Bagale Thapa


Bagale Thapa or Bagālevaṃśī Thapa anciently known as Bagalya Thapa is a prominent clan within Thapa of Khas community. They claim Atreya Gotra and Suryavanshi lineage. The name of the clan is also transliterated as Bagale, Bagalya, Bagaalya, Bagaliya, Bagaley, Bagaale or Bagaleya.
Family of Bhimsen Thapa and family of Amar Singh Thapa were two influential Bagale Thapa families at the central politics of Kingdom of Nepal.

Origin and Genealogy

The genealogy traces the lineage of all Bagale Thapas to a male progenitor King Kalu Thapa Kshatri, who first ascended to the throne at Kāndāmālikā on Saka Era 1111. The DDC of Myagdi district also confirms historical evidence of rule of Thapa dynasty of Takam State by founder Kalu Thapa, whose dynasty continued for 300 years only to be defeated by Dimba Bam Malla to form bigger Parbat State.

Kunwar legend

legend mentions that their first ancestor Rāma Siṃha Rāṇā was married to a daughter of Raja of Bīnātī, a Bagāle Kṣetrī on the request by his employer hill Raja. John Whelpton opines that the legend of the Kunwar family's origins, which says their progenitor to have entered hill and married a daughter of Bagale Kshetri, might have linked their family to the Bagale Thapa, a clan of Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa.

History

Thapas belong to the Chhetri caste of the Kshatriya Varna whose origin lies in Karnali region of Khas Kingdom. Bagale Thapas were powerful and prominent family at Jumla
and seemed to have migrated eastwards. In the times of Malla rule at Kathmandu valley, Bagale Thapas were considered skillful at both warfare and administration. Thus, King Jagajjaya Malla attended the services of Kashiram Thapa, a leader of Bagale Thapas to control inobedient Khas and Magar citizens.
Amar Singh Thapa, one of the National heroes of Nepal and commander of Western front at Anglo-Nepalese war belonged to this clan. The family of Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa consists Kaji Ranajor Singh Thapa, Ranadhoj Thapa, Narsingh Thapa and their 2 more brothers who were also at Royal Court of Nepal.
The family of Kaji Bir Bhadra Thapa, commander of Unification of Nepal belonged to this clan. This family contains large number of renowned courtiers and warriors. He had three sons: Jeevan Thapa, Bangsha Raj Thapa and Amar Singh Thapa. The children of Amar Singh Thapa become influential. Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa, the most revered among Thapas is the eldest son of Sardar Amar Singh Thapa. His nephew, son of Nain Singh Thapa, Mathabarsingh Thapa was the seventh Prime Minister of Nepal and niece, Nain's daughter was Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal. The family of Sardar Amar Singh Thapa resided at Bagh Durbar.
The recent time Army Chief of Nepal Dharmapaal Barsingh Thapa belonged to this clan.

Notable Bagale Thapas