Hari Priya Devi (Nepali: हरिप्रिया देवी) was a Nepalese Bada Maharani who was active in the Nepal Durbar politics. She was the second wife of Ranodip Singh Kunwar, the second prime minister of Nepal from the Rana dynasty.
| Hari Priya Devi | |
|---|---|
| Sri Sri Sri Bada Maharani | |
 Hari Priya Devi | |
| Spouse | Ranodip Singh Kunwar |
| Dynasty | Rana dynasty |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Biography
editDevi was married to Ranodip Singh Kunwar, the second prime minister of Nepal from the Rana dynasty, as a second wife.[1] Hari Priya Devi was described to be "a most arrogant woman", "a vain and domineering woman",[2] and hot-tempered.[3]
In July 1883, Kunwar's first wife died, subsequently, Devi was promoted to the position of Bada Maharani (lit. Senior Maharani).[4][5] As Bada Maharani, she held substantial power in the Nepal Durbar.[4] In 1882, Jagat Jung Rana, the eldest son of Jung Bahadur Rana, led an attempted coup d'état twice against both the Prime Minister Ranodip Singh and the Army Chief Dhir Shumsher, as a result of this, he was removed from the roles of the succession of Ranas and was exiled to British India.[6] Devi was sympathetic to Jung Bahadur's sons,[7] as a result, she invited Jagat back to Kathmandu, and asked Ranodip Singh to make him the Commander-In-Chief of the Nepalese Army.[4][8][9] Her interference in state affairs resulted in a political crisis and it eventually led to the 1885 Nepal coup d'état.[2][10]
Devi's husband Ranodip Singh Kunwar was killed in the coup d'état.[2] As a result, she took refuge in the British Residency, later, she was exiled to British India indefinitely.[2]
References
edit- ^ Thapa, Krishna B. (1988). Main Aspects of Social, Economic, and Administrative History of Modern Nepal. Ambika Thapa. p. 45.
- ^ a b c d Mainali, Pramod (2000). Milestones of History. Pramod Mainali. p. 32. ISBN 978-99933-57-60-5.
- ^ Rana, Pramode Shamshere J. B. (1978). Rana Nepal: An Insider's View. R. Rana. p. 69.
- ^ a b c Rana, Pramode Shamshere J. B. (1995). Rana Intrigues. R. Rana. p. 72.
- ^ Mainali, Kashi Kanta (2000). Political Dimensions of Nepal, 1885–1901 A.D. R. Mainali. p. 58. ISBN 978-99933-50-10-1.
- ^ Prasad, Ishwari (1996). The Life and Times of Maharaja Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana of Nepal. APH Publishing. p. 29. ISBN 978-81-7024-756-2.
- ^ Journal of Nepalese Literature, Art, and Culture. Royal Nepal Academy. 2001. p. 97.
- ^ Voice of History. 1978. p. 60.
- ^ Vaidya, Tulasī Rāma; Mānandhara, Triratna; Joshi, Shankar Lal (1993). Social History of Nepal. Anmol Publications. p. 124. ISBN 978-81-7041-799-6.
- ^ Thapa, Krishna B. (1985). Women and Social Change in Nepal, 1951–1960. Ambika Thapa. p. 24.
Further reading
edit- Rana, Subodh (9 October 2017). "Looking Back at a betrayal most foul". The Daily Journalist. Retrieved 7 November 2021.