Lakhan Thapa

Lakhan Thapa Magar (1835–1877) was a Nepali revolutionary known as "the first martyr of Nepal"^[1] He has been labeled such by the Nepali Magar ethnic group as he was the one who first resisted to the government in Nepal namely: the rule of the Rana dynasty 1846 - 1950. He rebelled against the rule of Jang Bahadur Rana. He was supported by his close friend Jay Shingh Chumi Magar. Jayashingh Chumi was his minister. He propagandized his political ideology to destroy the Jung Bahadur Rana regime, to form a free state and army.^[2]

Early life

He was born in Kahule Bhangar of Gorkha district, west Nepal in 1835. No further documentation is available on his education and career, however, some Nepalese historians write he was a social organizer and promising leader of the ethnic indigenous group of people. He was a follower of Josmani Saint sect of religion.^[3] He has also been portrayed as peasant's leader^[4]

Kot Massacre of 1846

The mysterious killing of General Gagan Singh Khawas, followed the Kot Massacre of September 14, 1846 that catapulted the Ranas into power to last for 104 years. The reigning queen wanted to know the murderer of General Gagan Singh Khawas. General Abhiman Singh Basnyat, who was the first General or Commander-in-Chief of Nepal Army^[5] had known who the killer was. Jung Bahadur Rana, therefore shot him at his chest and the dying General Abhiman Singh Rana Magar, shouted, "Junge was the killer of Gagan Singh"("गगन सिंहको हत्त्यारा जंगे नै हो"). It is understandable that Junga Bahadur Rana had to finish all nobles in the royal house and other in the country, that included ethnic leaders like Lakhan Thapa to secure his position. His iron-fisted rule scared people in the country.

Resistance

Lakhan Thapa Magar, a man of great courage could not tolerate it. He organized some youths from his area and began to protest against the government. Later Jung Bahadur Rana knew it and sent his troops to Gorkha. The troops captured and hanged him to death with his friend Ajay Singh Chumi Magar. Some historians write the government captured 50 youths and hanged all of them along with Lakhan Thapa. But one of the descendants of Jung Bahadur Rana has otherwise opted to dismiss Thapa's martyrdom.^[6] But all renowned historians of Nepal have attested that Lakhan Thapa was hanged to death.^[7] Junga Bahadur Rana had risen to power with brutal massacre of the nobles of Nepal Durbar. The Kot Massacre was the beginning of 'black days' of Nepalese history. Junga Bahadur Rana was a ruthless ruler. It can't be even imagined such a cruel ruler, who had risen to power through conspiracy and bloodbath would have left anyone unharmed, who had opposed him so vigorously for the first time.

Another historian and then Director General of Nepal Government's Department of Archaeology has written^[8] that Jung Bahadur Rana's tyrannic rule had reached its optimum limit; people had suffered beyond imagination. Therefore, Thapa began to organize people against the government. Taking some ex-army-men into his organization, Thapa began a rebellion from Bunkot, Kahule Bhangar in Gorkha. People overwhelmingly supported Thapa's movement. His organization grew leaps and bounds. In the meantime, government secret service agents reported what Thapa was doing against the Rana regime. That was a 'first ever political movement against any Nepalese government' which was totally corrupt and tyrannic, extremely unpopular and fundamentally against the public interest. Jung Bahadur Rana thought, he must stop the rebellion or else he had no future. So, Jung Bahadur sent his troops to crush the rebellion. While Lakhan Thapa and his seven friends were in a secret meeting, the government army got into there and captured all of them. The troops searched and found 60 guns and other arms and ammunition also. Thapa and other captives, arms and ammunition were brought into Kathmandu.

Jung Bahadur thought to eliminate Thapa and other rebels and ordered to hang them. After sometime, Thapa was hanged in front of his residence in Bungkot and rest other seven were hanged near Manokamana temple.^[9]

Death

Lakhan Thapa was hanged to death by the central Rana government on February 27, 1877. Some historians draw parallel between Lakhan Thapa and Bhagat Singh (Punjabi: ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ بھگت سنگھ,]) (28 September 1907[7] – 23 March 1931) of India.

Family tree

Lakhan Thapa's Siblings:

• Ram Thapa (older brother) and;
• Dhana Mala sister.

When the regime hanged Thapa to death, his family fled Gorkha. His wife and children took refuge in Rumjatar, east Nepal at some Limbu household for sometime and then again to Darjeeling, India.

• Thapa's wife and Children : Both his wife and son's name is not known.

• Martyr Thapas' Grandson: His grandson was Karbir Thapa Magar who had a son: Hem Dal Thapa and a daughter (name unknown). n Hem Dal Thapa had a son Padam Bahadur Thapa and daughter Shuva Kumari Thapa.

Padam Bahadur Thapa has two sons: Binod Thapa Magar, Bidhan Thapa Magar and four daughters: Shakun Thapa, Rukmini Thapa, Malati Thapa and Sudha Thapa. They all live in Darjeeling today.

Shuva Kumari Thapa has also two sons Rohit Thapa Magar, Shyam Thapa Magar and four daughters: Pawitra Thapa, Sumitra Thapa, Sabita Thapa and Lalita Thapa.

Shuva Kumari Thapa was in Kathmandu in 2002.She was honoured by Martyr Lakhan Thapa Memorial Foundation amidst a function in Kathmandu, Nepal.^[10]

Nepal Government Declares Him the first Martyr of our country

The government of Nepal declared him a martyr of the country, belatedly however, on February 23, 2000 and approved a grant of 0.7 million rupees to construct his bust size statue and a memorial park in Gorkha kahule Bhangar where he was born.

Notes

References

• Baidhya, Tulsiram, Vijay Kumar Manandhar and Premsingh Basnyat. 2009. Military History of Nepal (Part 2). Kathmandu: Army Headquarters.
• Bhandari, Dhundi Raj: नेपालको आलोचनात्मक इतिहास Nepalko Aalochanatmak Itihas (A Critical History of Nepal)
• Gurung, Hark - 1998: Nepal : Social Demography and Expression.
• Lecomte-Tilouine, Marie - Oxford University Press - 2008: Hindu Kingship, Ethnic Revival and Maoist Rebellion in Nepal
• Rana, B. K. : Martyrs, Martyrdom and martyr Lakhan Thapa
• Rana, B. K. 2003: संक्षिप्त मगर इतिहास Sanchhipta Magar Itihas (A Concise History of Magars)
• Rana, Pudma Jung Bahadur - 1909: Life of Maharaja Sir Jung Bahadur of Nepal. The Pioneer Press Allahbad
• Rana, Promod Sumsher - 1978 : Rana Nepal - An Insider's View
• Sharma, Bal Chandra : नेपालको ऐतिहासिक रुपरेखा Nepalko Aitihasik Ruprekha (Glimpses of Nepalese History)
• Sharma, Janak Lal -1964 : जोसमनी सन्त-परम्परा र साहित्य - २०२० -Josmani Sanit-Parampara Ra Sahitya 1964 - Josmani Saint Tradition and Literature - 1964.
• Singh, Bhim Bhaktaman - 2005: Nepal
• Whelpton, John 1991: Kings, Soldiers and Priests: Nepalese Politics and the Rise of Jung Bahadur Rana, 1830 -1857

External links

• Magar Morcha
• True Tribute to Martyrs
• Celebration of Martyrs’ Day In Nepal
• Martyrs, Martyrdom and Martyr Lakhan Thapa
• Martyrs, Freedom Fighters and Brave Children of Nepal
• Hindu Kingship, Ethnic Revival and Maoist Rebellion in Nepal:
• Even today, Lakhan Thapa is remembered as the first Nepali martyr
• Martyrs, Martyrdom and Martyr Lakhan Thapa
• THE HISTORY OF THE MESSIANIC AND REBEL KING LAKHAN THAPA MAGAR : UTOPIA AND IDEOLOGY AMONG THE MAGARS
• Bagchi-Levi in Nepal A Glimpse of the Rana Rule in Nepal, Manindra Bhushan Bhaduri The Calcutta Review July 1962