The Paths We Choose - Monica Rana

My daughter Monica's debut novel is now available on Amazon and in bookshops in India and Nepal.

https://www.biblionepal.com/products/the-paths-we-choose?srsltid=AfmBOorLGIb20ZmOqnA-Xszj_dBuijCH4bKHos5PUoB7PvdkwxLBKmBX

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THE A, B, C CONUNDRUM

Balkrishna Sama's portrait of the nine Rana prime ministers, 1846 - 1951 A.D. Nepalese history books tell stories of the nine Rana prime ministers ruling Nepal in unison for 104 years and the family is often depicted and reviled as one monolithic juggernaut that assaulted and consumed the sovereignty of benign kings and their happy, loyal subjects. Nothing could be further from the truth on both counts. Out of the nine one was assassinated, two were unceremoniously removed from the post by their own siblings, one resigned due to internal and external exigencies and the last one was forced to give it all up. But who were those that did not get to wear the "Teen Chand" prime ministerial crown? I often look at the fading pictures of the family to trace the hierarchy at the times they were taken. The Soviets were famous for cleverly air-brushing out the disgraced party members from chesty pictures of proletarian solidarity. The Ranas just removed them from the frames...

THE BIOGRAPHER: LIFE OF GENERAL PADMA JUNG RANA

An important biography of Maharajah Jung Bahadur Rana was written by his son General Padma Jung Rana during his exile in India and it was published after his death in Allahabad in 1909 A.D. by Pioneer Press titled "Life of Sir Jung Bahadur of Nepal". It is the only book to my knowledge that is written by an "insider" eye witness, a member of the family of Jung Bahadur, and is full of interesting accounts and anecdotes that would not have come to light had it not been for this book. I have always wanted to learn more about the Rana family members who fled Nepal after the coup d'etat of 1885 A.D. and their life in India. Here is the first in the series: my findings on General Padma Jung Rana. A tragedy in life came early, at the very instance of birth in fact. Writes General Padma Jung Rana in his biography of his famous father, he was born on the very day Maharajah Jung Bahadur Rana left Kathmandu for the war effort to relieve the hard-pressed British forces i...

FEATHERS IN THE CROWN

Maharajah Juddha Shumsher J. B. Rana with his Crown As a kid I used to gape in wonderment at the magnificent crown my father possessed not knowing that the jewels were only for show. The dark green emerald drops were made of glass, the sparkling diamonds were probably zirconium and the pearls were not of the best sort. Every Rana general had his personal crown in those days and my father was no exception. I did not recognize the difference between this personal crown of father's and the other more valuable crown of the Nepalese Commander-in-Chief of the Army that my father was seen wearing in many a portrait displayed about the house. Little did I know that my father was the last person to put on his head the army chief's crown from the Rana era, real glittering diamonds, snow white pearls and thumb-sized emerald drops and all. The feather in the crown was the magnificent plumes of the Bird of Paradise that gave it such a majestic look. The Bird of Par...

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