Causes of the Rise of Rana Regime in Nepal

Introduction

After the Kot Massacre in 1903 BS Nepal was ruled by hereditary Rana prime ministers who came to power according to rules of succession and exercised absolute power. Kings were puppet in their hands. Ranas embezzled public property and lived in tremendous luxury. With lifeblood support from the British East India Company, they try to sustain their rule with suppression of public freedom and strong control over education and outside influence. Mostly their reforms were for gaining public support for their autocratic rule or for enlarging their luxury. Various circumstances had led to the rise of the Rana regime, as those discussed below.

Political instability

The era after Prithvi Narayan Shah was characterised by power polities of conspiracy Pratap Singh Shah ruled only for about three years and them came his 3-year old son Rana Bahadur. Taking advantages, regent as well as countries indulged in conspiracies for power. Besides the army commanders who came back from the battlefield indulged similarly after the Anglo-Nepal War. Such political instability paved way for the rise of the dictator, Jung Bahadur.

Contact of Jung Bahadur's family with the palace  

From the early time Jung Bahadur's family was in touch with the palace. His grandfather Ranajit Kunwar was killed in the battle of Kangada and his father Balnarsingh Kunwar was a bodyguard of King Rana Bahadur shah. Balnarsingh Kunwar had killed Sher Bahadur Shah, the murder of King Bahadur Shah. He was appointed the chief of Dhakuta, Dadeldhura and Jumla in different time period. Jung Bahadur Company with his father got the post of lieutenant. later he got the post of captain from king Rajendra. He had also worked as a private secretary to the crown prince, Surendra Bikram. Following the murder of Mathabar Singh committed by him popularity grew all the more in the palace.

Support of East India Company

Following the Sugauli Treaty of 1873 BS, Nepalese politics was highly influence English ambassadors. Pandeys and Ranas were instigated against Thapas, particularly Bhimsen Thapa by the two queens of King Rajendra as well as the English. who came to power with the English support by knew that they could sustain their autocracy as long as they could please the English To win the two world wars. It is not merely a coincidence that Rana autocracy was overthrown following the independence of India.

Nuptial relation with the royal family  

In order to strengthen the relation with the royal family, Jung Bahadur married Prime Minister Fattejung Shah's sister Hiranyagarva Kumari. To further tie up the relation, marriage of sons Jagatjung and were arranged with the two princes of King Surendra. Later he gave away his two daughter marriage to prince Trailokya. These relations helped Jung Bahadur to rise to stately status and he could get more power in his hand.

Three Parvas

Kot Massacre:  The murder episode that took place on the night of Aswin 2, 1903 BS has been regarded as the Kot Massacre. Some historians took this murder episode as a result of the conspiracy hatched by Jung Bahadur, while others taking it in a different way through that it was an inevitable event of mass killing which Jung Bahadur used to fulfil his own purpose. However, this episode of homicide was not only limited to the mass killing of high level countries, assembling in the court of the place in order to find out the culprit who had murdered Gagan Singh, a private person of Queen Rajyalakshmi, but it was also beginning of the family rule. At this mass killing event, prime minister, Chautariya Fattejung Shah General Abhiman Singh and many other countries holding high posts and solders were cruelly killed. After the Kot Massacre, Jung Bahadur was appointed in the post the Commander-in-Chief.

Bhandarkhal Event: The next event of mass killing the countries which was carried out at the Bhandarkhal garden on Aswin 17, 1903 BS is known as Bandarkhal Parva and was thought to be the outcome of the conspiracy of Queen Rajyalakshmi to kill Jung Bahadur. The queen wanted to make her own son, Ranendra Bikram Shah, a king instead of Surendra Bikram Shah, the legitimate crown prince. But, Jung Bahadur was deadly against this. She, therefore had an evil design of killing Bahadur with the help of this opponent including Gagan Singh Khawas' family. Having informed about all this, Jung Bahadur with the help of his brothers and 6 platoons of soldiers managed to get all of his opponents killed in the Bhandrakhal garden. Among those murdered in the event were Birdhoj basnet, Mansingh Basnet and many other Basnets and 23 other persons. The queen was charged with many crimes of murder and she was sent to Benaras after making Jung Bahadur the Prime Minister.

Alau Event: Rajendra Bikram Shah staying in Benaras was after a plan to come to power again against Jung Bahadur. The Persons whom he deputed for killing Jung Bahadur were arrested with evidences. Consequently Jung Bahadur dethroned Rajendra Bikram and declared Surendra Bikram the King. Outraged with the development of the event, Rajendra Bikram Shah left Benaras to declare war against Jung Bahadur. On 13 Shrawn, 1904 BS the old Gorkha battalion led by Sanaksingh Shah attacked the soldiers of Rajendra Bikram Shah at Alau near Birgunj and defeated them badly. Rajendra Bikram under arrest was brought to Kathmandu and put into the prison of Bhaktapur palace.

Royal approval of 24 Shrawn 1913 BS

King Surendra was a puppet in the hand of Jung Bahadur. Through the approval of 24 Shrawn, 1913 BS, he made Jung Bahadur the king of Lamjung and Kaski (Shree Teen Maharaj). Now Jung Bahadur could exercise very important executive powers including appointment and dismissal of officials. infliction of punishments and formulation of laws.