Mulkaji
{{Short description|Equivalent to the Prime Minister in Nepal, from 1785 to 1804}}
{{See also|Kaji (Nepal)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Italic title}}{{Infobox Political post
|post = Mulkaji
|body = Kingdom of Nepal
नेपाल अधिराज्यको मूलकाजी
|insignia =
|insigniasize =
|insigniacaption =
|image = Damodar Pande.jpg
|imagesize =
|imagecaption = one of the influential Mulkaji Damodar Pande
|residence = various
|seat = Hanuman Dhoka Palace
|style = Sri Mulkaji
Mulkaji Saheb
|appointer = King of Nepal
|precursor = Bamsa Raj Pande {{small|(as Dewan Kaji of Nepal)}}
|formation = circa 1785
|first = Abhiman Singh Basnyat
|last = Ranajit Pande
|abolished = 1804
|succession =Rana Bahadur Shah {{small|(as Mukhtiyar of Nepal)}}
|salary=
|deputy =
|website =
}}{{Politics of Nepal}}
Mulkaji ({{langx|ne|मूलकाजी}}) was the position of head of executive of Kingdom of Nepal in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal. There were 5 Mulkajis appointed between 1785 and 1804.
Meaning
Mulkaji is formed from two words: Mul and Kaji. Mul means Chief, Key or Fundamental{{cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/hindi-english/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B2|title=English Translation of "मूल" - Collins Hindi-English Dictionary|website=www.collinsdictionary.com|access-date=31 March 2018}} and Kaji is derived from Sanskrit word Karyi which meant functionary.{{sfn|Regmi|1979|p=43}}{{Broken footnote|date=February 2020}} Altogether it means Chief Functionary or Executive Head of the State.
History of the five Mulkajis
= Abhiman Singh Basnyat =
Dewan Kaji Bamsa Raj Pande was beheaded in March 1785 on the conspiracy of Queen Rajendra Laxmi with the help of supporters including senior Kaji Swaroop Singh Karki.{{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=46}}{{sfn|Shaha|2001|p=62}} On 2 July 1785, Prince Regent Bahadur Shah of Nepal was arrested and on the eleventh day of imprisonment on 13 July, Queen Rajendra Laxmi died.{{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=46}}{{sfn|Shaha|2001|p=62}} Then onwards, Bahadur Shah of Nepal took over the regency of his nephew King Rana Bahadur Shah{{sfn|Pradhan|2012|p=10}} and the position of Chautariya while Abhiman Singh Basnyat was elected Mulkaji (Chief Kaji).
= Kirtiman Singh Basnyat =
In 1794, King Rana Bahadur Shah came of age and appointed Kirtiman Singh Basnyat as Chief (Mul) Kaji among the newly appointed four Kajis though Damodar Pande was the most influential Kaji.{{sfn|Pradhan|2012|p=12}} Kirtiman had succeeded Abhiman Singh Basnyat as Chief Kaji.{{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=56}}
= Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat =
Kirtiman was secretly assassinated on 28 September 1801, by the supporters of Raj Rajeshwari Devi{{sfn|Acharya|2012|p=34}} and his brother Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat, was then given the post of Chief (Mul) Kaji.{{sfn|Acharya|2012|p=35}}
= Damodar Pande =
Later Damodar Pande was appointed by Queen Rajrajeshwari as Chief Kaji.{{sfn|Pradhan|2012|p=14}}
= Ranajit Pande =
After the execution of Mulkaji Damodar Pande in March 1804, Ranajit Pande was appointed as Mulkaji (Chief Kaji) along with Bhimsen Thapa as second Kaji, Sher Bahadur Shah as Mul Chautariya and Ranganath Paudel as Raj Guru (Royal Preceptor).{{sfn|Nepal|2007|p=58}}{{Broken footnote|date=February 2020}}{{sfn|Acharya|2012|p=55}}{{Broken footnote|date=February 2020}}
Later King Rana Bahadur Shah created the title of Mukhtiyar and assume full executive power of the state.{{sfn|Nepal|2007|pp=60–61}}{{Broken footnote|date=February 2020}}
List of Mulkajis of Kingdom of Nepal
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; border:1px #aaf solid; width:100%;" |
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}
!rowspan="2" style="width:60px;" | Portrait !rowspan="2" style="width:150px;" | Name !colspan="2" | Term of office !rowspan="2" | Political party |
|---|
| Took office
!Left office |
| style="background:#EEEEEE"
! style="background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}};"| ! 1 |60px |Abhiman Singh Basnyat | 1785 | 1794 |
| style="background:#EEEEEE"
! style="background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}};"| ! 2 |60px |Kirtiman Singh Basnyat | 1794 | 28 September 1801 |
| style="background:#EEEEEE"
! style="background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}};"| ! 3 | | 1801 | February 1803 |
| style="background:#EEEEEE"
! style="background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}};"| ! 4 |60px |Damodar Pande | February 1803 | March 1804 |
| style="background:#EEEEEE"
! style="background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}};"| ! 5 | | 1804 | 1804 |
Controversial Mulkaji
Historian Dilli Raman Regmi asserts that Sarbajit Rana Magar was chosen as Chief Functionary.{{sfn|D.R. Regmi|1975|p=285}}{{Broken footnote|date=February 2020}} Historian Rishikesh Shah asserts that Sarbajit was appointed only a Kaji {{sfn|Shaha|1990|p=46}}{{Broken footnote|date=February 2020}} and was the head of the Nepalese government for a short period in 1778.{{sfn|Shaha|2001|p=21}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{citation | last = Acharya | first = Baburam | editor-last = Acharya | editor-first = Shri Krishna |title = Janaral Bhimsen Thapa : Yinko Utthan Tatha Pattan | location = Kathmandu | year = 2012 | pages = 228 | language = Nepali | publisher = Education Book House | isbn = 9789937241748}}
- {{citation | last1 = Joshi | first1 = Bhuwan Lal | last2 = Rose | first2 = Leo E. | title = Democratic Innovations in Nepal: A Case Study of Political Acculturation | publisher = University of California Press | year = 1966 | pages = 551 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=MX22o4PJ3Q0C }}
- {{citation | last = Karmacharya | first = Ganga | title = Queens in Nepalese Politics: an account of roles of Nepalese queens in state affairs, 1775-1846 | publisher = Educational Publishing House | year = 2005 | isbn = 9789994633937 | location = Nepal | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6G5uAAAAMAAJ&q=abhiman+singh+basnet+kaji }}
- {{citation | last = Nepal | first = Gyanmani | title = Nepal ko Mahabharat | publisher = Sajha | language = ne | year = 2007 | edition = 3rd | pages = 314 | location = Kathmandu | isbn = 9789993325857 }}
- {{citation | last = Pradhan | first = Kumar L. | title = Thapa Politics in Nepal: With Special Reference to Bhim Sen Thapa, 1806–1839 | publisher = Concept Publishing Company | year = 2012 | isbn = 9788180698132 | location = New Delhi | pages = 278 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=7PP1yElRzIUC}}
- {{Cite journal | last = Regmi | first = Mahesh Chandra | title = Regmi Research Series | year = 1979 | location = Nepal | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jGJDAAAAYAAJ}}
- {{Citation| last = Shaha | first = Rishikesh | title = An introduction to Nepal | publisher = Ratna Pustak Bhandar | year = 2001 | location = Kathmandu | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=kmwwAQAAIAAJ}}
{{Types of heads of government}}
{{Types of government minister}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulkaji}}
Category:Government ministers of Nepal