Basnyat
Encyclopedia
The Basnyat family or Basnet family is considered to be one of the noble courtier (Bhardar) families of Nepal which also includes the Thapa, Pandey,Karki,Khadka and Kunwar (Rana) families. The original Chhetri family (Excluding Kunwars "Rana") comprises Basnyats,Karkis,Khadkas, Bistas, Pandes or Pandeys and Thapas and are also nicknamed as KAZI's. e.g. Thapa Kazi or Basnyat Kazi.
The Basnyats or Basnets are of pure Chhetri origin. It is said that they migrated into western Nepal during the Khas(indo-aryan) invasion of Nepal
. There are three types of Basnyats/Basnets in Nepal. The Shreepali (Sripali) Basnyats/Basnets of Gorkha, the Khaptari (Khaptadi) Basnyat/Basnet of Khaptad, and the Khulal Basnyats/Basnets. These days, the surname Basnyat or Basnet is used interchangeably by all three clans.
It is known that during the reign of King Prithivi Narayan Shah the Shreepali Basnyats of Gorkha were the leading military force. They were either highly ranked officers in the army or key figures in the kings court. King Prithvi Narayan Shah formed an alliance with Basnyat and Pandey families of Gorkha in his quest for the unification of Nepal. He is known to have arranged the marriage between General Kehar Simha Basnyat, son of General (Kazi) Shivaram Singh Basnyat and Chitra Devi, the daughter of General(Kazi) Kalu Pandey.Later, Chitra Devi constructed the Narayan temple in Timal Danda in honour of her Father-in-law Kazi Shivram Singh.Kehar Singh went to Tibet to negotiate with it to have the Nepali coins circulated in Tibet. He was the major military leader who united the western districts and Kathmandu valley to Nepal.He was martyred in the battle of Satahun.
Abhiman Singh Basnyat, the third son of General (Kazi) Shivaram Singh Basnyat became the first Commander in Chief of a United Nepal after the death of General (Kazi) Kalu Pandey on the second attempt to capture Kritipur. His father Shivram Singh was the first military leader of Gorkha who laid down his life in the campaign of unification of Nepal in 1746 in Chhaling,(Naldum) near Bhaktapur. Abhiman's two elder brothers were Kazi Naahar Singh and Kazi Kehar Singh. His youngest brother Kazi Dhaukal Simha Basnyat, who also became the governor of Kumaun, was the first owner of present Narayanhity Palace. Abhiman Singh died at the age of fifty-six in 1857 B.S. when he was sent to settle the area of Morang and Sunsari,then called Kaala Banzaar.It was a great injustice to him to send to this area at that age when he was already a Mulkazi.He was reported to have suffered from fever, possibly Malaria and died of it.
King Prithvi Narayan Shah has stressed the importance of the Basnyats in his poetic piece known as "Dibya Upadesh" or "Divine Counsel" in English. Here is a link to the translation of the "Dibya Upadesh" into English. This translation was done by Prawin Adhikari, from a transcription originally published by historian Baburam Acharya
. Samudaya.org owns the copyrights to the article.
A quote from the Dibya Upadesh:
I said—"Now, I will make ties between the Pandes and the Basnyats, so give your daughter to Sivaram Basnyat's son Kehersingh Basnyat," and the two houses were tied by marriage. Thus, after the conjugal tie, with the shields of the Pandes and the swords of the Basnyats I attacked Nepal.
After the royal palace moved to Basantapur in Kathmandu, the Shreepali Basnyat's of Gorkha moved along with the royal family, living close by to the palace in Indra Chowk and Ason.Kazi Abhiman Singh constructed a house for himself in Ason which is known as Maan Mandir in 1833 B. S., which still exists as Tilanga Ghar. They shared a great amount of power in the court alongside the Pandey's and Thapa's. This continued until the reign of King Rana Bahadur Shah
, when Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa came into power and there was a power struggle between the Pandeys and the Thapa's. The Basnyat's sided with the Pandey's as they had earlier marital links with them back in Gorkhka and ultimately removed the Thapa's from power.
In the modern era, Pahalman Singh Basnyat was also called as 'Khaptadi Raja'(King of Khaptad). The Khaptadi Basnyats in the then Gorkha kingdom of King Prithivi Narayan Shah had taken active participation during the unification of Nepal. Late General (C-in-C) Simha Bahadur Basnyat and another Singha Bahadur Basnyat, married to Shahjadi, previous ambassador to Great Britain, are other prominent persons of this family.
The Basnyats or Basnets are of pure Chhetri origin. It is said that they migrated into western Nepal during the Khas(indo-aryan) invasion of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. There are three types of Basnyats/Basnets in Nepal. The Shreepali (Sripali) Basnyats/Basnets of Gorkha, the Khaptari (Khaptadi) Basnyat/Basnet of Khaptad, and the Khulal Basnyats/Basnets. These days, the surname Basnyat or Basnet is used interchangeably by all three clans.
The 'Shreepali' Basnyats
The Shreepali Basnyats are originally from Gorkha. They worship "Sishakoti Madhev","Veerabhadra","Mahakali" as their Kul Deuta and Aradhe Devi "Dakchinkali" as Istha deuta. They were very powerful during the unification of Nepal. They remained powerful till the emergence of Jung Bahadur Kunwar or later known as jung Bahadur Rana.It is known that during the reign of King Prithivi Narayan Shah the Shreepali Basnyats of Gorkha were the leading military force. They were either highly ranked officers in the army or key figures in the kings court. King Prithvi Narayan Shah formed an alliance with Basnyat and Pandey families of Gorkha in his quest for the unification of Nepal. He is known to have arranged the marriage between General Kehar Simha Basnyat, son of General (Kazi) Shivaram Singh Basnyat and Chitra Devi, the daughter of General(Kazi) Kalu Pandey.Later, Chitra Devi constructed the Narayan temple in Timal Danda in honour of her Father-in-law Kazi Shivram Singh.Kehar Singh went to Tibet to negotiate with it to have the Nepali coins circulated in Tibet. He was the major military leader who united the western districts and Kathmandu valley to Nepal.He was martyred in the battle of Satahun.
Abhiman Singh Basnyat, the third son of General (Kazi) Shivaram Singh Basnyat became the first Commander in Chief of a United Nepal after the death of General (Kazi) Kalu Pandey on the second attempt to capture Kritipur. His father Shivram Singh was the first military leader of Gorkha who laid down his life in the campaign of unification of Nepal in 1746 in Chhaling,(Naldum) near Bhaktapur. Abhiman's two elder brothers were Kazi Naahar Singh and Kazi Kehar Singh. His youngest brother Kazi Dhaukal Simha Basnyat, who also became the governor of Kumaun, was the first owner of present Narayanhity Palace. Abhiman Singh died at the age of fifty-six in 1857 B.S. when he was sent to settle the area of Morang and Sunsari,then called Kaala Banzaar.It was a great injustice to him to send to this area at that age when he was already a Mulkazi.He was reported to have suffered from fever, possibly Malaria and died of it.
King Prithvi Narayan Shah has stressed the importance of the Basnyats in his poetic piece known as "Dibya Upadesh" or "Divine Counsel" in English. Here is a link to the translation of the "Dibya Upadesh" into English. This translation was done by Prawin Adhikari, from a transcription originally published by historian Baburam Acharya
Baburam Acharya
Baburam Acharya was a Nepalese historian and literary scholar who coined the name Sagarmatha , for the mountain better known as Mount Everest or Chomolungma or Quomolungma ....
. Samudaya.org owns the copyrights to the article.
A quote from the Dibya Upadesh:
I said—"Now, I will make ties between the Pandes and the Basnyats, so give your daughter to Sivaram Basnyat's son Kehersingh Basnyat," and the two houses were tied by marriage. Thus, after the conjugal tie, with the shields of the Pandes and the swords of the Basnyats I attacked Nepal.
After the royal palace moved to Basantapur in Kathmandu, the Shreepali Basnyat's of Gorkha moved along with the royal family, living close by to the palace in Indra Chowk and Ason.Kazi Abhiman Singh constructed a house for himself in Ason which is known as Maan Mandir in 1833 B. S., which still exists as Tilanga Ghar. They shared a great amount of power in the court alongside the Pandey's and Thapa's. This continued until the reign of King Rana Bahadur Shah
Rana Bahadur Shah
Rana Bahadur Shah, King of Nepal was the third King of greater Nepal. He succeeded to the throne in 1777 on the death of his father, Pratap Singh Shah. He ruled under the regencies of his mother, Queen Rajendra Laxmi and then of his uncle, Bahadur Shah...
, when Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa came into power and there was a power struggle between the Pandeys and the Thapa's. The Basnyat's sided with the Pandey's as they had earlier marital links with them back in Gorkhka and ultimately removed the Thapa's from power.
The Khaptadi Basnyats
Khaptadi Basnets are 'Kaushik' gotriya 'Kshatriya', lineage of King Bishwamitra who later became 'Rajarishi' Maharaj, according to prehistorical belief.They are believed to have entered the areas of 'Himvata Khanda' or present western part of Nepal not later than 13 to 14 century.According to the available sources, The clan of Khaptadi Basnyat started at around the era between 13 to 14 century. At the time, the kingdom of 'Khaptad', within the bigger region of the 'Khas' Pradesh, established by Chandra Vanshi Rajputs from Kashi, the Great Grandson of King Baldev Singh, the grandson of King Sangram Singh, the last son of Ajaya Singh, who was popularly known as 'Rahol', Bir Bhotu Singh was honored as "Basnyat" by his father. Therefore Bir Bhotu Singh is considered to be the first Basnyat from Khaptadi Basnyat lineage. 'Rudra', the ferocious form of Lord Shiva is worshipped as 'kul devata' among them. Since Khaptadi Basnyat originated from the lands of Khaptad in the western part of Nepal they are called as Khaptadi Basnyat. 'Brindabashini' is also the 'Kuldevi' of Khaptadi Basnyats. MahaKali as Shakti/ista devi is also worshiped by Khaptadi Basnyats.In the modern era, Pahalman Singh Basnyat was also called as 'Khaptadi Raja'(King of Khaptad). The Khaptadi Basnyats in the then Gorkha kingdom of King Prithivi Narayan Shah had taken active participation during the unification of Nepal. Late General (C-in-C) Simha Bahadur Basnyat and another Singha Bahadur Basnyat, married to Shahjadi, previous ambassador to Great Britain, are other prominent persons of this family.