Documents on Scribal Elites

Documenta Nepalica

Religions- und rechtsgeschichtliche Quellen des vormodernen Nepal

 

 

Documents on scribal elites

Main Editors: Manik Bajracharya / Simon Cubelic

Das Bild zeigt den Mann namens Mīra Munsī Lakṣmīdāsa, wie er in einem Buch liest. Er gehörte zur nepalesischen Elite.

From the early Śāha until the end of Rāṇā rule in Nepal, exchange of information between governments was largely mediated by munsīs. They were properly trained scribes and secretaries of the court, who were required to gain knowledge of languages of correspondence including Persian, the administrative language of the Mughals in neighboring India. Apart from a munsī's usual role as a scribe, author, translator or teacher, some munsī's such as Mīra Munsī Lakṣmīdāsa Pradhāna secured far more important position in Nepalese politics.

An article on Mīra Munsī Lakṣmīdāsa can be found here.

 

E_2738_0006: A pratijñāpatra from King Gīrvāṇayuddha providing land as compensation to Mīra Munsī Rajā Khā̃ [VS 1865]

LD_0001_0001: A lālamohara from King Rājendra granting Munsī Lakṣmīdāsa a piece of land at Madu Ṭola as sunābirtā (VS 1889)

DNA_0003_0049: An arjī on the British procurement of grain supplies from Indian rulers (VS 1895)

DNA_0003_0083: A report on different incidents in Delhi, Jaipur, Lahore and Kabul (VS 1896)

DNA_0015_0095: A rukkā to Munsī Lakṣmīdāsa re the appointing of a new nausindā (VS 1899)

E_2764_0062: A document listing the remuneration of Mīra Munsī Lakṣmīdāsa of the year VS 1901 (VS 1901)