Briddhi Lakshmi
Briddhi Lakshmi (Nepal Bhasa: 𑐰𑐺𑐡𑑂𑐢𑐶𑐮𑐎𑑂𑐲𑑂𑐩𑐷) was the queen consort of the Kingdom of Bhaktapur (modern day Bhaktapur), the first wife of Ranajit Malla and a well renowned Newar language poet.[1][2] For a brief period, she was also the monarch of an independent Thimi and Banepa.[3] She is today mostly remembered for the songs and poems she composed, some of which are still sung today by traditional Dapha groups in Thimi.[4]
| Briddhi Lakshmi | |
|---|---|
 Possible gold plated bronze image of Briddhi Lakshmi | |
| Queen Consort of Bhaktapur | |
| Predecessor | Vishva Lakshmi |
| Successor | Position abolished |
| Queen of Thimi and Banepa | |
| Tenure | c.1742 — c.1743 |
| Predecessor | Postion establsihed |
| Successor | Position abolished |
| Born | Unknown Bettiah, Present day India |
| Died | Unknown Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Kingdom of Bhaktapur (Present day Bhaktapur, Nepal) |
| Spouse | Ranajit Malla (m. 1712) |
| Issue | Devendra Malla |
| Religion | Hinduism |
She was born in a noble family in Bettiah, in modern-day India and had a brother named Murāri Rāya .[5] In 1712, an envoy was sent from Bhaktapur to fetch her to the kingdom and marry her to then crown prince Ranajit Malla.[5] Although, she was extremely well loved by the populace of the kingdom, she found herself more isolated in the palace. After failing to provide a male heir, she found herself replaced by Jaya Lakshmi, a favorite concubine of Ranajit Malla. By the time she gave birth to Devendra Malla, Jaya Lakshmi's eldest son had already reached maturity.[1] The people in the kingdom wanted her newborn to be the crown prince, since she was the queen consort, however Jaya Lakshmi who held significant power in the palace was against this idea and so she found herself in precarious situation.[3] After her followers in the palace were assassinated one by one, she fled to Thimi with her infant son and the populace of Thimi soon after her arrival declared Thimi as an independent state from the Kingdom of Bhaktapur with Briddhi Lakshmi as their queen.[3]
She was a prolific poet and songwriter in the Newar language.[4] Only six of her works survive today, however, preserved by traditional singing groups in Thimi.[4] Her poem, "𑐎 𑐏 𑐫𑐵 𑐩𑑂𑐫𑐾" (ka kha yā mye), which she composed when her and her infant's safety was compromised in the palace, is considered one of the greatest works in the Newar language.[4]
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dhaubhadel, Om Prasad. "Ranajita Malla ra satbahale rajkumara haru" (PDF). Bhaktapur (in नेपाली). Vol. 286. Bhaktapur Municipality. pp. 33–38.
- ↑ Tuladhar, Prem Shanti (2000). Nepal Bhasa Sahitya ya Itihasa (in नेपाल भाषा). Nepal Bhasa Academy. p. 54.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Regmi, DR (2007). Medieval Nepal Part II. New Delhi, India: Rupa and Co. pp. 246–248. ISBN 978-8129110985.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Tuladhar, Prem Shanti (2000). Nepal Bhasa Sahitya ya Itihasa (in नेपाल भाषा). Nepal Bhasa Academy. p. 54.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bajrācārya, Cundā. Raṇajīta Mallayā ihipāyāta bhamca kāḥvaṅguyā-dharaḥpau (in नेपाल भाषा). Rāmabhakta Bhommi.