KATHMANDU: “Inspired by the idea of place, we create space in the sky. We mold a single place into various forms. We leave a thriving place and make it desolate. In essence, all places endure us.” — Yogesh Raj, 2019.

Perhaps because it is more difficult to write the stories of places than the stories of people, there are fewer stories of places and more of people found around the world. Considering that a place does not speak or express itself, people do not understand or try to understand what it is constantly speaking and saying.

Since a place does not exaggerate its own story of woe, rise, and fall like a person does, its stories do not seem popular or even like stories to people. Through choices related to development, opportunity, technology, floods, landslides, natural disasters, or comforts, people connect with some places and separate from others.

In fact, while people worry about a single lifetime, the place might be observing human activity, living through many lifetimes in various forms, colors, and states.

Most traditions, however, regard nature and place as special and try to remember the journey, past, and existence connected to the place through various means.

For example—”After the creation of mankind, following the evolution of the universe from its origin and the creation of all moving and non-moving beings, the description of human migration or change of location, along with the rise and fall of human society, is preserved in various sagas and legends; the living text of the Mundhum, as a tradition of oral history that reminds us of past glories, is also an ancient and unwritten history” (Bairagi Kainla, 2019).

One of the many places that became bustling and then desolate over time is Hanuman Nagar. Until the flood of 1944 affected it, Hanuman Nagar was the district headquarters of Saptari District. Afterward, the district headquarters shifted to Rajbiraj, and Hanuman Nagar began to become desolate in terms of human and administrative activity. Hanuman Nagar, as a place, remained there in some form, but the way people treated it changed.

The special name “district headquarters” given to a ‘place’ and the powers, rights, and representation delegated to it began to show different existences and importance between two different locations. Social, political, economic, or cultural relationships changed.

Now, some connected with one city, and some became distant. For many people, one place started to feel like home and the other like a foreign land. Many new people were added, and many old people thinned out. Many new identities were created, and many old signs were washed away. Thus, people began to remember, understand, and use a specific place in different ways.

How must Hanuman Nagar remember the Kosi River that reached its vicinity? How must it understand the people displaced from there and the relationships displaced along with them?

Does a place remember its own past and imagine its future? How does it tell or show the story of its rise and fall before people? How do the people connected with it remember the stories of those places, and what do they tell the new generation? Can people suddenly leave a place and enjoy their own world, or do they try to remember it by carrying objects, traditions, and established customs that identify and remind them of the place? What must a person take and what must they leave behind when they are about to abandon their home? How great is the difference between leaving on one’s own and leaving out of compulsion? In the short time available amid a sudden flood, landslide, fire, or other unforeseen event, what would a person want to save and what would they give up on? The answers to these questions are not easy, but observing the hustle and activities of Hanuman Nagar suggests that such a story can be formed, and it can be a small contribution to our efforts to understand a specific location.

Historian Hari Kant Lal Das wrote in his book that government offices were located at a place called Naraha, three to four miles east of Hanuman Nagar. Since that place was near the Indian border, it had a market office and a jail. This suggests that Naraha was a large market before Hanuman Nagar.

According to him, due to the Kosi River flood, the offices and market there were shifted three to four miles west to Hanuman Garhi. Since the Hanuman Garhi area was forested at that time, there was no settlement. The report of the Department of Archaeology indicates that the Hanuman Nagar market was established in 1871.

Looking at Hanuman Nagar, the story of its establishment and displacement comes along, but it seems that not only the story of Naraha or Rajbiraj connected to it, but also the story of the Kosi flood and the story of the 1934 earthquake—which preceded the Kosi flood that displaced many things—should also come along. However, materials related to the earthquake and Hanuman Nagar are presented here.

Gorkhapatra regularly published news about the expansion of telephones from Birgunj to Hanuman Nagar and other areas of the country during the time of Juddha Shumsher (1932-1945). The ‘Research Brief: Early Developments in Telephones and Electricity in Nepal (2019)’ (No 26, June 2019) and ‘Borderlands Brokers: War to Peace Transition in Nepal (2018),’ both published by Martin Chautari, provide some additional information about the expansion of telephones and electricity across Nepal, including Hanuman Nagar.

The hospital established in Hanuman Nagar in 1899, its management, the price and availability of medicines and treatments prevalent at the time, and other materials are discussed with original source material in the Studies in Nepali History and Society (SINHAS) Journal, Volume 21(2): 347-400.

“Be it known to the officials of the Saptari Mal Office in Hanuman Nagar: The Shri Vir Hospital has been established in Saptari Hanuman Nagar to provide free medical treatment to all subjects—rich and poor alike—who fall ill in that area.

The hospital will be open in the summer from 7 AM to 10 AM and 4 PM to 6 PM, and in the winter from 9 AM to 12 PM and 3 PM to 5 PM.

The specified individual is to assume responsibility for the hospital’s expenses, drawing the total of Rs 4,601 and 3 annas from the revenue of the Guthi Math, as this funding is separate from the Revenue Office’s income.”

The images of the original material presented in the said article provide a way to examine various details of the contemporary world of objects, their use, and the demand-supply relationship inside and around the Hanuman Nagar hospital. From this, one can understand basic details of the wages and responsibilities of the doctor, compounder, dresser, cook, and attendant, as well as the price and availability of necessary items like cupboards for storing medicine, surgical tools, rice, salt, lentils, turmeric, meat, vegetables, spices, sugar, oil, wax, cotton, sago, muslin, and kerosene. From such numerous materials produced around the 1934 earthquake, the stories of not just Hanuman Nagar but many places, objects, and human relationships can be understood.

Among the articles and materials presented here related to Hanuman Nagar, the description of the earthquake is new. Although Hanuman Nagar lost its existence due to the Kosi flood, some of its foreshadowing had already appeared in the 1934 earthquake. Therefore, an attempt is made here to present some earthquake documents verbatim. This indicates the details of the earthquake and the political, economic, social, and geographical upheaval that followed.

Materials related to the 1934 earthquake, once stored in the Kumari Chowk Office, are currently available in the National Archives of Nepal. Numerous materials are found regarding casualties, injuries based on gender, age, and regional location, as well as relief, reconstruction, and financial assistance. After that devastation, attempts began in Nepal to acquire technical knowledge of the land and methods for building earthquake-resistant houses. Changes also occurred in the traditional patterns of daily consumption and construction.

Based on the newspapers, books, ballads, and handwritten materials published at that time, one can conclude that devastation itself is not just a destruction or a natural calamity, but can also serve as a basis for political, economic, or social change.

Some of the materials presented here will tell the story of Hanuman Nagar’s activity, some will tell the story of its establishment and the aftermath of the flood’s effect, and some will tell the story of the Kosi flood.

In one sense, there will be fewer stories of people and more stories of a specific place, physical structures, and natural disasters. Most importantly, ‘earthquake’ materials produced before the Kosi flood will be seen, which indicate that Hanuman Nagar was gradually becoming ‘unsuitable’ for people and for people-state transactions. Here, two items are excerpted from previously published books, while the material related to the 1934 earthquake is preserved in the National Archives of Nepal.

Material 1

Material 1 presents an excerpt from a letter sent from the Saptari Goswara Hanuman Nagar on the date 1934.10.5.5 (Nepali date format) to “Shri 3 Maharaj.” The letter describes the condition around Hanuman Nagar after the earthquake. The letter includes information that cracks appeared around the Kosi area, jail walls cracked, leading to prisoners being kept in the storehouse, and a suggestion that offices should not be built in certain places. This letter not only details that “the ground also cracked at Koshi Dham, sand flowed, shops and goods were buried, large stones were seen, a gas-like smell was present, and hot water and smoke emerged,” but also requests an inspection by the “overseer” suggestions on where to build or not build, and a request for a ‘directive’ needed to set up a court and hospital to keep work going. Only a portion of this three-page letter is given here.

“…On the January 15, 19434, at 2:20 in the afternoon, a great earthquake occurred for about 5 minutes, due to which the house where the senior officer lived, the hospital, market office, and jail collapsed and were damaged. The then Goswara Mal office, Revenue office, Barracks, market office, and the houses of the contractor of the market and the Hakim’s residence, all government buildings, cracked, making it very dangerous to live in. As the earthquake is still continuously ongoing, we are all in fear…”

…

… “In many places, including the houses, fields, roads, and land, cracks appeared, water emerged, and a flood of sand flowed, causing chaos. The wells all collapsed and were filled with sand, making drinking water difficult. The sluices and regulators at the headworks of the canal either tilted or cracked. The canal bridges and the houses of the Hakim and other officials cracked and collapsed…”

…

… “The prisoners were arranged as far as possible in the Majesty’s storehouses and kept there. For the protection of those prisoners and the safekeeping of government goods, since the hospital collapsed, 20 temporary soldiers were recruited, with 18 of them for the protection of the prisoners…”

…

… “When the canal’s overseer (bhabar siyer) was summoned and checked to see if the jails under the Hanuman Nagar Amini could be repaired, he said that since a large part was damaged, they could not be repaired and a new structure should be built. Since the land near the Kosi, about 1.5 to 2 kos away, was also severely cracked, it seems dangerous to build permanent offices in Hanuman Nagar. Therefore, an expert is requested for inspection as soon as possible. As per Your command.”

Material 1: Sample of material related to the 1934 earthquake, preserved at the National Archives of Nepal.

Material 2: Regarding the provision of timber for earthquake victims

After studying a limited amount of the thousands of materials in the National Archives, it appears that news from outside the Kathmandu Valley was regularly sent from various forts/districts and goswaras (main offices) after the earthquake. Specifically, information related to ‘Land Revenue’ regularly reached Kathmandu in reports from Butwal (West), Chisapani Gadhi, Siraha, Saptari, Udayapur, and the Eastern Hills.

Details that earthquake tremors were still continuing are also included in the reports. Additionally, details of the market price and fluctuation in price of materials like salt, kerosene, and rice, available in that area, are seen from the regularly reporting goswaras or offices. In the course of submitting reports, there is also information about merchants trying to raise prices, being warned and instructed not to increase prices, and the lack of shortage of goods in the market. In some contexts, instructions are found that relief is necessary, regardless of older acts or laws.

Material is also found instructing that although there were no government forests, and the people who came to request wood for houses damaged by the earthquake should not be given wood from Birta land (privately owned tax-exempt land) according to the land document of 1897, the wood from the Laxminiyan ‘Birta Jungle’ should be provided as needed, with the condition that it cannot be exported or sold abroad (Materials 2 and 3).

To the presence of Shri Chief Saheb,

May the Almighty keep you always healthy and without ailment; this is my prayer, as per your wish—

Since there is no government forest in the 4th parganna of Siraha, and the raiti (subjects) who came to ask for wood for houses damaged by the earthquake were being written to the Laxmi Niyan Birta Mal office to be given wood for their respective houses, the Siraha Mal Office reported that the Sanad of ’54 did not state that wood should be given to the raiti of Mal Mauja (taxable land) excluding the Birta Mauja (tax-exempt land), and thus the wood was not given.

Since the raiti and jimmidars (landlords) have continuously come to complain about needing wood to build houses, the raiti duniyan in the Siraha area are facing great hardship without wood. Therefore, I have submitted a petition to Shri 3 Maharaj for a directive that, in the future too, since there is no government forest, wood should be given from the Birta forest for house construction as per the old Sanad, to the raiti whose houses were damaged by the recent earthquake without any tax. Grant permission as per your wish—

Out of the 13 mills in the Jainagar market damaged by the earthquake, 7 mills have resumed operation. The price of rice is Rs 1 and 8 annas per man (measure), and jute is Rs 3 per man, as informed by the Chandra Ganj Market Office. Today, in the Hanuman Nagar market, the price of rice is Rs 1 and 8 to 12 annas per man, and jute is Rs 2 and 8 to 12 annas per man. There has been no earthquake after the 28th of Falgun. As per your wish—

I hereby inform that Rs 7,420 and 3 annas of land revenue was collected in the Hanuman Nagar Mal Office today. As per your wish—

I await your forgiveness for any error in the wording. As per your wish—

Material 2: Material preserved in the National Archives of Nepal (Bundle No. 374).

Material 3: Instruction to provide necessary timber from the ‘Birta Jungle’

From the presence of Shri Commander-in-Chief,

To Shri Nani Major General [—] Raj Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana, with auspicious blessings: the Bada Hakim of Saptari Goswara informed Shri 3 Maharaj that when they wrote to the Mal Office to provide wood from the Laxminiyan Birta Jungle to the raiti whose houses collapsed in the earthquake, the Mal Office did not give it, saying the Sanad of ’54 did not include giving it to the raiti of Mal Mauja, and also that there is no government forest in the 4th parganna of Siraha.

Since a directive has already been issued to the offices that the wood that can be given under the law to build a house for every household should be given from the government forest as much as is needed, and since it is only informed here that the Birta Laxminiyan Jungle exists, even though it is a Birta forest, because it is a time of divine calamity and houses need to be built, an order was issued that wood from that forest, as much as is needed to build houses for the people, should be provided after taking a record of the quantity needed, with the condition that it cannot be exported or sold abroad, even to the Mughal territories. According to that command, a letter was sent to the Bada Hakim today, and a letter has also been written to the Major General. As per the command, the necessary order will be written and sent to the Birta Mal Office. Date: May 15, 1934, Tuesday.

Material 3: Nepal National Archives (Bundle No. 374).

Material 4: Voices of opposition and management

One important question that arises while examining some of the materials sent from outside Kathmandu is the indication of changes in old relationships, systems, or beliefs after the disaster. This material attempts to cover, to some extent, the disputes between the state administration and the people or the change in the balance of power.

Additionally, it highlights that during such disasters, the state administration does not only focus on relief distribution, rescue programs, or reconstruction, but also on how to face the additional challenges that arise in the state or administrative sector due to the disaster. This report from the Hanuman Nagar area is an important document for understanding this context.

Attention was also paid to how to manage prisoners after the jail collapsed due to the earthquake, whether to recruit additional personnel for security, and how to manage the shortage of resources like guns and bullets. The state administration seems conscious, in some way, of the possibility of facing the challenges of rebellion if it only focuses on relief and rescue programs and ignores resources.

Therefore, the names and details of individuals from various maujas (areas) who advised against paying land revenue were recorded, reported to Kathmandu, and orders were issued to monitor and arrest them when the time was right. In such a situation, the search for guns or cartridges mentioned in the report may not have been just for general purposes or for securing prisoners after the jail collapsed to prevent their escape. Furthermore, every report mentions the amount of land revenue collected by date. This makes it easy to understand that ‘Land Revenue’ was a very important matter for both the local administration and Kathmandu.

To the presence of Shri 3 Maharaj,

Furthermore, Maharaj, the compassionate one, the ocean of mercy, the righteous Avatar, may the prosperity of the Sarkar (Government) always reside. The subordinate’s welfare will be achieved, Maharaj. As per your command—

Maharaj, since the Siraha Mal Office and Amini Jail collapsed due to the earthquake, the Siraha Mal Amini reported that guns and cartridges were needed because the system of keeping armed guards on duty was not functional for the safekeeping of the cash, prisoners, records, and files of the jail.

Therefore, one double-barreled gun with cartridges from the 2-barrel gun available in this Goswara and one double-barreled gun with cartridges from the Hanuman Nagar Amini, which was found during the inspection of [Mani] Raj Guru’s house, were taken from the Hanuman Nagar Amini, and out of the 50 cartridges available with the subordinate, 12-12 cartridges and one gun each were sent to the Mal Amini on February 7, 1935. I have informed you of what happened, Maharaj. As per your command—

Maharaj, this Goswara has 40 guns, the Hanuman Nagar Mal Office has 38, the Hanuman Nagar Amini has 10, and the Siraha Mal Office has 10 guns in stock. However, due to the disuse of these guns, which have been in stock for a long time, rust has appeared on the guns and cartridges, making them unusable in case of any event. Also, since most of the soldiers recruited in the Goswara Mal Amini do not know how to operate a gun, I inform you that in case of any emergency, the guns and soldiers will not be of any use, Maharaj. As per your command—

Maharaj, after the earthquake, the price of salt and kerosene increased, so the merchants were warned and the Market Office was issued an order to sell at the previous price. Since the Chandra Ganj Market Office has not sent a record of salt and kerosene, a reminder has been sent today. As salt and kerosene need to be taken to Kosi Dham for sale, and if we receive permission to take them to the Dham, the merchants of the Hanuman Nagar market have written a letter saying that they will keep 50 bags of salt and 20 tins of kerosene always available in the Hanuman Nagar market and take the excess to Kosi Dham, selling the salt and kerosene at the previous market rate. I have informed you of the matter, saying a letter has been sent to the Hanuman Nagar Market Office today to allow salt and kerosene to be taken to the Dham and the market without any inconvenience, Maharaj. As per your command—

Maharaj, regarding the people of Saptari District’s Parganna Mahisauth Mauje Harinagara, namely Laxmi Prasad Raj Bhandari, and currently, Nityaraj Padhya and his brother Tilak Prasad of Parganna Mahisauth Mauje Shobhapur in Saptari District, gathered the subjects of various maujas including Parganna Mahisauth Mauje Gauripur Birta 1, Parganna Mahisauth Mauje Harinagara Birta 1, Parganna Piha Mauje Bishnupura Birta 1, Parganna Rampur Mauje Mithileshwar Birta 1, Parganna Piha Mauje [Ka]puri Birta 1, Parganna Mahisauth Mauje Laxmipur Birta 1, Parganna Mahisauth Mauje Shobhapur Birta 1, Parganna Piha Mauje Gaduraha Kumarpur Birta 1, and Parganna Badhari 1, Parganna Dhanchwar Mauje Kudwa Birta 1, and held a meeting yesterday or the day before, saying that the land revenue previously collected by the Birtawar (Birta holders) should not be paid now, and that they should submit an application to the Mal Office to pay a reduced amount equivalent to the rate of Mal land instead of what the Birtawar used to collect. If they refuse to pay as before, they should all unite and not pay land revenue, and if anyone faces any trouble, they should all unite and secure their release.

I inform you that they have gathered the raiti and acted recklessly. I inform you because I feel that these individuals have caused unnecessary trouble and mischief, and the raiti of the Shri 5 Sarkar (His Majesty’s Government) might attack the government land revenue system. A private report was received, and today, Laxmi Prasad himself, through his representative, informed the Sarkar that the Birtawar collects land revenue at a much higher rate than the Sarkar’s Mal land from the raiti of Birta Maujas including Gaduraha Kumarpur 1, Barampur 1, Gauripur 1, Harinagara 1, Laxmipur 1, Shobhapur 1, Bishanpur 1, and Mathaleshwar 1 in the Saptari Siraha area.

He said that although they paid until the year ’86 B.S., since grains and cattle were sold at a good price, they paid it, but since ’87 B.S., all kinds of cattle and land have been selling at a low price, making it impossible to survive by paying the land revenue according to the Birta rates from the produce. Therefore, all the raiti of the Birta land should unite and appeal to the government for help. If the Birtawar is not willing to collect land revenue at the rate of Mal land, the Birta raiti will stop paying land revenue to the Birta Mal until a directive is received on the submitted petition.

They will arrange to pay it to the Mal office if a directive is not received by the payment deadline, and will act according to the directive only after it is received. Since this matter of stopping land revenue is the current situation in the district, and the Beli fa submitted a petition through the postal system, I inform you of the matter, saying that a purji (memo) was sent today to Krishna Prasad Padhya of the Siraha Amini’s office to go personally and privately investigate who held the meeting and what was discussed, and if it is determined that those who held the meeting should be arrested, to proceed accordingly and send them. As per your command—

Maharaj, the railway train at Bhapatiyahi has not yet opened, so the export of rice and jute is not running as before. Kerosene is being sold at Rs 3 and 12 annas per tin (for Ranimaar brand) and Rs 4 per tin (for Chakra and Surppey brand), salt (Sabari brand) is Rs 3 and 12 annas per man, (Panga brand) Rs 3 per man, (Sidhe brand) Rs 4 per man. Rice is being bought and sold at a rate of Rs 2 and 2 to 3 annas per bag and jute is Rs 2 and 8 annas per man. The Hanuman Nagar Market Office informed today that there is no confirmed news when the railway train will start running at Bhapatiyahi. As per your command—

Maharaj, the ground in the Kosi River where people used to drown is now raised by the earthquake, and the water is only one bit (span) deep. The Kosi River bed has become strange due to this earthquake. Bishnu Prasad Padhya, the Birtawar of Chhapki, spoke yesterday, saying he had never seen the river rise in this manner. I inform you of the current situation, Maharaj. As per your command—

Maharaj, the earthquake has not subsided. Last night around 7 pm, a tremor occurred with a special sound for about 1 minute, and one occurred just now, Maharaj. As per your command—

Maharaj, land revenue is being collected regularly. Today, Rs 3198 of land revenue was received at Hanuman Nagar. I have informed you of the matter, Maharaj. As per [your command]—

I request your forgiveness for any error in the wording and await the grace of the big command to see the charter of the master. Maharaj. As per your command.

— Excerpted and edited from Nepali (2082), published by Madan Puraskar Guthi.