Documenta Nepalica

Documents on the History of Religion and Law of Pre-modern Nepal

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A thyāsaphū recording events in the history of the Luthāma Guṭhī in the early Śāha period

ID: PD_0002_0002

Edited and translated by Manik Bajracharya
Created: 2021-05-27; Last modified: 2024-07-11
For the metadata of the document, click here

Published by Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities: Documents on the History of Religion and Law of Pre-modern Nepal, Heidelberg, Germany, 2022. Published by the courtesy of the Buddhist Digital Resource Center, Boston. The images are in the public domain. 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 thyāsaphū records events in the history of the Luthāma Guṭhī, which was concerned with the cult of Matsyendranātha in Patan. The manuscript contains 22 pages, of which six record incidents covering a period from Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa Śāha's conquest of Patan in NS 888 (1768 CE) to the reign of King Raṇa Bahādura Śāha. The rest of the folios are related to ritual procedures followed by the guṭhī and incidents concerning the rituals.

Diplomatic edition

[1]

1सं८८८देशचार•श्री३पृथ्वीनारायणमहाराजाएलदेशदुहांविज्यात॥
2सं८८९वुया•चौथाइसामादुकाल॥सं८९३वुया पोताकाल•गुलियांइ
3जाराकाल •गुलियांमनाओनिकायाओ•तोलताओविल॥लुथामगुथियाजक•ध
4नंदमहावुद्धया•धर्मश्रीजुशिवाहारया•धननंदजुहतखाया•रतनजुहतखा
5यापाक•आनंदजुमहावुद्धया•थ्वतेसिनंइजरातयाओ•दामहनांजादेवयार
6थस•लुथामगुथिचिंतायायमफुधकंकुतरमदयकंचोनाओ•महापालया•
7⟪रानिमयजु⟫वलभद्रजासिनथ्वगुथिदर्शनयाङाधक•थ्वगुथियाहर्ताभर्ताजुयाओ•वुया
8सामादकोयांथओखुसियाङाओ•वुपजनियाकजुरो॥थ्ववेलस•साह्माभाओजा

[2]

1किफं३०तकाया•वाफं७०तकाया•कयगूफं९०पाथिंतकाया•छ्वफं८०तका
2याकाययोमदु॥सेनेल्होनेवाराहीतयाओ•सिज्यायाकेमात्रजुकोताललाचकाओ
3भरियानकुवुयकाओमहावुद्धसनायकयाछेसनुगूवाहारसज्यायाकरओयि
4ओ•गुथिहारम्हं७माधरसमेतवोनाओ•नकोनकेनकाओ•वाराहीतयाओ•नकी
5लजकतानाओ•नमातायछपो१द्वोलङपूजाछ१पोल•गुथिहारवुझययानाओ
6वलनंनकाओ•गुथियासाम्हाथओषुसियाङाओवर्ष२नसि•वलभद्रजासिनलुथा
7मगुथिनया ॥१॥ थ्वनंलि•धंरानिमयजुमहापालया•वर्ष२लुथामगुथिनया ॥२॥
8थ्वनंलिजोङवाहारया•लोहकर्मिन्हूलजेनं•तका७२दामतयाओ•वर्ष५ङादसंम

[3]

1लुथामगुथिनया ॥३॥ थ्वनंलिदौवाहाभेरुकूटया•पोमं•माहातनंवर्ष२निद
2यालुथामगुथिनया ॥४॥ थ्वनंलि•मंग्लभिंदेओकोनेया•षेपुवाजयनरसिंनं
3वर्ष२निदयालुथामगुथिनया॥थुगुदंनं•नुगलसरथभेतवुराओ•खेपुवायाका
4यरथनकानाओसिक ॥५॥ अमालीश्रीकाजीवंधुराणायापाला॥सं९०४संवतस॥
5थ्वनंलिगालवाहालकोथुछेननियाभंदाखाररहिक•स्वांहंअंतसिंनंवर्ष२नि
6दंलुथामगुथिनया॥थुगुलिदंनंतफालोहंभतिमथ्यओंरथभेतवुर॥श्रीरण
7वहादूरमहाराजायापर्याय ॥६॥ अमालीश्रीहस्तदलवाजुसाहाव॥ ॥थ्वनंलि
8खोपोया•राजवैद्य•पुनसिंहनवर्ष५ङादसंमलुथामगुथिनया॥गुथिहारयात

[4]

1महाआदरनंमान्ययाङाओनकु॥पोर१छिनमातायगू•पोलछि१दोलनपूजा•पोल
2छि१नमाकोकाय•गुथिहारमाधरसंसर्गन•महारसआदरयाङाओविचारयास्यं
3सेङल्होने•वाराहीज्यातयसिछिकरछोयायाज्यारा•दस्तुरमालकोंचरययाङा
4ओलुथामगुथिनयाजुरो ॥७॥ थ्वनंलि•इलंन्हेयाभाजुधंजोसिन•तका१०५दा
5मतयाओवर्ष३स्वदंया•लुथामगुथिभुक्तमानयाङाओ•गुथिहारया•पोल१न
6मातानायाभोज•पोल१दुलंपूजायाभोजयाकाओगुथिनयाजुरो•अमालीश्रीवम्म
7साहीचौतारायापाला ॥८॥ थ्वनंलिएदेशओगलया•हितिचुक्वावैद्यभाजुधंनं
8वर्ष११जिमछदसंमगुथिहारयाव्यवहारमालकोआदरभावदयकाओ

[5]

1म्हायमोचा•जिराजंनंसमेतंवोनाओगुथिङायकरओयाओगुथिभुक्तमान
2याङा॥थ्ववेरसअमारीतपाहितियाओनओशिवमहाजनयापारा ॥९॥
3थ्वनंलितनिग्लयातिल्हुतिया•साहावाओझानतका१०५दामतयाओवर्ष१छदं
4लुथामगुथिनया•थ्ववेलसवुयापेल•पाथिफनंकायाओ•म्होयतस्येनंमहा
5श्रापविया•वाराहीयादस्तुरजाकिफं३०शुयदस्तुरमवियाओन्हुङा५न्हुयार
6थसलुथामलितकायाविलमओजुल॥माधरछम्हजकङान्हुयापिवालचोङा
7ओदुःखसियाजुरो॥थ्ववेरस•सेङल्होनेनकिलतायनापंमयाक•वाराहीज्या
8याकेयातधानी१छिकचिलंभा•कुलछि१प्याथलाहयाओवाराहीयाज्या•विला
9धीकनकीतायतछनुतयाओ•गुथियारयात•आदरभावमयास्य•दुलनपूजा

[6]

1नापंमयास्यंलुथामगुथिभुक्तमानयाकजुरो॥अमारीश्रीसर्दारप्रवरराणा
2यापाला ॥१०॥ थ्वनंलिइलंन्हेयाभाजुधंजोसिनं•थओनामसमोहरयाकाओ
3राजगुथिधक•श्रीरणवहादुरस्वामिजुहेयेकाओमिचययानाओनयातर॥मो
4ह५यारुहरिणचक्रयामोडमात्रतया॥ ॥

Translation

[1]

In the [Nepāla Saṃvat] year 888 (1768 CE), the country became open, [and] the thrice venerable great king Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa entered into the country of Patan (Yala, text: ela).

In the year [NS] 889 (1769 CE), [the king] took one-fourth of the harvest (sāmā).

In the year [NS] 893 (1773 CE), a potā-levy on land was exacted. Some [of the land] had [the contractual system of] ijārā imposed [upon it], [while] other [land] was exempted after manāoni1 had been taken. As for the Luthāma Guthi, Dhanaṃda of Mahābuddha 2 , Dharmaśrī of Śi Bāhāra 3 , Dhananaṃda of Hatakhā, Ratana of Hatakhā and Pāka Ānanda of Mahābuddha placed [a bid for] the ijārā [contract]. They, [however], did not make any serious effort, saying [as they did] that they could not invest money (dāma hanāṃ) to take care of the Luthāma Guthi, [the patron institution] of the deity's chariot. [Instead,] Rāni Mayaju and Balabhadra Jośī (text: jāsi) of Mahāpāla took charge of this guthi, saying that they had been paying darśana to it.4 They used all the harvest of the [guthi] lands as they saw fit and caused the pajanī [system] to be imposed on the lands.5

[2]

At this time, there were people who charged [the following] prices for the harvest: 30 phaṃs of husked rice per takā 6 , 70 phaṃs of unhusked rice per takā, 90 phaṃs [or] pāthis of [dried] peas per takā and 80 phaṃs of wheat per takā. [Rāni Mayaju and Balabhadra Jośī] employed Bārāhīs7 to repair the damaged [parts], had work done only on the wood [parts], and had porters carry [the parts] to the house of the head (nāyaka) [of the Luthāma Guthi] at Nugū Bāhāla 8 at Mahābuddha in order to have the work done [there]. They invited 7 guthi members including the mādhara9 and fed them as required. They employed Bārāhīs only to hammer the nails. They carried out the tasks of namā tāya10 - 1 and Dvolaṅa-pūjā11 - 1, argued12 with the guthi members, [and] forcibly took and used the harvest of the guthi [land] as they wished. Balabhadra Jośī (text: jāsi) [thus] enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi for 2 years. --- 1

After that, Dhaṃrāni Mayaju of Mahāpāla enjoyed the Luthāma Guṭhi for 2 years. --- 2

Then, the stone-mason Nhūlaje of Joṅa Bāhāra 13 enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi for 5 years by [agreeing to] pay a [contractual] sum of 72 takās. --- 3

[3]

After this, Pomaṃ Māhāta 14 of Bherukūṭa 15 [near] Dau Bāhā enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi for 2 years. --- 4

Then Khepuvā Jayanarasiṃ from [the area] below Maṅgla (i.e., the Patan Darbar Square area) Bhiṃdeva [Temple]16 enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi for 2 years. This year, the chariot fell on its side,17 and Khepuvā's son died, trapped in the chariot. --- 5. [This happened] during the time of the venerable amālī Kājī Bandhu Rāṇā in the year [NS] 904 (1784).

Thereafter, Svāṃ Haṃ Aṃtasiṃ, the caretaker of Bhaṇḍārakhāla (text: bhaṃdākhāra)18 and a resident of Kothuche Nani at Gāla Bāhāla 19 , enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi for 2 years. This year, too, the chariot fell on its side just as it was about to reach Taphālohaṃ. [This happened] during the reign of the venerable great king Raṇa Bahādura. --- 6. Venerable Hastadala Vāju Sāhāba was the amālī.

Thereafter, the royal physician Punasiṃha of Bhaktapur (text: khopo) enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi for 5 years.

[4]

He honoured the guthi members and fed them with great respect. He carried out the tasks of namā tāyagu - 1, Dolana-pūjā - 1 and namā kokāya20 - 1. He consulted with the guthi members and mādhara and solicitiously honoured them with great pleasure. He employed Bārāhīs to repair the damaged [parts] and paid necessary wages and fees for carrying (chikara) timber. Thus he enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi. --- 7

After this, Bhājudhaṃ Josi of Ilaṃnhe enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi for 3 years by [agreeing to] pay the sum of 105 takās. He had feast arranged for the guthi members [on the occasion] of namā tāya - 1 and another feast for Dulaṃ-pūjā - 1, and [thus] enjoyed the guthi. [This was] during the time of the venerable amālīCautariyā (text: cautārā) Bamma Sāhī. --- 8

Thereafter, Bhājudhaṃ Vaidya of Hiticuka at Ogala 21 in Kāntipura (Yẽ Deśa, text: e deśa) enjoyed the guthi for 11 years.

[5]

He respected the customs of the guthi members as called for, invited his daughter(s) and son(s)-in-law [to participate] as well, and [thus] organised guthi activities. At this time, Onao Śiva Mahājana 22 of Tapāhiti was the amālī. --- 9

Thereafter, Sāhāvā Ojhā, a Tirhutiya residing in Tanigla 23 , enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi for one year after [agreeing to] pay the sum of 105 takās. At this time, since he took pela pāthi phanaṃ24 on the land, the tenants cursed [him] greatly. Since he did not pay Bārāhīs' fee of 30 phaṃs of husked rice, they refused to come and disassemble the luthāma from the chariot for 5 days. The mādhara had to wait alone and suffer for five days. At this time, no repair work on damaged [parts] was carried out and no nails were hammered. In order to have the Bārāhīs work, [he] brought one dhārnī (text: dhānī) of uncooked garlic and one kurha (text: kula) of fatty meat, {vārāhīyā jyā vi lā dhī ka}25 , [and] spared [merely] a day to hammer nails. He enjoyed the Luthāma Guthi without either acting respectfully towards guthi members or performing the Dulana-pūjā. [This was] the time of the venerable amālīSardāra Pravara Rāṇā. --- 10

Thereafter, Bhājudhaṃ Josi of Ilaṃnhe had a royal order (mohara) issued in his name. He persuaded the venerable Raṇa Bahādura Svāmī that [the Luthāma Guthi] was a rājaguthi and, having [so] intruded himself, enjoyed it. He only set up the head (moḍa) of the hariṇacakra, which cost 5 moharas. 26

Commentary

This document is a leporello (thyāsaphū, concertina fold) manuscript containing records of events relating to the Luthāma Guṭhī of Patan's Bungadyo (aka Matsyendranātha). Digital images of the manuscript have been archived under the identifier "Bdr-W1NPL76" at the Buddhist Digital Archives of the Buddhist Digital Resource Center in Boston, USA. The manuscript was digitized as part of the Nepalese Buddhist Sanskrit Manuscript Scanning Initiative in collaboration with the Nagarjuna Institute of Buddhist Studies in Nepal. The present editor accessed the manuscript from the original site 27 on 20 May 2021. The manuscript itself is untitled, but the archive has given it the title "Guṭhī thyāsaphū". The material is paper coated on both sides with haritāla. It has 22 unnumbered pages and measures 14x8 cm when folded. The number of lines per page varies from eight to thirteen. The owner is named as Yagya Ratna Shakya, his place of domicile unmentioned. The language is Classical Newari written in the pracalita script. Interestingly, the document uses first person verb forms for third person verbs, such as nayā instead of nala, yāṅā instead of yāta, biyā instead of bila and tayā instead of tala.

The manuscript contains text relating to the Luthāma Guṭhi by different scribes and registered at different times. The earliest dated event is from NS 888 (1768 CE) while the latest is from NS 938 (1818 CE). The contents of the manuscript include rules regarding the distribution of grains to the guthi's caretakers and Bārāhīs, a list of parts required for constructing the vimāna (also called luthāma in this document) section of the chariot, rules for storing and securing the parts, a list of successive seven guthi members who take turns annually as caretakers, a list of land endowments and their harvest yield, and expenditure details of certain rituals. Six of the 22 pages of the manuscript contain a list of events written in a ghaṭanāvalī28 style. The edition and translation presented in this document concern these six pages.

To shortly introduce the Luthāma Guthi; It is an organization responsible for maintaining the structure that secure the sanctum of the Bungadyo chariot. This structure, known as the vimāna, consists of various wooden parts such as doors and pillars, tympanums (toraṇas) and decorative gilt metal panels covering the outer surfaces. The guthi was founded during first half of the 17th century by Jīvarāja Bā̃ḍā of Oku Bāhāla, who is credited with completing Mahābuddha Temple. The members of the guṭhī come from the saṅgha of this temple. The current manuscript mentions that there were seven members of the guthi. However, Bruce Owens in the 1980s observed that it had only one member left (Owens 1989: 274). In an interview of the editor with a member of the guṭhi in November 2021, it now has four members representing the four families. It was overseen by a single member, and he has opted out recently.

The document records that the newly arrived Śāha kings began exacting the potā-levy on the lands and imposing the ijārā system of contractual management in NS 893 (1773 CE). This year differs from what has been mentioned by some historians. Mahesh Candra Regmi dates it to the year 1770-71, when Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa Śāha levied it on all sunābirtā (purchased and privately owned) lands in the Kathmandu Valley (M.C. Regmi 1964: 40), while Dhanavajra Vajrācārya mentions that it was first exacted by Pratāpa Siṃha Śāha (r. 1775-1777) (D. Vajrācārya VS 2019: 39). Govinda Ṭaṇḍana has proposed that the earliest date of ijārā was 1780 (Ṭaṇḍana 1995: 58). The present document gives 1773 as the definitive year of the first imposition of ijārā by the Śāhas.

This document records a list of events from a period covering Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa Śāha's conquest of Patan in 1768 to the reign of King Raṇa Bahādura Śāha. It mainly records the names of ijārā-holders of the Luthāma Guthi, their contract period, and occasionally the contractual amount paid and the names of the amalis. A table of ijārā-holders is presented below.

[table]

Name(s) of ijārā-holder	Duration (in years)	Contractual amount paid (in takās)
Rāni Mayaju and Balabhadra Jośī	2
Dhaṃrāni Mayaju	2
Nhūlaje	5	72
Pomaṃ Māhāta	2
Khepuvā Jayanarasiṃ	2
Svāṃ Haṃ Aṃtasiṃ	2
Punasiṃha	5
Bhājudhaṃ Josi	3	105
Bhājudhaṃ Vaidya	11
Sāhāvā Ojhā	1	105

The document narrates that Bhājudhaṃ Josi had a lālamohara issued in his own name and took over overseership of the Luthāma Guthi. A legal issue arose against this Bhājudhaṃ Josi (alternatively spelled Bhājudhana Jaisī in other documents) in the early 19th century (see documents E_2253_0015A – E_2253_0015G, E_2254_0001A – E_2254_0001J, K_0014_0014C, K_0015_0021C, K_0015_0031E and K_0341_0034) and finally the overseership was returned to the original guthi members.

The document also records the conduct of ijārā-holders towards guthi members, the construction workers of the chariot and their attitude towards performance of certain rituals. The rituals of namā tāye and Dolana-pūjā are specifically mentioned. This document thus provides a guthi member's perspective of how the government and the contract holders affected the functioning of guthi activities. It provides evidence of how during the early Śāha period the guthī, its members, land endowments, and concerned actors such as the Bārāhīs and the tenants of the guthi land were exploited by the state and the contractors, neither of whom probably had any direct connection to the original ritual and tradition. The exploitation sometimes gave rise to protests in the form of cursing or refusing to participate in the construction of the chariot.

Notes

1. The meaning of this term is unclear. If it is derived from the Nepali verb manāunu ("to cause to be agreed"), it may be translated as "an agreed/negotiated amount". [⇑]

2. This is the locality consisting of Mahābuddha Bāhāla, also known as Bodhimaṇḍapa Vihāra. For more information on this monastery, see DANAM LAL2340 database entry. [⇑]

3. Read: Si Bāhāla; Also known as Suvarṇakīrtisaṃskārita Śrivaccha Mahāvihāra, Si Bāhāla is one of Patan's major Buddhist monasteries. See DANAM LAL0690 for more on the monastery. [⇑]

4. Darśana generally means a vision, sight or blessing of a deity or an honourable person. However, the term seems to have been used here in the sense of being avidly devoted to the guthi or to the deity in service to whom the guthi was established. On darśana, see D. Eck (1985) and Michaels “Darśana”, in: Religion Past and Present, http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1877-5888_rpp_SIM_03411, (first published online in 2011; last accessed on 12 July 2021). [⇑]

5. It probably was the tenants of the guthi lands upon whom the temporary assignments (pajanī) were conferred. [⇑]

6. Takā (var. taṃkā) is a unit of money. Since the prices mentioned here are of the Śāha period, the term probably denotes mohararupaiyā or rupee. [⇑]

7. A Bārāhī (alternatively known as vaḍhaī, see Emmrich 2007: 139) is a person from the carpenter caste responsible for constructing wooden parts of the Bungadyo chariot. Bārāhīs claim to have come to the Kathmandu Valley from Kāmarūpa in Assam, the original place of Bungadyo (cf. Owens 1989: 281). [⇑]

8. Alternatively known as Nagu Bāhāla, Nau Bāhāla or Rūpavarṇa Vihāra, it is a branch monastery of Oku Bāhāla. See DANAM LAL2380 and Locke 1985: 108 for more information on this monument. [⇑]

9. The meaning of the term is unclear. [⇑]

10. This is most probably the act of fixing the luthāma parts to the chariot. [⇑]

11. The mother of Matsyendranātha is called Dvolaṅa Māju. Dvolaṅa-pūjā is the ritual worship performed at a tree representing her at Lagankhel. She is also called Jñānaḍākinī. More information on this site can be found in DANAM LAL2820. In this document, the term is variously spelled as Dvolaṅa, Dolana, Dulaṃ and Dulana. [⇑]

12. Even though the expression bujhaya yānāo literally means "having convinced", the sentence connotes to an argument between the ijārā holders and the guṭhī members. [⇑]

13. This probably is Jom Bāhāla, also known as Viśvakarmāvatāra Mahāvihara, lying south of Patan Darbar Square. See DANAM LAL2680 for more on this Buddhist monastery. [⇑]

14. The reading of the letter maṃ in the original is unclear. Māhāta/māhātha (lit. "minister") here probably indicates that this person was of the Amātya caste, someone who held a ministerial post during the Malla period. Families of Amātyas still reside in the courtyard of Bherukūṭa. [⇑]

15. Also known as Bhelakhu Bāhāla or Bhairavakūṭa Mahāvihāra, it is a monastic courtyard located close of Dau Bāhāla. For more information on Bherukūṭa, DANAM LAL0230 and on Dau Bāhāla, see DANAM LAL0220. [⇑]

16. See DANAM LAL1380 on this temple. [⇑]

17. For descriptions of past incidents of breakdown of Bungadyo chariot, see Emmrich 2007 and R. Śākya 2007. [⇑]

18. The Bhaṇḍārakhāla is the royal garden, which functioned also as a royal treasury during the Malla period (cf. G. Vajrācārya VS 2033: 123). [⇑]

19. This is the area around Gāḥ Bāhāla, also known as Nimnaśrī Viśvaśānti Vihāra. For more information, see DANAM LAL0510. [⇑]

20. Lit. "to bring the namā down"; This series of acts probably involves removing the decorative tree leaves and plants from the chariot once the procession is over. [⇑]

21. The locality currently known as Indracoka in Kathmandu. [⇑]

22. Śreṣtha families bearing the title Onaḥ are still residing at Tapāhiti, a locality north of Nyākhācuka in Patan. [⇑]

23. The locality of Taṅgala, immediate south of the Patan Darbar Square. [⇑]

24. The meaning is unclear. It may mean "a pāthī [measuring vessel] that was used when planting" or "four [additional] pāthīs [of grain per plot]" [⇑]

25. The meaning is not clear. [⇑]

26. moha 5 yā ru hariṇacakrayā moḍa mātra tayā. The meaning of this sentence is not entirely clear. [⇑]

27. https://library.bdrc.io/show/bdr:W1NPL76?s=t%3DScan%26r%3Dbdr%3APR1NEPAL00%26s%3Dtitle%2520forced%26pg%3D1%26n%3D35 [⇑]

28. For a discussion on ghaṭanāvalī and other genealogical historiography of Nepal, see Y. Raj 2012. [⇑]

Word	Notes
amāli / amālī	[fr. A.] var. amāli, ambāli, amvalī, aṃvalī; also amālidāra; n. a revenue official or functionary of a regional administrative unit (Pant and Pierce 1989: 93, M.R. Pant 2002: 131). According to Krauskopff and Meyer he had only "minor judicial powers" (Krauskopff and Meyer 2000: 183). Kumar further notes that he was a "subordinate civil functionary in the tehsil" (Kumar 1967: 164). His office was called amala (cf. Adhikari 1984: 344, M.C. Regmi 1978: 853).
cautariyā	var. cautarīyā; n. 1) in the early Shah period, a royal collateral appointed as principal officer of the state, often kings' second and third sons; 2) later a title with no specific functions attached, granted to several male descendents of the Śāha kings at a time. Cautarīyās held different higher administrative posts, like governors (cf. Adhikari 1984: 98–99; Kumar 1967: 164-165; J.C. Regmi 1981: 32–35; M.C. Regmi 1995: 42-43); descendents of different Śāha kings of earlier periods could be nominated thus.
dhārnī	[fr. Skt. dhāraṇī] var. dhārni; n. measure of weight equal to 12 pāus, “equivalent to 2.393 kg“ (cf. M.R. Pant 2002: 132 ).
ijārā	[A.] var. ījārā; n. 1) a system under which the government granted to an individual the exclusive right to collect revenue from a specified source subject to payment of a sum stipulated in advance (M.C. Regmi 2002: 299). 2) a contract for collection of revenue, exploitation of mines, etc. (M.C. Regmi 1978: 226; cf. Adhikari 1984: 349; M.C. Regmi 1978: 162).
kājī	var. kāji; n. “an officer of ministerial rank superintending civil and military affairs“ (M.R. Pant 2002: 133; cp. Edwards 1975: 105).
kurha	[New., fr S. kuḍava] var. kuḍa, kurha, kurhu, kula; n. a volumetric measure equivalent to two mānās (Malla 2000: sv. kurha), with four kurhas in one paṃ / phaṃ. The unit is used mostly used for measuring grain.
mohara	[P.] n. 1) a seal. 2) a document bearing royal seal; often an abbreviated reference to a lālamohara. 3) a coin having the value of eight ānās or half a mohararupaiyā̃.
mohararupaiyā̃	var. mohararupaiyām, mohararūpaiyā, moharaṭaṃkā (New.); often abbreviated as moru, morū, moharu, moharū, moharru, mohorru; n. monetary unit based on and equivalent to two eight-anna silver coins (moharas); in calculations usually broken down into four sukās, 16 ānās or 64 paisās (cf. Pant and Pierce 1989: 93) or 256 dāmas; the exchange ratio with paisās was calculated differently at different times and in different parts of the kingdom, depending on the relative values of silver and copper, ranging between 52 and 80 paisās (Regmi 1982: 73). In documents sums are represented in four numerical fractions, with the rupaiyā represented by numbers; the sukās by one to three daṇḍas or the avagraha sign representing zero; the ānās by one to three diagonal dashes, sometimes as a loop with two or three jags; the paisās again by daṇḍas or numbers; the dāmas by numbers or horizontal dashes.
pajanī	n. annual reassignment of offices and contracts, such as by a king.
pāthī	var. pāthi; n. 1) a volumetric unit equivalent to 4.546 litres comprising of 8 mānās with 20 pāthīs in one muri. 2) a container for grains having a volume of one pāthī.
phaṃ / paṃ	[New.] n. 1) container to measure grains or liquids; 2) volumetric measure (synonym to prastha and pāthi) with four kurhas in it and equivalent to a 8 mānās.
potā	n. a tax imposed on certain categories of birtā-lands. According to D. Vajrācārya, it was introduced by King Pratāpasiṃha (Vajrācārya VS 2019: 39). The document PD_0002_0002, however, mentions the exact year of the introduction of potā as NS 893 (1773 CE) which was still during the reign of King Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa.
rājaguṭhī	var. rājaguṭha; n. a guṭhī established by the king or royal family. The Mulukī Ain of 1854 (§ 1.5) defines it as a guthi set up by a reigning king or queen of Gorkhā following the performance of a saṃkalpa. Definition of rājaguṭhī, however, changed over time. With the system of amānata instituted, the guṭhīs managed by different governmental associations became rājaguṭhīs. The Guṭhī Saṃsthāna Ain of VS 2021 defines it as a guṭhī belonging to or managed by the government. After VS 2033, all the guṭhīs under the jurisdiction of the Guṭhī Saṃsthāna became known as rājaguṭhīs (cf. Tandan 1995: 34-35).
sardāra	n. “a top-ranking official next in hierarchy to a kājī“ (M.R. Pant 2002: 135; cf. Pant and Pierce 1989: 94; M.C. Regmi 1978: 163 ; M.C. Regmi 1978: 229 ; M.C. Regmi 1978: 865; M.C. Regmi 1999: 137); "A military officer in the early Shah period; later, the designation of a civil officer also." (Kumar 1967: 167 ); "Kumar states they were of the nobility and "occupied civil and military offices of importance". Our sources place four of them in charge of the districts of Ilam, Salyan, Jumla, and Pokhara, and one at the fort at Chisapani. One was in China (perhaps as a member of the mission sent to the Emperor); one was a dittha of the courts; two were dadas (see below); and two or three were designated as "hajuria". Hajurias were "always present" with the King and served as personal attendants and body guards." (Edwards 1975: 105 ).
sunābirtā	n. privately owned land which is liable to some taxation (cf. Whelpton 1991: 286). This form of land grants emerged when raikara (state owned) land was sold to individuals, and they were originally tax free and inheritable. Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa Śāha levied taxes on such lands in the Kathmandu Valley (cf. Regmi 1964: 39-40@BJ).
taṃkā	var. takā; n. a monetary unit.