Although Nepal has been portrayed as being a secluded country during the
19th century, the large amount of reports written by Nepalese envoys
stationed at various posts in Southern Asia opens a new perspective on
Nepal’s engagement with the outside world. These reports do not only
mirror the Nepalese durbar’s attempt to forge an alliance with the
independent kingdoms in the region, especially after Nepal’s defeat in
the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816), but are proofs for its wide-ranging
interest in all sorts of political, military, technical and cultural
information, particularly with regard to the European colonial powers.
Therefore, this body of documents provides insights into the perception
of Nepal’s political elites on foreign affairs and into the crucial role
envoys played as cultural brokers and mediators between the Nepalese
government and the colonial state.
Reports from foreign lands
DNA_0001_0021: An arjī from Jasapāu Thāpā re
Raṇajita Siṃ's failure to gain victory (undated)
DNA_0002_0054: A report from Candraśekhara Upādhyāya
to Bhīmsena Thāpā and Raṇadhvaja Thāpā re the British military
activities (undated, prob. 1811)
DNA_0002_0019: An arjī sent by Bam Śāha from Almora
re British-India army causualities in the battle of Nālāpānī (VS
1871)
DNA_0002_0085: A report by Candraśekhara Upādhyāya
to General Bhīmasen Thāpā and Kājī Raṇadhvaja Thāpā on a meeting
with the governor-general and on British-Maratha hostilities [VS
1874]
DNA_0002_0111: A report from Patna by Candraśekhara
Upādhyāya re Gajarāja Miśra's death and British overtures of
friendship (VS 1874)
DNA_0002_0066: A report from Umākānta Upādhyāya to
Bhīmasena Thāpā re Ochterlony's death etc. (VS 1882)
DNA_0002_0016: A letter from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya,
Devarṣi Upādhyāya, Nāhāra Siṃ Thāpā and Śālīgrāma Siṃ to
Bhavānībhakta Siṃ Khatrī re the British predilection for puppet
theatre (VS 1888)
DNA_0002_0008: A patra from Saṃgada Siṁ and Raṇasura
Bhaḍārī to Bhīmasena Thāpā re the battle at Bharatpur (VS 1882)
DNA_0002_0044: An arjī from Sāligrāma providing a
political report from Patna (VS 1891)
DNA_0002_0022: A report sent by Subbā Caturbhuja
Malla from Almora detailing newsworthy events in 1836 CE
DNA_0001_0030: An arjī from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya re
the arrival of Prince Henry of the Netherlands in Calcutta (VS
1894)
DNA_0002_0005: An arjī of Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya re
the departure of Governor-General Auckland on a tour and the
reassignment of the secretaries (VS 1894)
DNA_0002_0109: An arjī by Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya re
his meeting with the governor-general (VS 1894)
DNA_0004_0034: An arjī from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya
providing a report from Calcutta (VS 1894)
DNA_0005_0028: A letter written from Calcutta by
Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya re political, military and geographical
information of the British presence in South Asia (VS 1894)
DNA_0001_0032: An arjī by Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya
providing a political report from Calcutta (VS 1895)
DNA_0001_0075: An arjī from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya re
a conversation with James Prinsep (VS 1895)
DNA_0003_0046: A letter from Lakṣmaṇa Śarmā to
Rājaguru Raṅganātha Pauḍyāla re activities involving the Mughal
emperor and the British resident in Delhi (VS 1895)
DNA_0003_0049: An arjī on the British procurement of
grain supplies from Indian rulers (VS 1895)
DNA_0003_0083: A report on different incidents in
Delhi, Jaipur, Lahore and Kabul (VS 1896)
DNA_0001_0068: A report from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya on
his efforts to provide materials on a meeting between Raṇajit Siṃha
and Lord Auckland to the palace and British reactions to an alleged
Nepalese border infringement (VS 1897)
DNA_0004_0031: An arjī from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya re
the reception of diplomatic documents and military events in
Afghanistan (VS 1897)
DNA_0001_0097: An arjī from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya re
the departure of the governor general from Calcutta, a meeting with
the governor general’s secretary and the British victory in the
Battle of Kabul (VS 1899)
DNA_0004_0036: A report from Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya to
Māthavara Siṃha Thāpā on political developments in Sindhia after the
Gwalior campaign of 1843 (VS 1900)
Nepal's missions to China
DNA_0003_0047: An arjī from Jagatsera Khatrī Chetrī
re his journey through Tibet and China (VS 1925)
DNA_0004_0009: An arjī from Jagatsera Khatrī Chetrī
re his journey through Tibet and China (VS 1925)
