Mulkaji () 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 8 Mulkajis appointed between 1785 and 1804.
Meaning
Mulkaji is formed from two words:
Mul and
Kaji.
Mul means
Chief,
Key or
Fundamental and
Kaji is derived from Sanskrit word
Karyi which meant
functionary. Altogether it means
Chief Functionary or
Executive Head of the State.
History of the 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. 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. Then onwards, Bahadur Shah of Nepal took over the regency of his nephew King Rana Bahadur Shah 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. Kirtiman had succeeded Abhiman Singh Basnyat as Chief Kaji.
Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat
Kirtiman was secretly assassinated on 28 September 1801, by the supporters of Raj Rajeshwari Devi and his brother Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat, was then given the post of Chief (
Mul) Kaji.
Damodar Pande
Later
Damodar Pande was appointed by Queen Rajrajeshwari as Chief Kaji.
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).
Later King Rana Bahadur Shah created the title of Mukhtiyar and assume full executive power of the state.
List of Mulkajis of Kingdom of Nepal
Controversial Mulkaji
Historian Dilli Raman Regmi asserts that Sarbajit Rana Magar was chosen as Chief Functionary. Historian
Rishikesh Shah asserts that Sarbajit was appointed only a Kaji and was the head of the Nepalese government for a short period in 1778.
See also
-
Government of Nepal
-
History of Nepal
Bibliography
