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| The Gorkha Durbar where King Prithvi Narayan Shah was born on January 11, 1723. |
Fateh Rana lost his life and kingdom while fighting Akbar's military. His son, Manmatha's descendant, Bhupal Rana seems to have entered present day Nepal from Ujjain and settled in Syanja Lasargha in 1495. Bhupal Rana's son Jain Khān's son Surya Khān went to Bhirkot, Syangja in western Nepal hills. Surya Khān had two sons: Michā Khān and Khānchhā Khān. Although, no epigraphic or other historical evidence is available, these Michā Khān and Khānchā Khān are believed to be the Magars by their ethnic origin.
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‘Saru Magar’ and ‘Sen
Thakuri’ priests heading towards a hill to worship their tutelary deity in Huvash Village
Development Committee,
Dharampani Paiyaun, Parvat district,
Western Nepal Hills on March 14, 2014
(फागुन ३०, २०७०). Two of the ‘sacred
thread-brearers’ are Thakuris and all others are Saru Magars.
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The Khāns and Shāhs
The Khān Family had originally ruled Bhirkot. And, from Michā Khān came the Shah and Shahis also. But a very well-known, learned Shah from Bhirkot - Rhshikesh Shah himself doesn't seem accepting that Bhupal Rana descended from Ujjain of India, while fleeing or being chased away by Akbar in 1495, to enter Ridi near Palpa, the west-central Nepal hills. This chronological records do not match at all. Without being born how would have Akbar fought a battle with Fateha Rana for his daughter in 1495 ? Author Shah further presents a contradictory fact that Akabr was born, 47 years later in 1542.[4]
These Khāns and Shāhs have specific meanings: Khān comes from Mongolian root 'Qaan'. The early Mongolians used the title 'Khagan or Khān' and which has roots in Turkic and Mongolic languages and becomes 'Kehan' in Chinese language, - meaning a sovereign ruler or emperor in today's term or we can see Genghis Khan (1162 –1227) taking the title to become 'king of all kings'- whereas 'Shah' received a blend in Persian or Iranian, meaning - Kings. But Mincha and Kanchhā Khān, seem to have retained Mongolian title from Jain Khān. We need to understand why Jain became Khān shedding his widely renowned family Rānā title ?
The king of Kaski, Kulmandan Khan became 'Shah' later on, or in other words, the Emperor of Delhi bestowed on him the title and this is how the Shah dynasty obtained its regal surname in Nepal. But not like 'Khan'- there are 'Khāṇ or Khāḍ' people in Nepal today, however, they are fundamentally the same nomenclature. They are 'Khāṇ or Khāḍ' Thakuri Kshetris. The Shah, Malla, Bam, Chand, Khāṇ or Khāḍ etc. are Thakuris of Nepal and whose total population according to national population census report was 221,580 in 2011.
On the Thakuris
'Thakuri' is Nepali variant of 'Thakur or Thakor' and authorities believe it has come from Old Turkish, 'Tigin or Tegin', which would mean "junior prince" of Khagan (Khan or Khand) family . Whilst some Sanskritists claim 'Thakkur' to be a Sanskrit word, meaning 'god' or 'ishwar' - has been contested all along. This word occurs in Rajtangini also. The Gujarati Thakor used to be the chief among certain tribes of Rajputs. Thakurs used to be fief-holders also (Sircar 1966: 340). In Nepalese context, Thakuri, Shah, Khan (Khand), Rana, Thapa, Khadka etc. are all titles: either people earned exhibiting bravery or adopted or even given in recognition of something, over the course of history. Thakur or Thakor or Thakuri used to be a title or rank or office. These all titles mentioned above are not any 'clan names' or surnames, however, they have been over time accepted as clan names or surnames of some certain groups of people. There are varied opinions about the word 'Thakur or Thakor'' and hence Thakuri as well.