The Rajopadhyayas of Kantipur

The Rajopadhyayas of Kantipur

 

By, Harishankarananda Rimal (Rajopadhyaya)

 

(''Kantipuraka Rajopadhyaya,'' Janmabhumi Weekly, Poush 11, 1982, December 26, 1982).

            Phirkep Village in Nuwakot area, located to the west of Kathmandu, is the ancestral village of the Rimal Upadhyayas. In 881 Vikrama, Kantipur (then named Simhakalpanagara) and Lhasa (Tibet) maintained friendly relations. They had religious and commercial contacts with each other, and thereby established influence over such other. That was why all religious ceremonies were performed at that time by Gubhajus (Vajracharyas) according to Tantric rites. From the first day (Pratipada) of the bright half of the month of Kartik 1037 Vikrama, it Tibet's influence in Nepal started waning, and the Nepal era was indiated in Nepal on that date. On the ninth day of the bright half of the month of Poush, 1380 Vikrama (444 Nepal era), King Nanyadeva of Karnataka, apprehending invasion by Sultan Ghiyasuddin of Delhi, moved into Nepal Valley through Bihar and Simraungarh along with his entire family, his courtiers, and priest, and Kanauj Brahmans belonging to the Bharardwaja clan. He brough with him the idol of Taleju Bhawani, and then settled in Bhaktapur. Allasa Raj and Ullasa Raj, who had accompanied Nanyadeva, settled at Nhainkantala Tole of Kantipur. It was precisely at that time that propagation of Hindu religion started in Nepal Valley. In 1358 Vikrama (457 Nepal era), Rimal Brahmans migrated from Phirkep (Nuwakot) to Kantipur and began performing religious rituals. In 1670 Vikrama (733 Nepal era), during the rule of Pratapa Malla, Pandit Sahasrashivananda Rimal Upadhyaya discovered the idol of Chaturbabu Narayan while bathing at the confluence of the Vishnumati and the Rudramati, and installed it at Ichangu.

             A bag of blackgram brought to the Hanumandhoka Palace from an eastern area in 1679 Vikrama (752 Nepal era) was founded to contain one maize seed. King Pratapa Malla took this as a pertent of famine, and summoned Pandit Sahasra-Shivananda Rimal. With his help, he organized a vagnya to ward off the apprehended famine. Pratapa Mall built a house for the same Pandit at Indrachok and named it Brahmapura. Later, he gifted it to the Pandit through vedic rites.

             It 1831 Vikrama (804 Nepal era) King Pratapa Simha Shah Dev was initiated into the diksha by Kirtijwalananda Upadhyaya of Lalitpur. He then gave Kritijwalananda Upadhyaya the title of Rajopadhyaya. When Rajendra Laxmi Shah, Queen of King Rana Bahadur Shah, died of small-pox at Shrawan 2, 1842 Vikrama (814 Nepal era), the Rimals residing at Indrachok was dispossessed of their entire property. However, Dhriti, an unmarried daughter of the Rimal family, managed to save her property, which, she later handed over to Rimals.

              We began to use the honorific title of Rajopadhyaya after it was conferred on us by King Pratapa Simha Shah Dev. In 1948 Vikrama (921 Nepal era) Prime Minister Chandra Shumshere gave us title of ''Deubhaju'' in place of Rajopadhyaya, and made separate legal provisions for us. Members of the Rimal family still use Rajopadhyaya Deubhaju, Sharma, etc as their surnames.