An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of GorkhaHamilton, Francis
History
An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of Gorkha
Hamilton, Francis
Nepal -- Description and travel; Nepal -- History
Rana Bahadur, although he could not treat his wife with kindness, nor
even decency, does not seem to have been altogether unmoved by her noble
conduct; and, after his return from Banaras, had enlarged her father’s
dominions. Fortunately for Bhim Sen, the high-spirited lady accompanied
the body of her faithless husband on the funeral pile and freed the new
regent from her presence, which might have been very troublesome. For
his subsequent conduct in seizing on her father’s petty states, which was
done when he seized Palpa, it will be difficult to account, except on the
principle of insatiable rapacity. The tragedies of his first day’s
government of course stopped all observations on his conduct. Disliking
to have at the capital a person so venerable, and of such high rank as
Brahma Sahi, he induced that chief to accept the government of Kumau or
Almora, the most honourable in the kingdom, and augmented in dignity by
the new title of Raja Brahma Sahi, exempt from ambition, and knowing from
his character that he was safe from danger, accepted the office as more
suited to his great years, than the dangerous intrigues of Kathmandu.
The remote government of Saliyana is occupied by his brother Rudravir,
but the youngest brother Hasthadal, and all his legitimate male issue,
are held at Kathmandu, no doubt as hostages; for all the family is
suspected not only of disaffection, but of being too friendly to the
English. Hasthadal, however, is now one of the Chautariyas. The command
of the army in the west has been continued to Bara Amar Singha, whose
birth gives him no pretension to raise disturbances; but who has good
abilities, and there is reason to believe is firmly attached to the
present ruler. Bhim Sen, himself, now in the vigour of youth, and of the
most determined courage, has probably very ambitious views. Whether or
not he may think these promoted by his disputes with the English, I do
not know; but the Raja approaches manhood, and the objections to his
succession are very numerous, while the disputes with the English have
been a pretence for assembling a very large force, (twenty-five companies
under the son, and thirteen companies under the father,) and for thus
attaching to his family a very large proportion of the army. The army in
the west is under the command of Bara Amar Singha, father of Ranadhwar,
the chief confidant and coadjutor of the young minister.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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