस्तुर•अवउप्रान्त•भोटवाटनली
34नु•भंन्या•१२सालमा•भय़ाकाअहदमालेषिय़ाकोछदाछ
35दै•आजहाम्रामुलुक्कावासीन्दारैतीसंग•सीर्तोक्याभ
36नीलीन्छन्•लीनपाउदैनन्•हाम्रारैतिसंगसीर्तोलीननदि
37नु•तेस्कुरामामोग्लानीञाँभोटेहरुले•हुलहुज्जत्•दंगा
38गरी•पैह्लेहातहतिय़ार•चलाय़ाभन्या•तिमिहरूले•पनी
39हातथामनुपर्दैन•हतिय़ारचलाईदीनु•उनकोहातपैह्ले
40नभै•तिमिलेअर्घ्यालोभैहातनचलाउनुसीर्तोर•उन
41हरुलाई•उठाईलैजाननदिनु•आफैलेउठाइलीन्याकाम्
[1r-part4]
42गर्नु•सिर्तीवासमाचौकीवस्न्याचौकीहरुकानाउमा•प
43नी•जीम्माव़ालहरुलेजीम्मालीय़ाकाहाम्रापानीकारैति
44हरुकोहातहतिय़ार•छोड्नालाई•दुनिञाँहरुलेभोट्मोग्ला
45नालगिवेचेकोठहर्योभन्याहामीवुझाउला•भंन्याजी
46म्माव़ालहरुको•कवोलीय़ेत्लेषाईली•हातहतिय़ारछोडी
47दीनुभंन्यार•नीजजिम्माव़ालहरुले•तीमिहरूलाई•जाहावस्नु
48भन्छन्व़ाहीवस्नु•तिमिहरूलाई•षान्यारसद•कोपनीउनै
49लेवन्दोवस्तवाधीदिन्याछन्भंन्यावेहोराकोरुक्कादस्ष
50त्गरिपठाय़ाकोछतिचौकीवस्न्याहरुले•जाहावसिदोसा
51ध•नजिक्•पर्छ•उसठाउमा•वसभनी•उर्द्दिदिषानालाई•रस
52दकोवन्दोवस्त•स्मेत्गरिदिनुभंन्याप्रमान्गीकोरुक्काद•
53स्कत्गरिवक्सौईतिसम्वत्१९३१सालमितिश्राव़णसुदि११रो
54ज१सुभ्म्¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
Translation
[1r]
Hail! A rukkā of him who is very mighty, has arms like a staff etc., the thrice venerable great king, GCB and GCSI, thoṅ-līn-pim-mā-ko-kaṅ-vāṅ-syān, Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā
Hail! A letter from Śrī Commander-in-Chief General Raṇa Uddīpa Siṃha Kũvara Rāṇā, a prince born of a prince
Āge: To JimmāvālaChimi Dorjye Khunu
Yathocitauprānta: “Ḍhevāsayas1 , [currently] residing in Lārkyā, arrived at the border of Ruibhoṭ on Monday, the …2 of the dark fortnight of Āṣāḍha. The ryots of Rui brought word that [they] had come to Lārkyā to say that the sirto that is to be paid to the other (i.e. Nepalese) side must be paid [instead] to this (i.e. Tibetan) side, and afterwards, when I went to talk [to them], [one of them said:] ‘I have come to Lārkyā, as the sirto that has been always been imposed has not been received [for quite some time].’
“[We] said to him: ‘A rukkā daskhata was sent [to your king], stating that from now onwards the jimmāvāla [of Rui] shall collect the sirto that you have been collecting [up to now]. You are not to exact it [any longer]. If you have come with a reply to the said rukkā, then what is your reply? [But] if you have come to collect sirto, then you shall not do so.' He thereupon said: ‘We received one document, [but] we do not know [deva]nāgarī script. There is no need for us to forfeit our share of sirto. I have come by order of our king. Your master shall not hinder [us]. It It’s up to you whether you kill me or imprison me or put me in chains if you say you have orders from your master. Our king will kill me if I return without exacting sirto [from here]. But if there is to be war, our king is ready You exact sirto from Jhugā3 and Kerung as well and snatch away our right to collect sirto from there too. These two things are unbecoming.’
“They remained adamant in their response. They have their arms ready. [One of them] even drew a dagger right in front of us and pointed it at Chimi Dorjye, mukhiyā of Rui, saying that [he would] tie him up and kill him. And he was [only] freed 3 ghaḍīs later after ryots and the like pled [on his behalf]. It will be very good if you issue a sanada and send it.”
This came to our notice after you wrote a letter to ḍiṭṭhāHaribhakta with the above-mentioned details on Sunday, the 30th of the dark fortnight of Āṣāḍha. Therefore, we have issued a rukkā daskhata with the [following] edict (pramāṅgī):
“What reason do they provide to exact sirto today from the ryots [who] are residents of our nation, when it is already mentioned in the treaty of [VS 19]12 (1856 CE)4 that from now onwards Bhoṭ shall not exact [any] jagātamahasūladastura that was exacted by Bhoṭ from merchants and traders of the nation of Gorkhā? They do not have the right to [do so]. Do not permit [them] to exact sirto from our ryots. Regarding the issue, if Bhoṭes from mugalānā5 cause disturbances and are the first to use weapons, then you do not need to hold back your hand either. Use [your] weapons. If their hands are not the first [to strike], do not become the cause of dispute by laying your hands on them. Do not permit [them] to collect sirto and wool. Perform the task of collecting [them] yourself.
“We have [also] issued a rukkā daskhata in the name of sentries that are posted in Sirtībāsa6 to guard [the area], instructing them to: a) permit [the ryots] to keep their weapons after getting jimmāvālas [of the region] to sign a kabuliyata, stating: ‘[We] jimmāvālas are to be held responsible for in cases where subjects are proven to have taken weapons to Bhoṭ mugalāna (i.e. Tibet or regions of Tibet that borders India) and sold [them there]', and b) stay wherever the said jimmāvālas ask you to stay; they shall also make food arrangements for you.
“Order those sentries who are posted close to the border to remain in those places, and also make arrangements so that they have rations to eat.”
Sunday, the 11th of the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa in the [Vikrama] era year 1931 (1874 CE). Auspiciousness.
Commentary
This rukkā from Jaṅga Bahādura attempts to maintain Nepal’s hold on the border region by not forfeiting its right to Tibet to collect sirto. It clearly shows that even with the signing of the treaty of 1856 (popularly known as the Treaty of Thāpāthalī) by both Nepalese and Tibetan authorities, there were disputes between the two countries regarding collection of tax.
The third article of the treaty states: “From now onwards, Bhoṭ shall not exact jagāta mahasūla dastura that was being exacted by Bhoṭ from the traders and merchants of the venerable nation of Gorkha" (Rāṇā VS 2059: 101).
Jaṅga Bahādura orders Jimmāvāla Chimi Dorjye Khunu not to allow Tibetans to collect sirto from the locals, citing the same article of the treaty.
It is unclear who ḍhevāsayas are, but they probably are representatives of a ḍhevā, the same post mentioned in L_1200_0027. There is a mention of ḍhevās writing a letter to Pṛthvī Nārāyaṇa Śāha on questions relating to trade (Nepālī 1974: 112). Indeed there are many instances where the term ḍhevā figures as a post held by officials from Tibet in documents relating to Nepal–China/Tibet relations. The term appears to have been in use, in particular, in Manang. A report from the PokharāTahasila Aḍḍā submitted to the Siṃha Darbāra Nagadī Tahabila states:
“For four villages (Manang, Bhra, Khamsur and Ghyaruwa), a permanent theka-thiti settlement has been concluded with the local dhewas. Under this settlement, these dhewas are under obligation to remit Mohar Rs 1,349 and 9 annas during the month of Magh every year to the Thapathali Palace through revenue-collectors (tahasildar) deputed to collect revenue in Kaski-Lamjung every year.” (Regmi 1983: 138)
Hence, the term ḍhevā appears to have come into official use in some areas of Nepal that border Tibet.