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About: the family of Elder Amar Singh Thapa

For other uses, see Thapa dynasty.


Template:Cleanup bare URLs Template:Infobox family The family of Badakaji Amar Singh ThapaTemplate:Refn (1751 - 1816) was a noble Chhetri family in the central politics of Kingdom of Nepal as well as former military aristocracy of Gorkha Kingdom. The family of Bhimsen Thapa and the family of Amar Singh Thapa were two Bagale Thapa familiesTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn and part of larger Thapa caucus at the central politics of the Kingdom of Nepal.Template:Sfn

The patriarch of this family is Ranjai Thapa of Siranchowk whose son Bagh Bhim Singh Thapa became a military commander of Gorkha Kingdom and died in the battle of Palanchowk. Bhim Singh's son and the most prominent member of this family, Amar Singh Thapa went on to become overall commander (in capacity of Mukhtiyar) of Kumaon, Garhwal and its West region in the Kingdom of Nepal. Amar Singh's sons and grandsons were influential Bharadars (state-bearing officers), politicians, ministers and military commanders in the Kingdom of Nepal. The family was also maritally connected with Kunwar family of Gorkha. Amar Singh Thapa was the father-in-law of Chandrabir Kunwar, the nephew of Gorkhali Sardar Ramakrishna Kunwar. Through Chandrabir, Amar Singh had grandsons of national recognition; Balbhadra Kunwar, a famed warrior of the Battle of Nalapani and Birbhadra Kunwar, a Bharadar (state bearing officer).

Significance

File:Amaragadhi killa-Amar Singh Thapa.png
Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa, Overall Commander of Western region of Kingdom of Nepal

This family was the another influential Bagale Thapa family serving in the royal court with Bhimsen Thapa family, due to their consolidation of power in the central authority.Template:Sfn Bhimsen Thapa, also a member of Bagale Thapa clan,Template:Sfn added the sons of Amar Singh Thapa in the royal court to increase the influence of Thapa caucus.Template:Sfn

Immediate family

Children

Nepali historian Surya Bikram Gyawali contends that he was married to Dharmabati and he had 9 sons namely: Surbir, Randhoj, Ran Singh, Ranjor, Bhakta Bir, Ram Das, Narsingh, Arjun Singh and Bhupal. He further states that all the sons of Amar Singh contributed to the unification of Nepal.[1] Bada Amar Singh had ten sons from four wives as per the Thapa genealogy: Ranabir, Ranasur, Ranadhoj, Ranabhim, Ranajor, Bhaktabir, Ramdas, Narsingh, Arjun Singh, and Bhupal Singh.[2] The Office of the Nepal Antiquary also mentions sons of Amar Singh as Ranajor, Bhaktavir, Ramdas, Ranasur, Ranabir, Arjun, Narsingh and Bhupal.Template:Sfn The genealogical table produced by Kumar Pradhan shows the sons of Bada Amar Singh as - Ranadhoj, Bhaktabir, Narsingh, Ramdas and Ranajor, all of whom were Kaji at some point.Template:Sfn

Ranadhoj Thapa

Template:See

File:Amar Singh Thapa letter2.gif
Outer cover of letter sent by Badakaji Amar Singh Thapa to PM Bhimsen Thapa and his own son Ranadhoj Thapa in Kantipur (Kathmandu)[3]

Ranadhoj Thapa was deputy Prime Minister of Nepal during the administration of Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa.Template:Sfn As per Historian Dilli Raman Regmi, he was the eldest son of Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa, supreme commander of Western front.Template:Sfn He was functioning deputy to Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister) during the well known Anglo-Nepalese war.[3] Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa had to share administrative authority with him.Template:Sfn He retired as Kaji of Nepal in the year 1831 A.D.Template:Sfn

Ranajor Thapa

Template:See He was governor of Kumaun and Garhwal and commander of Jaithak Fort during Anglo-Nepalese war at Battle of Jaithak.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He was born to General Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa.Template:Sfn

Arjun Singh Thapa

Arjun Singh Thapa referred as Arjan Singh was a son of Amar Singh and a military Captain. He took retirement in 1838 and returned to Nepal.Template:Sfn

Bhupal Singh Thapa

Bhupal Singh Thapa was a son of Amar Singh.Template:Sfn In April 1840, Bhupal Singh Thapa who was in command of Nepalese troops at Doti.Template:Sfn He was ordered to lead a diplomatic mission to Lahore.Template:Sfn

Grandchildren

The number of grandchildren of Amar Singh is unknown. However, some of his grandsons were prominent in Nepalese politics, administration and military commandership. His grandson through Ranadhoj Thapa were Ripu Mardan Thapa and Badal Singh Thapa, who also served as Kaji of Nepal.Template:Sfn His another grandson, Surat Singh Thapa, was appointed to post of Kaji in 1832 A.D. to retaliate growing Darbar politics after which he became joint-chief signatory in each government papers with Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn His grandsons through daughter Ambika Devi and son-in-law Chandravir Kunwar were influential Bharadars too. Balabhadra Kunwar, son of Chandravir and national hero of the Battle of Nalapani, was a grandson of Amar Singh.Template:Sfn Similarly, Birbhadra Kunwar, a military commander in Kumaun, was also grandson of Amar Singh through Chandravir.Template:Sfn

Ripu Mardan Thapa

Ripu Mardan Thapa was a commander of Anglo-Nepalese war at Battle of Nalapani. He fought alongside his cousin Balbhadra Kunwar, another grandson of Bada Amar Singh.Template:Sfn He sustained an injury in his right arm from an enemy shell.Template:Sfn He was later appointed as Commander of a military company in Bhirkot. Template:Sfn

Balbhadra Kunwar

Template:See

File:Balbhadra Kunwar.jpg
Balabhadra Kunwar, son of Chandravir and hero of the Battle of Nalapani

Balbhadra Kunwar (30 January 1789 – 13 March 1823) was a Nepalese military commander who popularly led the Battle of Nalapani.[4] Balabhadra Kunwar was highly praised for his military skill for the defence of the Nalapani fort.Template:Sfn

Birbhadra Kunwar

Birbhadra Kunwar was military commander in KumaunTemplate:Sfn and Kangra front (1809 A.D.)Template:Sfn as well as governor of Garhwal.Template:Sfn

Ancestry

Template:See

File:Coat of arms of Bagale Thapa clan.jpg
Coat of arms of Bagale Thapa clan

He was a member of Bagale Thapa clan.Template:Sfn

Parents

Amar Singh's father Bhim Sen,Template:Sfn also known as Umrao Bagh Bhim Singh Thapa was a military commander who died in the battle of Palanchowk in 1759 AD.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He is also known as Tiger of Siranchowk.Template:Sfn His mother as per the Thapa genealogy is Uma Devi.

Grandparents

Amar Singh was grandson of Ranjai [of Sirhanchowk].Template:Sfn

Genealogical table

Template:Main The Thapa genealogy mentions following ancestors of Amar Singh:[2] Template:Ahnentafel

Other relatives

Template:See

Chandrabir Kunwar

Chandrabir Kunwar married a sister of Kaji Ranajor ThapaTemplate:Sfn and was a son-in-law of Bada Amar Singh ThapaTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn Chandra Bir was appointed as Subba (i.e. governor) of Pyuthan in around 1844/45 Vikram Samvat.,Template:Sfn governor of hill, Madhesh and Bhot divisions of Doti region 1864 V.S.Template:Sfn and Subba (governor) of one-third territories of GarhwalTemplate:Sfn on 1862 Vikram Samvat.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Later Descendants

Jharana Thapa, a popular Nepalese actress is married to Sunil Thapa, an eighth patrilineal descendant of Bada Kaji Amar making their daughter Suhana Thapa ninth descendant.[5]

References

Footnote

Notes

Sources

Books
  • King Girban's Letter To Kaji Ranjor Thapa. Regmi Research Series({Template:Date).
  • History of the Sikhs: Evolution of Sikh confederacies, 1708-1769 (3rd rev. ed.){{#if:Gupta|, Gupta}. Munshiram Manoharlal(1978)
  • Military history of Nepal{{#if:Hamal|, Hamal}. Sharda Pustak Mandir(1995)
  • Nepal Antiquary{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Office of the Nepal Antiquary(1978)
  • Thapa Politics in Nepal: With Special Reference to Bhim Sen Thapa, 1806–1839{{#if:Pradhan|, Pradhan}. Concept Publishing Company(2012). ISBN 9788180698132
  • History of the Political and Military Transactions in India During the Administration of the Marquess of Hastings, 1813–1823{{#if:Prinsep|, Prinsep}. Kingsbury, Parbury & Allen(1825)
  • Modern Nepal{{#if:Regmi|, Regmi}. Firma K.L. Mukhopadhyay(1975). ISBN 0883864916
  • Forever Incomplete: The Story of Nepal{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. SAGE publications India(2013). ISBN 9788132116585
  • Proceedings of the Session{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Superintendent Government Printing, India(1988)
  • Kings, soldiers, and priests: Nepalese politics and the rise of Jang Bahadur Rana, 1830–1857{{#if:Whelpton|, Whelpton}. Manohar Publications(1991). ISBN 9788185425641
Journal articles

Template:Chhetri communities