Documents on Royal Goddesses

Goddesses have played a vital role for the conception, constitution and expression of rulership in Nepal. In royal ideology kings have depended one their śakti, "might" or "regal power", that manifests in many forms. Accordingly the Shah kings, as earlier dynasties too, sponsored rituals and worship places of different goddesses both, at their capitals as well as all throughout their realm. Tracing the relation between female deities and human rulers as well as the goddesses' relations to one another with a particular focus on the history and development of specific local worship traditions is the aim of this project.

 

Digutaleju

DNA_0013_0031: A lālamohara from King Gīrvāṇayuddha granting land to Badhuvā Nagārci for conducting rituals (VS 1864)

 

Guhyeśvarī

DNA_0013_0071: A rukkā from King Pratāpasiṃha requesting a supply of sugandharāja flowers from the amālidāra of Patan (VS 1832)

 

Kaḍelacoka Bhagavatī

K_0582_0045: A copy of a rukkā from King Raṇabahādura listing material provided for Navarātra worship (VS 1838)

 

Kumārī

K_0214_0044: A darkhāsta from Vimalāramaṇa Rājopādhyā to the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā requesting material provisions for installing a new Kumārī (VS 1980)

K_0214_0045: A purjī from the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā to the Kausī Tosākhānā requesting a disbursement of funds for installing a new Kumārī (VS 1980)

K_0214_0046: A purjī from the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā to the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā ordering the disbursement of funds for installing a new Kumārī (VS 1980)

K_0214_0047: A purjī from the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā to the Kausī Tosākhānā requesting the disbursement of funds for installing a new Kumārī (VS 1980)

 

Manakāmanā

K_0029_0025B: A copy of a lālamohara from King Gīrvāṇayuddha appointing Śrīkṛṣṇa and Ranyā Thāpā as priests of Manakāmanā (VS 1864)

 

Palāñcoka Bhagavatī

K_0579_0063: A document from Joganārāyaṇa Malla to Bhagavanta Bā̃ḍā re the offering of female slaves to Palāñcoka Bhagavatī (VS 1832)

K_0580_0004: A copy of a letter from Jaṅga Bahādura ordering the protection of forests on land belonging to Śrī Bhagavatī of Palāñcoka (VS 1906)

 

Taleju

DNA_0012_0056: A rukkā from King Surendra to the chief officer of the Kausī Tosākhānā containing new regulations for the Daitya and Kumāra dances at the Taleju temple (VS 1933)

K_0230_0034: A purjī of Commander-in-Chief Bhīma Śamśera ordering the Gūṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā to summon recalcitrant ritualists of Bhaktapur's Taleju for the Dasaĩ festival (VS 1962)

K_0213_0039: A muculkā submitted by the priest Jogabāhādura Karmācāryye to the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā regarding a theft at Bhaktapur's Taleju temple (VS 1981) [Bhaktapur]

 

Tripurasundarī

K_0108_0035: A lālamohara from King Gīrvāṇa restoring land to Dolakhā's Tripurasundarī Guṭhī (VS 1860)

K_0093_0002D: A rukkā from King Gīrvāṇayuddha authorizing Syurām Pādhyā to perform rituals in the temple of Tripurasundarī in Jumla Tiprīkoṭ (VS 1861)

K_0093_0002H: A copy of a rukkā from King Gīrvāṇa granting an additional eight murīs of land to a guṭhī devoted to the worship of Tripurasundarī (VS 1871)

K_0015_0017A: A copy of a lālamohara of King Rājendra reinstating Saṃkara Pādhyā Neūpāne as overseer of a Tripurasundarī guṭhī (VS 1877)

K_0007_0043C: A copy of a rukkā from King Rājendra exempting Viṣnupada Pādhyā and Badrī Pādhyā from annual payments in return for performing Dasaĩ rituals (VS 1895)

K_0093_0002E: A copy of a rukkā of King Rājendra providing remuneration to the priest Viśṇupada Pādhyā for performing rituals at a Tripurasundarī temple (VS 1895)

K_0093_0002F: A copy of a rukkā of King Rājendra directing the priest Visnupada Pādhyā to run a sadāvarta related to the Tripurasundarī temple of Tripurākoṭa (VS 1897)

K_0093_0002W: A copy of a rukkā from King Rājendra authorizing Syāmadhara Kaṭhāyet to enjoy one pāṭhī of jhusyā from each household for his ritual roles at Jumlā's Tripurasundarī (VS 1901)

K_0093_0002P: A copy of an appointment letter signed by Nainasīṃ Thāpā defining Syāmadhara Kaṭhāyet's ritual duties at Jumlā's Tripurasundarī temple (VS 1902)

K_0093_0002O: A copy of a purjī from the Daphatarakhānā confirming Śyāmadhara Kaṭhāyeta's right to enjoy one pāṭhī of jhusyā from each household for his ritual duties at Jumlā's Tripurasundarī temple (VS 1909)

K_0025_0028A: A copy of a lālamohara from King Surendra telling Colonel Kṛṣṇadhvaja Kuvara Rāṇā to provide substitute land nearer to the Tripurasundarī temple of Tripurākoṭ (VS 1911)

K_0093_0002K: An executive order from Kṛṣṇadhvaja Kũvara Rāṇā to Vīsnupada Pādhyā restoring him to his post in the Tripurasundarī Guṭhī of Tripurākoṭ (VS 1912)

K_0165_0013: A letter from the Gośvārā of East no. 2 to the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā regarding a record of expenses of the Bhīmeśvara and Tripurasundarī guṭhī (VS 1915)

K_0093_0002C: A purjī from Jagatasiṃ Pāḍe Kṣetrī authorizing Viśnupada Upādhyā to continue recitations in the temple of Tripurasundarī in Tripurākoṭ (VS 1918)

K_0093_0002I: A letter of Jītajaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā restraining a local revenue official from collecting revenue on Tripurasundarī guṭhī lands in Jumla (VS 1936)

K_0076_0003C: A copy of a document from the Tauthalī Koṭa revenue office exempting Subedāra Kulamāna Siṃha Pradhāna, a priest under the Tripurasundarī guṭhī, from corvée (VS 1939) [Sindhupalchok]

K_0076_0003A: A copy of a petition submitted by Subedāra Kulamāna Siṃha Pradhāna to Prime Minister Raṇa Uddīpa Siṃha requesting exemption from customary taxes and levies for performing ritual worship of Tripurasundarī in Sindhupalcok (VS 1941)

K_0087_0031A: A kacaharī jabānabandī muculkā by Harṣanārāṃ Ācārya et al. listing temple assets of Bhaktapur’s Tripurasundarī temple (VS 1944) [Bhaktapur]

K_0132_0027: A purjī from the Dolakhā Māla to the Guṭhī Bandobasta re an officer who failed to send standing crops from the Bhīmeśvara–Tripurāsundarī Guṭhī (VS 1972)

K_0159_0045: A purjī from the Dolakhā Māla to the Guṭhī Bandovasta Aḍḍā re planned deductions from the account of a local Śrī Tripurāsundarī guṭhī (VS 1973)

K_0262_0051: A letter from the Aḍḍā Jā̃ca Śrestā Phā̃ṭa to the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā re the theft of a statue of Tripurasundarī in Bhādagāũ (VS 1977)

K_0262_0052: A letter from the Guṭhī Bandobasta to the Choṭī Jaṅgī Koṭavālī of Bhaktapur ordering that the priests Jogabāhādura and Durgācarṇa Karmācārye be investigated re the theft of a Tripurasundarī statue (VS 1977)

K_0262_0054: A letter from the Choṭī Jaṅgī Koṭavālī of Bhaktapur to the Guṭhī Bandobasta accompanying the transfer of the detained priest Durgācaraṃ Karmācārjye to them (VS 1977)

K_0262_0055: A written statement submitted by Jogabāhādura Karmācārje re the theft of a statue of Tripurasundarī in Bhaktapur (VS 1977)

K_0262_0056: A purjī from the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā to the priest Joga Bahādura Karmācārjye re the theft of a statue of Tripurasundarī in Bhaktapur (VS 1977)

K_0262_0057: A purjī from the the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā to the Devānī Phā̃ṭa re consequences arising from the theft of a statue of Tripurasundarī in Bhaktapur (VS 1977)

K_0262_0059: A letter from the Guṭhī Bandobasta to the Jaṅgī Koṭavālī of Bhaktapur re the confiscation of property belonging to the priest Jogabāhādura (VS 1977)

K_0262_0061: A public notice from the Guṭhī Bandobasta to the locals of Tulāche re the seizure of property belonging to the priest Jogabāhādura (VS 1977)

K_0262_0064: A letter from the Guṭhī Bandobasta to the Choṭī Guṭhī Kharca of Bhaktapur re auctioning off property confiscated from the priest Joga Bāhādura (VS 1977)

K_0207_0065: A document from the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā to the Sindhupalchok Māla office re a missing document relating to a yearly report of operational costs of Tripurasundarī and Vatsalā temples (VS 1981)

K_0177_0041: A petition made by Bikulāla Karmācārjye to the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā requesting that an emolument relating to the Bisket jātrā and the Tripurasundarī temple of Bhaktapur be transferred to him (VS 1986) [Bhaktapur]

K_0316_0009: A lagata of a guṭhī of the Tripurasundarī temple in Tauthali, Sindhupalchok (VS 2008)

 

The Rāṇās' iṣṭadevatā/kuladevatā

K_0476_0060: A copy of a purjī from C-in-C General Deva Śamśera to Biseṭ Ḍiṭṭhā Jotirāja Śreṣṭha re the Dasaĩ rituals at the Pāñcāyana temple (VS 1944)

K_0636_0036: A copy of a purjī from C-in-C General Deva Śamśera to Kharidāra Harilāla re the Baḍādasaĩ rituals at the Pāñcāyana temple (VS 1947)

K_0379_0073: A copy of a purjī from C-in-C General Deva Śamśera to Kharidāra Narahari Pādhyā re the Baḍādasaĩ rituals at the Pāñcāyana temple (VS 1951)

K_0625_0006: A copy of a purjī from C-in-C General Deva Śamśera to Kharidāra Narahari Pādhyā re the Baḍādasaĩ rituals at the Pāñcāyana temple (VS 1953)

K_0640_0019: A copy of a purjī from C-in-C General Deva Śamśera to Kharidāra Candra Bahādura Sāha re the Dasaĩ rituals at the Pāñcāyana temple (VS 1954)

K_0614_0029: A copy from a purjī from C-in-C Deva Śamaśera to the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā to provide cash and kinds to operate Dasaĩ rituals (VS 1955)