Destiny is a hard thing to run from.How else could one explain the chain of events which led a King in waiting to leave his kingdom and settle in the plains of UP.
Maharaja Sir Jung Bahadur Of Nepal.
The 8th PM of Nepal (1816-1877).
Born on 18th June 1817- Died in 1877 and one of the most important figures in Nepalese History. He established the powerful Rana dynasty of hereditary prime ministers, an office that remained in his family until 1951. Instrumental in establishing and maintaining political stability in the kingdom of Nepal after nearly 50 years of instability, He introduced innovations in the bureaucracy and judiciary.
A man of vision with a very modern outlook. He believed in modernisation and reforms and something he tirelessly worked towards his entire life. His contributions were many in uplifting the Nepalese society namely; Military, Social, Political and Economic reforms. During his reign Nepal began to experience some success in international affairs. He not only strengthened Nepal diplomatically strengthened but also ensured its territorial integrity by meeting influential people like Queen Victoria and the President of France.
Queen Victoria invited him to Great Britain After Jung Bahadur’s death in 1877 a war of succession broke out between Jung Bahadur’s brother’s and nephews. As a consequence of this war many died.
Finding himself thrust into a maelstrom of conflict and facing an uncertain fate Padma Jung Bahadur, the 3rd son of Jung Bahadur with the help of his sister who was the queen regent of Nepal, came to Allahabad now Prayagraj. His key motivation to choose Allahabad was his fondness of bathing in Bagmati river, which explains his choice of settling on the banks of river Ganga in Allahabad/ Prayagraj called Shivkuti. This falls on the right side of the famous Curzon bridge. The Britishers gave him the land and Padma Jung Bahadur settled here in Shivkuti on the bank of Ganges. An area where a number of monastic dwellings abound.
Forefather
During his life and stay in Shivkuti Allahabad now Prayagraj, he became active in philanthropy and built many temples. One Temple which stood out among the many he built is Shiv Kutchery (more than hundred Shivlings at one place).
Lal Kothi Phaphamau castle
His grandson, Prakram Jung Bahadur married the daughter of Maharaja Patiala who later took sanyas in Narayan Ashram, Shivkuti Allahabad.
Prakram Jung Bahadur built a house called "Laal Kothi" or Phaphamau Castle. What is extraordinarily unique about this house is the fact that it was built by the same architect who built “Anand Bhawan”, the residence of Jawar Lall Nehru and the Gandhi’s. The place offers natural beauty on a large scale. There’s plenty of elevation, vegetation and precipitation and many a sun drenched summer was spent there enjoying its bounties.
I am Deep Raj Rana. My brother Dev Raj Rana and myself are the 3rd generations of Rana’s and direct descendants of Sir Jung Bahadur Rana. We were born in Allahabad and did our schooling in Boys High School, an institution synonymous with brilliant education and sports.
My mother (L) Smt Vijayashree Rana was the 4th child of General Rana Prakram Jung Bahadur and was married to Sri Bhojraj Rana.
Maa was a teacher in Boys High School Allahabad /Prayagraj where she taught for more than 25 years (1970 -1998). Her students fondly remember her for the education she imparted and for being a strict disciplinarian. Many, including my brother and yours truly were at the receiving end of her ire if we stepped out of line.
As a single working mother her role was pivotal in shaping us unfinished articles during our prolonged juvenescence.We are fortunate to have imbibed her values because not only have they stood us in good stead but also shaped our very existence.
Maa, I confess appeared as the image of an ordinary woman who’d achieved some sliver of an unachievable dream. We saw in her an inexhaustible sense of energy and vivacity. She was much more than that. Such was her aura.
Maa
As an educator Maa left an indelible impression in the many lives she touched with her exceptional skills as a teacher, her patience and her kind demeanour. Her students reminisce fondly as to how Maa would go out of her way to help them and as to how they treated her with a degree of respect and admiration that bordered on reverence.
Today at the crossroads of life, it’s marvellously nostalgic to be able to revisit my hometown and share a few nuggets of my illustrious ancestors of whom I am very proud of.
As a Rana I carry forward that torch and hope it acts as a beacon of light and hope to future generations. Thank you for this opportunity.
