Rani mahal
Rani Mahal (Taj Mahal of Nepal)……………….Someone has rightly said, ‘Hum na rahe, tum na rahoge, phir bhi rahehi nishanyan’ – we will not stay on this earth, but our works will always remember us. Kings and emperors have left magnificent artworks, buildings, and palaces to surprise generations after hundreds of years, as a way to leave their fame in this world.
The Taj Mahal: A Marvel of Love
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the magnificent marble Taj Mahal on the banks of the famous Yamuna river in memory of his beloved Begum Mumtaz. Today, the Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world, a unique example of love for its beloved queen, and a testament to Shah Jahan’s immense love for Mumtaz.
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A Nepali Counterpart to the Taj Mahal
Just as Shah Jahan immortalized his love for Mumtaz through the Taj Mahal, Khadgashamsher, son of Dhirshamsher, built the ‘Rani Mahal’ in memory of his beloved queen, Tejkumari. This magnificent and now dilapidated palace stands on a huge rock at a depth of about 3000 feet, approximately 7 km from Tansen, on a bank of the Kaligandaki River in Palpa district of western Nepal.
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The Backdrop: Political Turmoil and Power Struggles
After the ‘Kotparva’ massacre of BS 1903, Janga Bahadur became the Prime Minister and ensured that the role would pass to his brothers and then to his son after them. However, due to circumstances, power shifted to Dhir Shamsher’s sons, including the ambitious Khadgashamsher, who was determined to bring power to his brothers, no matter what.
A Grand Gesture of Love
In the mid-20th century, General Khadga Shamsher was stationed in Palpa. Deeply smitten by his beautiful queen, Tejkumari, he embarked on an ambitious project between 1949 and 1954 – the construction of the Rani Mahal Palace, a grand gesture to immortalize his love for his late wife.
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An Architectural Marvel
Situated about 13 km north of Tansen, the palace overlooks the Kaligandaki River, which takes an unusual path, flowing from south to north near the Rani Mahal. The palace itself is a breathtaking fusion of British and Nepali architectural styles, designed by a British engineer, with intricate carvings and a unique Mughal-inspired “Yunani” design.
A Symbol of Enduring Love
The Rani Mahal Palace is a love poem etched in stone, not just a historical landmark. Its exquisite tale and beauty enthrall visitors, offering a fresh understanding of the enduring power of love. On Valentine’s Day, the palace is crowded with couples, and young women from many districts of Nepal come to witness their love and write their names on the palace walls, believing it will make their love immortal.
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Rani Mahal is on a rocky outcrop. But at a glance, the rock is not visible. The whole house is made of rock, carved out of the rock in some places and hard in some places. To the south of Ranimahal is the Vaikunthe hill on the road coming from Palpa, and on the other side, across Kaligand, is Satunga of Syangja district. The main facade of the palace is turned north-west. Kaligandaki in the west and Warangdi river in the east. The castle is located at the very end of Dobhan. Built on a huge rock outcrop, this palace covers an area of about 112 feet. The main building has 2 floors and its height is 56 feet.
The palace, with 25 rooms ranging from small to large, was once decorated with valuable Iranian carpets and sophisticated furniture imported from Britain through the Calcutta-based Silarjus Company. There is a huge courtyard within the boundaries of this palace. Right and left of the courtyard are water ponds, lovely gardens, urns, modern parks, iron pillars and hanging fruit pots. Similarly, on the west side, artistic scenes of serpents watering the Shivlinga have been made. In addition, a bathroom with facilities for bathing has also been built in the same stream. In the north-west corner, i.e. just above Kaligandaki, an attractive octagonal cool bed (rest house) with a magnificent bastion has also been built.
Similarly, in the lower part of the courtyard, there is an office room on the east side, and in the lower part of it, a stable for tying horses, a place for security forces to sit and cook food has been made. There are carved steps from the palace courtyard to the banks of the Kaligandaki in the west and the Barangdi river in the east. Dobs of the ruins show that the palace was provided with clean drinking water and that water was carried up to the upper rooms of the palace.
Water was brought here by digging a well from Vaikunthe Pahra. The remains also say that in that palace built in Ankantar, there was also a system for lighting electric lights. Perhaps the generator is being used for the lights. An inscription is also kept in this palace, which clearly mentions that it was built in memory of Queen Tejkumari.
Just as Mughal emperor Shah Jahan used to see the reflection of his queen Mumtaz in the Taj Mahal, similarly our Khadgashamsher used to sit in the rest room of this palace and chat with the late queen. In the middle of the night, he used to wash his bath and stand on the tower on the western side (just above the hillock of Kaligandaki) and stare at Kaligandaki. It is said that in the voice of Kali Gandaki he found the words of his late queen echoing. With this speech he kept talking, getting answers to his questions.
If you ever find yourself in Nepal, be sure to include a visit to the Rani Mahal Palace in your itinerary. Allow its exquisite tale and beauty to enthrall you, and perhaps you’ll come away with a fresh understanding of the enduring power of love, just as Khadga Shamsher intended.
