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A written power of attorney granted by Ratnakumārī Pãḍenī Kṣetryānī (VS 1943)

ID: K_0175_0059


Edited and translated by Rajan Khatiwoda
Created: ; Last modified: 2019-11-13
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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 CCby-SA.

Abstract

In this deed Ratnakumārī Pãḍenī Kṣetryānī grants Bakhat Bāhādura Thāpā Kṣetrī power of attorney to represent her at court of law.



Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1श्रीः\­

1२४­

1४३

1लिषितम्‌­नर्देवी­टोल­वस्न्या­रत्नकुमारी­पडेनि­क्षेत्र्यानी­आगे­राजकु
2मारी­पडेनीसंग­
गुठिको­अंसका­झगडामा­कोटिलिंवाट­मेरा­नाउ
3मा­म्याद­टासिदियाका­मुद्दामा­म्यादभित्र­सामेल्‌­भै­नीज­राज
4कुमारिसंग­जोरि­पुर्पक्षे­गर्नलाई­मेरो­साटो­लुभु­सिरुटार­
5वस्न्या­वषत्‌­वाहादुर­थापा­क्षेत्रीलाई­वारीस्‌­गरीदिञा­नि
6ज­राजकुमारीसग­जोरी­पुर्पक्षे­गर्दा­हार्या­दंड­जित्या­जिताउ
7री­तिर्यामा­मेरो­मन्‌जुर­छ­काल्‌कला­निज­वषत्‌­वाहादुरले­
8हार्या­दंन्ड­र­जित्या­जिताउरी­मलाई­लाग्नुपर्न्या­होईन­भनि­उजु
9र्­गर्न्या­छैन­उजुर्­गर्या­भन्या­ऐनवमोजिम्‌­वुझाउला­भ
10नि­मेरा­मनोमान­षुसिराजिसंग­निज­वषत्‌ ­वाहादुर­थापा
11लाई­अक्‌त्यार­गरिदिञाँ­येस­वात्‌का­साछि­नर्देवी­टोल्‌­
12वस्न्या­पुर्णचन्द्र­पाध्या­भट्टराई­१­ टेङ्गल्‌­टोल­वस्न्या­कुलवि
13र्­ज्यापु­१­लेषक­साछि­पलान्‌चोक्‌­घर­हुन्या­नर्देवि­टोलमा­
14डेरा­गरी­वस्न्या­उमाकान्त­पाध्या­प्याकुर्याल्‌ ­१­ईती­सम्वत्­
15१९४३­साल्‌­मिति­आषाड­शुदी­१२­रोज­३­शुभम्­ ----

Translation

[1r]

Śrī

241

432

[This is a] written [statement of] Ratnakumārī Pãḍenī Kṣetryānī, a resident of Naradevī Ṭola. Āge: Concerning the legal dispute with Rājakumārī Pãḍenī over shares of the guṭhī—a deadline for which was posted under my name by the Koṭiliṅ [to appear at court of law]—I [hereby] grant Bakhat Bāhādura Thāpā Kṣetrī, a resident of Siruṭāra, Lubhu, power of attorney to be present apposing arguments against Rājakumārī on my behalf within the given deadline. Whether [my attorney,] having pled the case against Rājakumārī is defeated or wins, I will accept [the outcome], be it a fine or winning fee. I grant authority to the said Bakhat Bahādura Thāpā of my own will and volition, stating: "I will not lodge a complaint in the future to the effect that a fine, in case the said Bakhat Bāhādura is defeated, or a winning fee, in case he wins [the suit], should not fall to me [to pay or accept]. If I lodge such a complaint, I will accept [whatever is decided] in accordance with the Ain."

The witnesses to my statement are:

Purṇacandra Pādhyā Bhaṭṭarāī, a resident of Naradevī Ṭola 1

Kulavir Jyāpu, a resident of Ṭeṅgal Ṭola 1

Umākānta Pādhyā Pyākuryāl, the scribe [of this document] and a witness, being a permanent resident of Palāncok and [currently] living in rented quarters. in Naradevī Ṭola 1.

Tuesday, the 12th of the bright fortnight of Āṣāḍha in the [Vikrama] era year 1943 (1886 CE).


Commentary

This document is part of an extant set of documents which deal with a family dispute between Rājakumārī Paḍenī (the lawfully married wife of Pṛthī Bahādura) and Ratnakumārī (the wife of Rājakumārī's husbands's younger brother). As mentioned elsewhere (see K_0172_0063), this dispute arose in VS 1915 (1858 CE) after Pṛthī Bahādura committed incest with the non-widowed wife (sadhavā) of a 4th-generation cousin and with a similarly distantly related female in-law (cāra pustākī didī ra bhāujyū). After committing incest, he fled to the Terai (Madhyadeśa) with his entire family and household personnel (see K_0172_0063). Later, Rājakumārī returned from the Terai and received expiation for having accepted rice from and having had sexual intercourse with her incestuous husband (see K_0175_0032, K_0175_0033 and K_0175_0034). Furthermore, she initiated a court case to receive her rightful share of the inheritance. Ratnakumārī, her son and other members of her immediate family tried to avoid giving her any property, accusing her of being guilty of having willingly engaged in the expiated conduct (See K_0175_0018 and K_0172_0058). Rājakumārī for her part insisted on her rightful claim, mentioning the expiation she had undertaken by order of authorities and offering further evidence.

In the present document, Ratnakumārī grants power of attorney to Bakhat Bāhādura Thāpā Kṣetrī to represent her at a court of law regarding this family dispute. The article on Court Procedure of the Mulukī Ain (MA-KM 1854 35.24) deals with eligibility requirements and the procedure for appointing an attorney. According to Section 24 of this article, only someone among the respectable bhāībhāradāras can appoint a person as his attorney, except in cases of crimes pertaining to homicide (punishable by lifetime imprisonment (dāmala)), illicit sexual intercourse or shared cooked rice and water. For this a written power of attorney is to be issued stating: “I am sending such and such a person to represent me in such and such a case, granting him power of attorney. If he wins the case, it is my victory. If he loses it, it is my defeat. Whatever is decided according to the Ain, I will accept. I will not lodge a complaint.” The present written power of attorney follows the format and phrasing prescribed in the Ain.


Notes

1. An addition by a second hand in the original. []

2. An addition by a second hand in the original, probably representing the manuscript number assigned by the National Archives of Nepal. []