⏱ 4 min read
On the night of 31 Bhadra 1903 BS, a massacre in the Kot courtyard of Kathmandu changed Nepal’s history. Within a short time, Jung Bahadur Kunwar became Prime Minister, removed his rivals and the king, and founded the hereditary Rana rule that lasted 104 years. This note explains the Kot, Bhandarkhal and Alau events and Jung Bahadur’s main works.
1. Kot Parva (1903 BS)
- Date: 31 Bhadra 1903 BS (14 September 1846), at the Kot (armoury courtyard) near Hanuman Dhoka.
- Cause: the murder of Gagan Singh Bhandari, a favourite of Queen Rajya Laxmi Devi. The angry queen called all courtiers to the Kot to find the killer.
- Fighting broke out and many leading courtiers were killed, including Prime Minister Fateh Jung Shah and Abhiman Singh Rana.
- Jung Bahadur Kunwar, who came with armed soldiers, emerged as the most powerful man and was made Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief.
- King at the time: Rajendra Bikram Shah.
2. Bhandarkhal Parva and Alau Parva
| Event | Year (BS) | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Bhandarkhal Parva | 1903 (Kartik) | Queen Rajya Laxmi plotted to kill Jung Bahadur at Bhandarkhal garden; the plot failed, her supporters were killed, and she was sent to Banaras with King Rajendra |
| Alau Parva | 1904 | Former King Rajendra tried to return with an army; he was defeated at Alau and put under house arrest |
| New king | 1904 | Crown Prince Surendra Bikram Shah was made king; real power stayed with Jung Bahadur |
3. Main works of Jung Bahadur
- Visit to Britain and France (1850 AD, 1907 BS): he was among the first South Asian rulers to visit Europe.
- Muluki Ain (1910 BS): Nepal’s first written national legal code, which also fixed a caste-based legal order.
- Durbar High School (1910 BS): Nepal’s first school, opened for Rana and elite families.
- Nepal–Tibet war (1912 BS): ended with the Treaty of Thapathali (1913 BS), giving Nepali traders special rights in Tibet.
- Help to the British in 1857: in return Nepal got back the Naya Muluk (Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur) in 1860.
- He tried to limit the practice of sati; it was finally abolished later by Chandra Shumsher.
4. Founding hereditary Rana rule
- By a royal Sanad (Lal Mohar) of 1913 BS, Jung Bahadur was made Maharaja of Kaski and Lamjung with the title Shree 3; the king remained Shree 5 but had no real power.
- The post of Prime Minister became hereditary for his family through a roll of succession (brothers first, then sons and nephews).
- His family took the surname Rana.
- Jung Bahadur died in 1934 BS (1877) at Pattharghatta in Rautahat.
- Rana rule lasted 104 years, until the revolution of 2007 BS.
5. Key events at a glance
| Event | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Murder of Gagan Singh | Night of 31 Bhadra 1903 BS | Queen Rajya Laxmi calls courtiers to the Kot |
| Kot Parva | 31 Bhadra 1903 BS (September 1846) | Many courtiers killed; Jung Bahadur becomes PM |
| Bhandarkhal Parva | Kartik 1903 BS | Plot against Jung Bahadur crushed; Queen exiled |
| Alau Parva | 1904 BS | King Rajendra captured; Surendra made King |
6. Results
- Start of 104 years of hereditary Rana rule (1903–2007 BS).
- The King became a figurehead; real power went to the Rana PM.
- The PM post passed among Jung Bahadur’s brothers and their sons.
7. How this topic is asked in the exam
Objective items ask the date of the Kot Parva, whose murder led to it and who rose to power. Subjective questions ask about the causes and results of the Kot Parva.
📌 Key points to remember
- Kot Parva: 31 Bhadra 1903 BS (14 Sept 1846) at the Kot near Hanuman Dhoka.
- Cause: murder of Gagan Singh Bhandari, favourite of Queen Rajya Laxmi.
- PM Fateh Jung Shah and Abhiman Singh Rana were killed; Jung Bahadur became PM.
- Bhandarkhal Parva: failed plot by the queen; she and King Rajendra went to Banaras.
- Alau Parva (1904 BS): Rajendra defeated; Surendra became king.
- Jung Bahadur visited Britain and France in 1850; Muluki Ain 1910 BS.
- Treaty of Thapathali (1913 BS) ended the Tibet war.
- Sanad of 1913 BS: Maharaja of Kaski and Lamjung, Shree 3, hereditary PM by roll of succession.
- Rana rule lasted 104 years (1903 to 2007 BS).
📝 Quiz
Test yourself: Kot Parva and the Rise of Jung Bahadur Rana
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