Mulkaji of Kingdom of Nepal
नेपाल अधिराज्यको मूलकाजी
one of the influential Mulkaji Damodar Pande
StyleSri Mulkaji
Mulkaji Saheb
Residencevarious
SeatHanuman Dhoka Palace
AppointerKing of Nepal
PrecursorBamsa Raj Pande (as Dewan Kaji of Nepal)
Formationcirca 1785
First holderAbhiman Singh Basnyat
Final holderRanajit Pande
Abolished1804
SuccessionRana Bahadur Shah (as Mukhtiyar of Nepal)
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Mulkaji (Nepali: मूलकाजी) was the position of head of executive of Kingdom of Nepal in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal. There were 5 Mulkajis appointed between 1785 and 1804.

Meaning

Mulkaji is formed from two words: Mul and Kaji. Mul means Chief, Key or Fundamental[1] and Kaji is derived from Sanskrit word Karyi which meant functionary.[2][broken footnote] Altogether it means Chief Functionary or Executive Head of the State.

History of the five Mulkajis

Abhiman Singh Basnyat

Dewan Kaji Bamsa Raj Pande was beheaded on March 1785 on the conspiracy of Queen Rajendra Laxmi with the help of supporters including senior Kaji Swaroop Singh Karki.[3][4] On 2 July 1785, Prince Regent Bahadur Shah of Nepal was arrested and on the eleventh day of imprisonment on 13 July, Queen Rajendra Laxmi died.[3][4] Then onwards, Bahadur Shah of Nepal took over the regency of his nephew King Rana Bahadur Shah[5] and the position of Chautariya while Abhiman Singh Basnyat was elected Mulkaji (Chief Kaji).

Kirtiman Singh Basnyat

In 1794, King Rana Bahadur Shah came of age and appointed Kirtiman Singh Basnyat as Chief (Mul) Kaji among the newly appointed four Kajis though Damodar Pande was the most influential Kaji.[6] Kirtiman had succeeded Abhiman Singh Basnyat as Chief Kaji.[7]

Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat

Kirtiman was secretly assassinated on 28 September 1801, by the supporters of Raj Rajeshwari Devi[8] and his brother Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat, was then given the post of Chief (Mul) Kaji.[9]

Damodar Pande

Later Damodar Pande was appointed by Queen Rajrajeshwari as Chief Kaji.[10]

Ranajit Pande

After the execution of Mulkaji Damodar Pande on March 1804, Ranajit Pande was appointed as Mulkaji (Chief Kaji) along with Bhimsen Thapa as second Kaji, Sher Bahadur Shah as Mul Chautariya and Ranganath Paudel as Raj Guru (Royal Preceptor).[11][broken footnote][12][broken footnote]

Later King Rana Bahadur Shah created the title of Mukhtiyar and assume full executive power of the state.[13][broken footnote]

List of Mulkajis of Kingdom of Nepal

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party
Took office Left office
1 Abhiman Singh Basnyat
(1744–1800) 		1785 1794 Independent
2 Kirtiman Singh Basnyat
(??–1801) 		1794 28 September 1801 Independent
3 Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat 1801 February 1803 Independent
4 Damodar Pande
(1752–1804) 		February 1803 March 1804 Independent
5 Ranajit Pande 1804 1804 Independent

Controversial Mulkaji

Historian Dilli Raman Regmi asserts that Sarbajit Rana Magar was chosen as Chief Functionary.[14][broken footnote] Historian Rishikesh Shah asserts that Sarbajit was appointed only a Kaji [15][broken footnote] and was the head of the Nepalese government for a short period in 1778.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ "English Translation of "मूल" - Collins Hindi-English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  2. ^ Regmi 1979, p. 43.
  3. ^ a b Karmacharya 2005, p. 46.
  4. ^ a b Shaha 2001, p. 62.
  5. ^ Pradhan 2012, p. 10.
  6. ^ Pradhan 2012, p. 12.
  7. ^ Karmacharya 2005, p. 56.
  8. ^ Acharya 2012, p. 34.
  9. ^ Acharya 2012, p. 35.
  10. ^ Pradhan 2012, p. 14.
  11. ^ Nepal 2007, p. 58.
  12. ^ Acharya 2012, p. 55.
  13. ^ Nepal 2007, pp. 60–61.
  14. ^ D.R. Regmi 1975, p. 285.
  15. ^ Shaha 1990, p. 46.
  16. ^ Shaha 2001, p. 21.

Bibliography

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