Published by: Mandira
Published date: 18 Jan 2022
Rise of Rana Regime
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 a puppet in their hands. With life blood support from the British East-India Company, they tried to sustain their rule with suppression of public freedom and strong control over education and outside influence. Mostly their reforms were either for gaining public support for their autocratic rule or for enlarging their luxury. Various circumstances had led to the rise of Rana Regime, as those described below:
1. Political instability
The era after Prithvi Narayan Shah was characterized by power politic and conspiracy. Pratap Singh Shah ruled only for about 3 years and then came his 3-years old son Rana Bahadur. The army commanders who came back from the battlefield indulged similarly after the Anglo-Nepal War. Such political instability paved a way for the rise of the dictator, Jung Bahadur.
2. 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 Badahur Shah. Balnarsingh Kunwar had killed Sher Bahadur Shah, the murderer of Rana Bahadur Shah. He was appointed the chief of Dhankuta, Dadeldhura and Jumla in different time periods. Jung Bahadur in company with his father got the post of lieutenant. Later he got the post of a captain from king Rajendra. He had also worked as a private secretary to the crowned prince, Surendra Bikram. Following the murder of Mathabar Singh committed by him, his popularity grew all the more in the palace.
3. Support of East India Company
Following the Sugauli Treaty of 1873 BS, Nepalese politics was highly influenced by the English ambassadors. Pandeyand Rana's were instigated against Thapa, particularly Bhimsen Thapa by the two queens of the king Rajendra as well as the English. Ranas who came to power with the English support knew that they could sustain their autocracy as long as they could please the English. To win the confidence of the English, Rana'sgave valuable military support to British to suppress Sepoy mutiny and to win the two world wars. It is not merely a coincidence that Rana autocracy was thrown following the independence of India.
4. Nuptial relation with the royal family
In order to strengthen relation with the royal family, Jung Bahadur married Prime Minister Fattejung Shah's sister Hiranyagarva Kumari. To further tie up the relation, marriages of his sons Jagatjung and Jeetjung wee arranged with two princes of king Surendra. Later he gave away his two daughters in marriage to prince Trailokya. These relations helped Jung Bahadur to rise to stately social status and he could get more power in his hand.
5. Three Parvas:
6. Royal approval of 24th Shrawan 1913 BS
King Surendra was a puppet in the hand of Jung Bahadur. Through the approval of 24th Shrawan, 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.
Fall of Rana Regime
Rana regime was established at the cost of many innocent lives and it was doomed to fail. Ordinary people from the very beginning had developed hatred and distaste for the system though they couldn't bring it out easily. Rana autocracy could eventually be overthrown by an armed revolution in 2007 BS.
The following are the major factors behind the downfall of the autocratic system.
Family Scuffle/ Clash
Conspiracies for power among the kith and kin of the Rana became a major characteristic of the period. Opponents from Jung Bahadur's own family hatched plots to blow him but in vain. Badrinarsingh, one of his brothers, tried to kill him. After his death sons of Dhirshumser (His own half-brother) wiped his sons away and changed the roll of succession in their favor. Ranoddip, who succeed Jung Bahadur was assassinated while in office. Jung bahadur's son Jagat Jung had also made efforts to rise to power in 1938 BS.
Exclusion of C-class Ranas from the role of succession
As an effort for limiting the role of succession in favor of his family line, Chandra Shumsher categorized Ranas into A Class (Those born from ordinary marriage relations), B-Class (Those from without marriage relations), C Class (Those from illicit relations) and declared the C class out from the role. Those excluded would naturally try to destroy those in power to recover their positions. Subarna Shumhser, an excluded, later formed the Nepal Prajatantrik Congress which changed into the Nepali Congress with merged with MP Koirala's Nepali Rastra Congress. The Nepali Congress party succeeds in the overthrowing regime through an armed revolution.
Anti-Rana movements
Ranas had themselves sowed seeds of their failure. Lakhan Thapa got martyrdom as he tried to finish Jung Bahadur when the latter was on his hunting excursion. Ranas' suppressive activities encouraged continuous efforts of protest. Chandra Shumsher suppressed the anti-Rana activities of Gorkha League (Rising awareness in India), Arya Samaj (Encouraging religious reformations). Krishnalal Upadhyay who wrote Makaiko Kheti, an analogical satire on the Ranas, was imprisoned. Later anti-Rana movements got momentum in Tulsimeher's Charkha Movement (That followed Mahatma Gandhi's policy of protest through weaving), Prachanda Gorkha (First political party established to overthrow Rana regime), Mahabir School and Library establishment (Working towards raising public awareness), etc. Though these activities were suppressed immediately, they could weaken the root of the Rana regime in the long run.
Abdication of King Tribhuwan and armed revolution
Even after the execution of the Praja Parishad leaders in 1997 BS anti-Rana agitation did not stop. Later the Nepali Congress started an armed revolution which was contributed by king Tribhuwan. The reigning king abdicated the throne and took asylum in the Indian Embassy. Finally, the Ranas agreed upon the Delhi Compromise which somehow marked their end.
World War II, Indian Independence, and waves of other international changes
Rana's could easily sustain their rule as long as they pleased the British East India Company. When the British colonial rule in India came to its end, their strong foundation had collapsed. Following the Indian Independence, the Nepalese democrats, who had fought in the Indian War of Independence, came back and used their expertise in the agitation in Nepal. The Nepali Congress collected funds and weapons and operated the revolution from India. The Delhi compromise was concluded under an active mediation of the Indian government, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in particular.
Achievements of the Rana Period
The Rana rulers were not only the dictators but also the agents of reformation.Though most of the reforms were carried out for the stability of the regimes, they can be reckoned as great contribution to the country's development even till date.
On his return from the Great Britain in 1910 BS, Jung Bahadur had the first law of the land, called "Muluki Ain", published in the name of King Surendra Bikram and tried to make the country's administration strong and efficient by modernizing it. For making this administration more effective he divided Muluki Adda into two. Jung Bahadur also started giving back lands to Brahmins who had got their hands confiscated by Rana Bahadur Shah in 1862 BS. The event was known as Basitthi Haran (confiscated of the year '62).
Bir Shamsher divided the country's territory into 35 units, called tahasils for their smooth and strong administration. These administrative units remained intact up to 2018 BS when the country was redivided into 14 zones and 75 districts. Bir Shamsher fixed Government working hours from 10 am to 5 pm which was changed to 10 am to 4 pm during their premiership of Bhim Shumsher.
Likewise, various Prime Ministers in their times contributed to the improvement in various ways. Dev Shamsher tried to introduce parliamentary form of government which he called representative council and install suggestion box. Bhim Shumsher restricted capital punishment except for rebellion. Juddha Shumsher introduced the system of pension payment to the civil servants and opened office for keeping the records of people's births and deaths. Padma Shamsher introduced a new constitution to the people and Mohan Shamsher signed the Delhi Compromise in 2007 BS.
Economic achievements
Attempts were made to diversify the agricultural crops during the period of Ranas. The tea cultivation in Ilam and Sokhim, cutting forest for settlement and agriculture was given a start by Jung Bahadur at the time of his premiership. He also signed a treaty with Tibet to develop Nepal's trade. The first big irrigational canal was Chanda Nahar constructed during the time of Chandra Shumsher with its head at Trijuga river of Saptari. The next canal was constructed at the time of Juddha Shumsher and its source was the Manushmara river of Rautahat. The canal was named after his name as Juddha Nahar. Subsequently the first electricity generation power house with a capacity of 500 Kw was constructed at Pharping at the time of Chandra Shumsher, the Prime Minister. It was followed by Sundarijal Vidyut Center with generating capacity of 900 KW. Chandra Shumsher established Joint Stock Company and increased the revenue collection but restricted the import of wine. Bhim Shumsher encouraged cotton cultivation and reduce custom of the imports of cotton and salt.
The period of Juddha Shumsher is regarded as important for development of industry of Nepal. Nepal Bank Limited, Biratnagar Jute Mills, Juddha Match Factory, Gorkha Rice, Oil Mills, Birgunj Cotton Mills, Morang Hydro Electric Supply Company, Gharelu Illam Prachar Adda (office for encouraging cotton industries), agriculture training center, Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway were constructed during his tenure and roads were constructed in various parts of country. Padma Shamsher established cotton, jute and sugar mills. During Rana period wood, leather, herbs and food grains were exported from Nepal in big quantities. The raw materials were exported even to Europe through Kolkata sea port.
Social achievements
With the implementation of Muluki Ain, the application of laws throughout the country could be easy and uniform. Jung Bahadur discouraged 'Sati pratha', a custom of a woman, being burned alive in the same fire as that in which her dead husband's body is burnt, and abolished it by law in 1977 BS. The slavery system in the society had been discouraged by many rulers like Bhimsen Thapa, Jung Bahadur and Bir Shamsher. Dev Shamsher made a rule whereby none could compel anybody to become a slave against his will and none could behave inhumanly with a slave. Later Chandra Shumsher abolished the slavery system by law.
Jung Bahadur, in 1910 had a public school called Durbar School, which was opened at Thapathali for imparting education in English to the children of his own family. Ranadip established some Sanskrit school and published the first nepali calendar. Bir Shamsher constructed Bir Hospital, Singh Durbar, Vaidya Khana, Bir Library and Bir Dhara. Dev Shamsher gave the publication of Gorkhapatra and some Primary schools to the public. He established Kanya primary school for girls. Chandra Shumsher had the Military Hospital, Bhaktapur Hospital, Tokha Hospital and Pharping Power House to his credit.
Bhim Shumsher gave Death penalty only for rebellion. The SLC Board of Examination was constituted at the time of Juddha Shumsher. Besides, he also did a lot of help to the victims of 1990 BS earthquake. During the period of Padma Shamsher, women's education was promoted with the establishment of Kanya Mandir and Padma Kanya School. Mohan Shamsher established more schools and also constructed Janasewa Cinema.