The clan with which I married
Chief Kaji Kalyan Singh’s ancestor had lived in Lalitpur’s Yang Bahal. He had a son, Banshidhar, who had a son, Lakshmidhar. Banshidhar and Lakshmidhar both worked as Kajis throughout their lives.
Kaji Lakshmidhar had six sons, Dharanidhar, Gangadhar, Shukradhar, Khadgadhar, Rajyadhar, and Bishnudhar, who all served as Kaji for 195 years, from BS 1630 to 1825, according to the Kalyan Singh Guthi Banshabali.
When King Prithivi Narayan Shah of Gorkha kingdom attacked the Kathmandu Valley, six sons of Kaji Laxmidhar were working as Kajis in the valley. At the time, they had captured Dal Mardan Shah, Prithvi Narayana Shah’s brother. Five of the six Kaji had chosen to sentence him to death. It is reported that Khadgadhar Kaji saved him from being slain, and transported to Gorakha after obtaining permission from five Kajis.
Except for Khadgadhar Singh, five Lalitpur Kajis were murdered after Prithivi Narayana Shah’s triumph over the valley.
Khadgadhar Kaji, vanquished in the conflict, withdrew into the bush near Bag Bhairav in Kirtipur. An intensive search was conducted in his home at the time, but the army was unable to locate him. Instead, four people were discovered in his home: his kids Malla Singh (18), Gajendra Singh (12), Motiram Singh (6), and his wife. Malla Singh, the eldest son, was detained for questioning. However, he was unable to provide the location of his father’s whereabouts. So the monarch gave the order to murder him in a place where there was no water. According to the royal order, he was slain in the Battar.
Khadgadhar received the message to murder his eldest son. Realizing he was no longer secure in Nepal, he fled to Banaras (Kashi) with his family and nephew Thakur Singh, where he began to assist Shahs. Knowing this, Prithvi Narayana Shah later called Khadgadhar Singh to Nepal to assist him in running the state.
Khadgadhar was of working age at the time. After making a legitimate request for his children’s security, he sent his sons with Thakur Singh to Nepal. The king granted his request, raising his sons there at the Hanumandokha Palace.
When they turned twenty, Khadgadhar had ordered his sons to leave the palace. Gajendra Singh had sent a request off, departing the Hanumandokha Palace at that age, in accordance with his father’s instructions.
Assemblies were made to go to Maru Tole, the western portion of Maru Ganesh (Ashok Vinayak), in response to his desire. Gajendra Singh moved in and installed the clan God after that.
Family members of this clan have relocated to other locations as a result of urbanization in the modern world. They do, however, make the house in the Maru their clan home.
On the day of Narsingh Chaturdashi every year, this clan gathers for a special devotion of Bag Bhairav, the deity of Kirtipur, who serves as their clan deity. Newborns, commemorating the rice feeding rite, and newlyweds from the same caste are given a solemn entrance to the deity God on this day.
Haridas, a son of Kalyan Singh, married twice. He had two boys, Abdbhoop and Shailbhoop, from his first marriage, and an Alkhanand son from his second wife.
My husband’s paternal grandpa was Bhanubar, the son of Abdbhoop. The genealogy book of our clan has been published in detail by Eng Bhagat Man Singh Pradhan.
(This is the excerpt from Time Of My Life, an autobiography of Aparna Pradhan, originally written in NepalBhasha entitled Jigu Ie, which later translated to English by Sylvia Razopadhyay. She is a journalist, writer and literary translator who has been actively contributing to Nepalbhasa journalism, literature, and cultural preservation. She began her career in radio journalism in 1995 (B.S. 2052) and has remained continuously involved in broadcasting and journalism for more than three decades.
On February 13, 1996 (B.S. 2052 Falgun 1), she hosted one of the earliest FM radio programmes broadcast in Nepalbhasa. Since then, she has played an important role in promoting Nepalbhasa through radio journalism and has been actively involved in bringing the language, literature, culture, traditions, and voices of the Newar community to a wider audience.
Alongside journalism, Razopadhyay has made a significant contribution to literary translation, particularly between Nepalbhasa, Nepali, and English. Her translation work encompasses poetry, plays, autobiographies, literary criticism, cultural studies, historical documents, and contemporary literature.
Among her notable translations are Today’s Poem, the English translation of poet Madhav Mool’s poetry collection Nakatiniya Kavita; the English translation of Mohan Krishna Dangol’s Nepalbhasa play Bhrikuti; Daughter and Poem, the English translation of Rasa’s poetry collection Mhayay Wa Kavita; and The Rebel Morning, an English collection of Nepalbhasa poems published by Nepal Academy.
She has also translated the autobiography Ji Wa Jigu Ei by writer Aparna Pradhan into English as Time of My Life. Her other important works include the Nepalbhasa translation of Dr. Bal Gopal Shrestha’s works The Sacred Town of Sankhu and The Anthropology of Newar Ritual, Religion and Society, published as Jhigu Saku Dey Neva Samayaya Sanskar, Sanskriti Wa Dharmakarmaya Manavashastra.
Her translation portfolio further includes The Mega Campaign, based on Mathura Sayami’s Katha Kavita Maha Abhiyan; Inside Home, the English translation of Manadevi Tandukar Tamrakar’s collection Chhen Duneya Bakhan; English and Nepali translations of Tulsi Lal Singh’s archival works on Harisiddhi; and Resistance of Khona, her English translation of Anil Ranjit’s work on the historical suffering of Khokana.
Razopadhyay has also translated several important works by Nepal Bhasa writers, including Motilaxmi Shakya’s two books Ji Khanathen Langantwa Wa Langantwayā Lhasa Newa and Shakya Lhasa Newa. She translated poet Purna Vaidya’s critical works Sarasu into English and edited his poetry collection Lah-Lah Kha as Drops of Water. In addition to these published works, she has translated numerous poems, short stories, literary works, and cultural materials between Nepalbhasa, Nepali, and English.
Her contribution to journalism and language preservation has been recognized through numerous national and international awards and honors. These include the Indigenous Voices in Asia (IVA) Radio Award, presented by FONIJ and Asia People’s Pact in 2013; the Language Journalism Award from the Press Council Nepal; the Otsuka Award from the Nepal Tuberculosis Association; the Moti Journalism Award from Newah Press Daboo; the Metropolitan Good Governance Journalism Award from Kathmandu Metropolitan City; and the Shatabdi Purush Satyamohan Sirapa, presented by Newah Journalists National Forum.
Her literary contributions have also received recognition. She received the Manigal Sirapa for an outstanding short story in 1999 (B.S. 2056). She was awarded the Nirgun Medal (Gold Medal) for being the top-performing student at Public Youth Campus. Her English translation of Madhav Mool’s poem Robot’s in My Dream received an Editor’s Choice Award, while her translation of Forgotten Memory received the International Poets of Merit Award.
The Nepalbhasa radio program “Lahana,” broadcast by Ujyaalo Radio Network with her active involvement, has also been honored with the Chittadhar Sirapa by the Nepal Bhasa Parisadl.
Through her sustained work in journalism, literature, and translation, Sylvia Razopadhyay has served as an important bridge between Nepalbhasa, Nepali, and English-speaking audiences. Her work has helped introduce Nepalbhasa literature, Newar culture, history, traditions, and contemporary voices to readers and listeners beyond linguistic and geographical boundaries.
Her more than three decades of dedication to Nepalbhasa journalism and literary translation represent a significant contribution to the preservation, promotion, and international recognition of Nepal’s linguistic and cultural heritage.)
