Documents on Royal Goddesses

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

Digutaleju

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

Guhyeshvari

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)

K_0582_0046: A rukkā from King Gīrvāṇayuddha to the trustees and servants of Śrī Bhagavatī of Kaḍelacoka regarding worship materials for the Dasaĩ festival (VS 1867)

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 regarding the offering of female slaves to Palāñcoka Bhagavatī (VS 1832)

K_0579_0071: A copy of a letter from Kaparadara Kalidasa Khadka regarding the worship of Sree Bhagavati at Palancoka (VS 1841)

K_0580_0002: A copy of a lālamohara from King Raṇabahādura regarding a trust for worshipping Śrī Bhagavatī of Palāñcoka (VS 1847)

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

K_0269_0038: A deposition submitted by Joga Bahādura Karmācārya before the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā re operating the trust of the Taleju temple in Bhaktapur (VS 1981)

Tripurasundari

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)

DNA_0013_0023: A lālamohara from King Gīrvāṇayuddha endowing land to Cāmyā Damāī for a trust for the upkeep of musical instruments (VS 1869)

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 from 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 from 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 from King Rājendra instructing the priest Visnupada Pādhyā to perform 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_0027C: A copy of a lālamohara from King Surendra ordering Colonel Kṛṣṇadhvaja Kũvara Rāṇā to extend the period of Vīsnupada Pādhyā's oversight of the Tripurasundarī guṭhī in Tripurākoṭ (VS 1911)

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 Gosvarin of East No. 2 to the Guthi Bandobasta Adda regarding a record of expenses of the Bhimesvara and Tripurasundari Guthi (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 from 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 regarding 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 regarding 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 regarding 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 regarding the theft of a statue of Tripurasundarī in Bhaktapur (VS 1977)

K_0262_0057: A purjī from 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 regarding 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 regarding 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 regarding the auctioning off of property confiscated from the priest Joga Bāhādura (VS 1977)

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

K_0199_0028: A report-cum-petition from Kājīlāla Karmācāryya describing problems in organizing the Vīskāṭa procession festival of Tripurasundarī in Bhaktapur (VS 1984)

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_0294_0018: A ledger recording the revenue and expenditures of the guṭhī of the Tripurāsundarī temple located at Salyānkoṭ, Dhading (VS 2003)

K_0297_0047: A ledger recording the revenue and expenditures of the guṭhī serving the Śrī Raṇasainī Bhagavatī temple located in Baitaḍī (VS 2007)

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 regarding the Dasaĩ rituals at the Pāñcāyana temple (VS 1944)

K_0636_0036: A copy of a purjī from Commander-in-Chief General Deva Śamśera to Kharidāra Harilāla regarding 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 regarding 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 regarding the Baḍādasaĩ rituals at the Pāñcāyana temple (VS 1953)

K_0640_0019: A copy of a purjī from Commander-in-Chief General Deva Śamśera to Kharidāra Candra Bahādura Sāha regarding 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)

Places

Baitadi

K_0269_0038: A deposition submitted by Joga Bahādura Karmācārya before the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā re operating the trust of the Taleju temple in Bhaktapur (VS 1981)

K_0297_0047: A ledger recording the revenue and expenditures of the guṭhī serving the Śrī Raṇasainī Bhagavatī temple located in Baitaḍī (VS 2007)

Bhaktapur

K_0199_0028: A report-cum-petition from Kājīlāla Karmācāryya describing problems in organizing the Vīskāṭa procession festival of Tripurasundarī in Bhaktapur (VS 1984)

Dhading

DNA_0013_0023: A lālamohara from King Gīrvāṇayuddha endowing land to Cāmyā Damāī for a trust for the upkeep of musical instruments (VS 1869)

K_0294_0018: A ledger recording the revenue and expenditures of the guṭhī of the Tripurāsundarī temple located at Salyānkoṭ, Dhading (VS 2003)

Dolpa

K_0025_0027C: A copy of a lālamohara from King Surendra ordering Colonel Kṛṣṇadhvaja Kũvara Rāṇā to extend the period of Vīsnupada Pādhyā's oversight of the Tripurasundarī guṭhī in Tripurākoṭ (VS 1911)