Lakhan Thapa


Lakhan Thapa Magar was a Nepali revolutionary whom the Nepalese government has declared "The First Martyr of Nepal". He was the first recorded Nepali political dissident and resisted the rule of the Rana dynasty. As a king of Bungkot, he rebelled against the rule of Jang Bahadur Rana and propagandized his political ideology to destroy the Jung Bahadur Rana regime to form a free state and army. He was supported by his close friend Jay Singh Chumi Magar and his minister Jaya Singh Chumi.

Kot Massacre of 1846

The mysterious killing of General Gagan Singh Khawas followed the Kot Massacre of 14 September 1846 that catapulted the Ranas into power for 104 years. The reigning queen wanted to know the murderer of General Gagan Singh Khawas. General Abhiman Singh Rana Magar, who was the first General or Commander-in-Chief of
Nepal Army had known who the killer was. Upon learning of the general's knowledge, Jung Bahadur Rana subsequently fatally shot the general. However, the dying general had shouted the killer's identity, and afterwards Junga Bahadur Rana was motivated to eliminate all nobles in and out of the royal house. This included ethnic leaders like Lakhan Thapa Magar to secure his position.

Resistance

After the Rana takeover, Lakhan Thapa Magar could not tolerate the iron-fisted rule of the dynasty. He organized some youths to begin to protest against the government. Along with men he brought weapons and supplies to rebel against the government. The Rana government responded by deploying troops to Gorkha. Jung Bahadur thought to eliminate Thapa Magar and other rebels and ordered to hang them. After sometime, Thapa Magar was hanged in front of his residence in Bungkot on 14 February 1877 and seven others were hanged near Manakamana Temple. Some historians have written that the government had captured and hung 50 other participants. Notably, one of the descendants of Jung Bahadur Rana has disputed Magar's claim to martyrdom. But all renowned historians of Nepal have attested that Lakhan Thapa Magar was hanged to death.

Legacy

While historically Lakhan Thapa has been seen as a foolish figure, in the 1990s his image was rehabilitated in the eyes of the public. Historian and then Director General of Nepal Government's Department of Archaeology has written that Jung Bahadur Rana's harsh rule prompted an inevitable revolution.
Some historians draw parallel between Lakhan Thapa Magar and Bhagat Singh of India. as both were prominent political martyrs in their country.

Family tree

Lakhan Thapa Magar's Siblings: