Rana palaces of Nepal

Singha durbar

The Rana palaces of Nepal were built by the Rana dynasty rulers of Nepal as both private and government buildings. The Rana rule lasted for 104 years, and during that time a number of grand royal residences were built, especially by the Prime Minister, his immediate family, and other high-ranking dignitaries.

The grand palaces of Rana were called white elephants and stood at the center of vast expanses of landscaped grounds, which Rana rulers used to show their supremacy over the common people, and to please their British friends and fellow Ranas.[1] After the overthrow of the Rana Dynasty, some palaces were converted into government buildings. Others were demolished by their owners and rebuilt into libraries, museums, hotels, and heritage complexes.[2] Most palaces still in private ownership have been destroyed or lie in ruins. Most government-owned palaces have been maintained and restored.

Old Narayanhiti Palace ca.1920, demolished in 1958.
Bird's Eye view of Kathmandu North of Dharara with white Rana palaces-1950s
Seto Durbar gate in the left and Narayanhiti palace in the middle of the picture

Basic Information

Most of the Rana palaces are white plastered, have been built in Neoclassical or Baroque European architectural style, and are made up of four wings with arresting French windows, Grecian columns, and a large courtyard in the middle for religious and ceremonial purposes. The internal beams and columns of these palace are made of Salla Pinus roxburghii wood.[3] Traditional mortar and white plaster, along with bricks, were used in construction. Black lentil paste, molasses, brick dust, mustard meal, and limestone powder were used in the cementing and plastering mixture. Lime-plaster (Bajra), a mixture of molasses, black pulse, jute, brick dust and lime, was the main ingredient for plaster as it had been for centuries in Nepal, primarily as it had good resistance against humidity. The floors were constructed using battens, rectangular in shape, above which planks were laid. These in turn supported the final floor, on which square-shaped slates were laid.[3] Foreign-trained Newar architects designed most of the palaces.[2]

Palaces

Rani Mahal
Rani Mahal,Palpa
Lazimpat Durbar
Palace Commissioned By Date of Construction Engineer
Thapathali Durbar Jung Bahadur Rana Late 1700s-1860s Initial Unknown, Later by Ranasur Bista
Singha Mahal Jung Bahadur Rana 1855 CE Ranasur Bista
Charburja Durbar Jung Bahadur Rana 1855 CE Ranasur Bista
Gol Baithak Jung Bahadur Rana 1852 Ranasur Bista
Narayanhity Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR Jogbir Sthapit
Lal Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR 1890 Jogbir Sthapit
Seto Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR 1893 Jogbir Sthapit
Bhatbhateni Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR 1893 Jogbir Sthapit
Jaulakhel Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR 1897 Jogbir Sthapit
Pani pokahari Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR 1885 Jogbir Sthapit
Phohora Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR 1896/97 Jogbir Sthapit
Hatti Shar Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR Jogbir Sthapit
Lazimpat Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR 1894 Jogbir Sthapit
Tangal Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR 1889 Jogbir Sthapit
Muduli Durbar Bir Shumsher JBR 1893/92 Unknown
Bhanjaraja Durbar Probably Bir Shumsher JBR Unknown Unknown
Singha Durbar Chandra Shumsher JBR 1908 Kumar Narsingh Rana, Kishor Narsingh Rana
Kaiser Mahal Chandra Shumsher JBR Kumar Narsingh Rana, Kishor Narsingh Rana
Shree Durbar Chandra Shumsher JBR 1927 Kumar Narsingh Rana, Kishor Narsingh Rana
Sithal Niwas Chandra Shumsher JBR 1923 Kumar Narsingh Rana, Kishor Narsingh Rana
Lakshmi Niwas Chandra Shumsher JBR 1905 Kumar Narsingh Rana, Kishor Narsingh Rana
Harihar Bhawan Chandra Shumsher JBR Kumar Narsingh Rana, Kishor Narsingh Rana
Babar Mahal Chandra Shumsher JBR Kumar Narsingh Rana, Kishor Narsingh Rana
Man Bhawan Juddha Shumsher JBR Unknown
Kalimati Durbar Juddha Shumsher JBR Unknown
Narayan Bhawan Juddha Shumsher JBR Unknown
Surendra Bhawan Juddha Shumsher JBR Unknown
Kalimati Durbar Juddha Shumsher JBR Unknown
Narayan Bhawan Juddha Shumsher JBR Unknown
Shashi Bhawan Juddha Shumsher JBR Unknown
Hiti Durbar Kaji Dhokal Singh Bshnet Unknown
Bahadur Bhawan Rudra Shumsher JBR Unknown
Manohara Durbar Jagat Jung Rana 1879 Unknown
Ranighat Palace Khadga Shumsher JBR 1893 Unknown
Tansen Durbar Pratap Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana 1927 Unknown
Minbhawan Palace Min Shumsher Unknown Unknown
Rabi Bhawan Palace Rabi Shumsher Unknown Unknown
Bagh Durbar Amar Singh Thapa (Sanu)[note 1](Father of Bhimsingh Thapa) Unknown

Earthquake of 2015

The earthquake of 2015 resulted in the destruction of many remaining palaces, particularly those built of mud-mortar brick and lime plaster.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Not to be confused with the better known commander of Gorkhali forces in the Gurkha War with the same name. The two Amar Singhs are differentiated by the qualifier Bada (greater) and Sanu (lesser).
  1. ↑ .thetaranights.com. 29 May 2014. Retrieved on 2015-07-27.
  2. 1 2 JBR, PurushottamShamsher (2007). Ranakalin Pramukh Atihasik Darbarharu [Chief Historical Palaces of the Rana Era] (in Nepali). Vidarthi Pustak Bhandar. ISBN 978-9994611027. Retrieved 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  3. 1 2 http://www.thetaranights.com/baghdurbar-the-tiger-palace/
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