Bir Bhadra Thapa
Bir Bhadra Thapa or Birabhadra Thapa (Nepali: वीरभद्र थापा) also spelled Virabhadra or Virbhadra, was a politician, courtier and military officer in the Gorkha Kingdom during the 18th century. His grandson Bhimsen Thapa went on to become the Mukhtiyar of Nepal and founder of Thapa dynasty.
Bir Bhadra Thapa | |
|---|---|
श्री काजी वीरभद्र थापा | |
| Personal details | |
| Children | Jeevan Thapa Bangsha Raj Thapa Amar Singh Thapa (Sanu) |
| Father | Vikrama Thāpā |
| Relatives | Bhimsen Thapa (grandson) Nain Singh Thapa (grandson) Bhaktabar Singh Thapa (grandson) Ranabir Singh Thapa (grandson) Mathabarsingh Thapa (great-grandson) Ujir Singh Thapa (great-grandson) Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal (great-granddaughter) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Gorkha Kingdom  |
| Rank | Kaji |
| Battles/wars | Unification of Nepal |
Career
When King Prithvi Narayan Shah annexed Nuwakot in 1744, he was one of the influential Bharadars.[1] After the conquest of Naldum area, he along with Commander Shivaram Singh Basnyat conquered Sanga, Panauti, Sankhu and adjacent areas.[2] The Gorkhali chronicle states that he was the commander of the Gorkhali forces.[3] He commanded the Gorkhali troops during the capture of Kavre and Palanchowk with fellow commanders Chautariya Daljit Shah and Kaji Harka (Harsh) Pantha.[4] He was deployed to Kaski allowing two Brahmins from there to reside in Kathmandu as a part of friendly diplomacy with the Kaski Kingdom.[5] He commanded troops near the hill in Sindhuli against the English advance of Major Kinloch.[6]
Personal life
He belonged to Bagale Thapa clan that migrated eastwards from Jumla.[1] The Thapa genealogy states that Birabhadra was a grandson of Vikrama Thāpā and son of Vijai Thāpā.[7][8] However, the Sardari annual reinstatement letter of his youngest son Amar Singh Thapa (sanu) on Chaitra 1855 B.S. mentioned him to be a son of Bikram Thapa of Bagale clan of Gorkha.[7] Thus, Historian Baburam Acharya contends that Vijai Thāpā could be an imaginary figure.[7] Similarly, the Sundhara Inscription of his grandson Bhimsen Thapa, states that he was the son of Vikrama Thapa.[9]
He was the patron of leading Thapa Chhetri group (i.e. Thapa dynasty) in the Royal Court.[10] He had three sons; Jeevan Thapa, Bangsha Raj Thapa and Amar Singh Thapa (sanu). His eldest son died in the Battle of Kantipur with powerful Kaji Kalu Pande. The seven sons of Amar Singh Thapa (sanu) - Bhimsen Thapa, Nain Singh Thapa, Bakhtawar Singh Thapa, Amrit Singh Thapa and Ranabir Singh Thapa, all participated and contributed in the expansion and unification of Nepal.[11]
References
- Pradhan 2012, p. 22.
- Khatri 1999, p. 18.
- D.R. Regmi 1975, p. 129.
- Hamal 1995, p. 179.
- D.R. Regmi 1975, p. 253.
- Mahler 1999, p. 120.
- Acharya 1967.
- Thapa 1991.
- D.R. Regmi 1975, p. 607.
- Regmi 1995, p. 44.
- Pradhan 2012, pp. 22-23.
Sources
- Acharya, Baburam (1967), Sri Panca Badamaharajadhiraja Prthvinarayana Saha: Samdipta Jivani, I. Sam.1723-75 (in Nepali), 2–3, Kathmandu: Sri Panca Maharajadhiraja Press Sachivalaya
- Hamal, Lakshman B. (1995), Military history of Nepal, Sharda Pustak Mandir, p. 125, OCLC 32779233
- Pradhan, Kumar L. (2012), Thapa Politics in Nepal: With Special Reference to Bhim Sen Thapa, 1806–1839, New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company, ISBN 9788180698132
- Regmi, Mahesh Chandra (1995), Kings and political leaders of the Gorkhali Empire 1768-1814, Orient Longman, ISBN 9788125005117
- Mahler, Ferd (1999), Under the Painted Eyes : A Story of Nepal, New Delhi: Banarsidass Publishers, ISBN 81-208-1683-8
- Khatri, Shiva Ram (1999), Nepal Army Chiefs:Short Biographical Sketches, University of Michigan: Sira Khatri
- D.R. Regmi (1975), Modern Nepal, 1, Firma K.L. Mukhopadhyay, ISBN 0883864916
- Thāpā, Śamśera Bahādura (1991), Sugaulī-sandhi ke ho?: itihāsa, Śaśi Vikrama Thāpā
Further reading
- Regmi, D.R. (1975), Modern Nepal, 1, Firma K.L. Mukhopadhyay, ISBN 0883864916