Transgressive Hindu Kingship in Nepal

Asia Lecomte-Tilouine’s “The Transgressive Nature of Hindu Kingship in Nepal” compares and contrasts the symbolism, particularly in rituals surrounding the death of a king and subsequent coronation, of Shah and Malla kingships. Shah and Malla palaces are symbolically demonstrative of the power of the king. Malla palaces were composed of a large amount of courtyards surrounding a focal courtyard that represented a limited area under the control of the king. Accordingly, the sovereignty of Malla kings was checked by noblemen, limiting the power of the monarchy.

The residences of Shahs, however, were indicative of the limitless authority of the king. Shahs rarely lived in Malla palaces and avoided being associated with the physical center of the palace.

Malla and Shah coronation rituals differ significantly. The same principle of the Shah’s unlimited sovereignty is present in the rubbing of his body with different kinds of earth and water. The fact that these elements are not representative of the kingdom suggests that the king has authority over all of the Earth, not a restricted domain like that of a Malla king.

The sacrifice of the king-eating Brahmin fits within Girard’s definition of the sacrificial victim, yet seems to serve another purpose. Brahmins are on the periphery of society, but the sacrifice of the Brahmin seems to relate more to displacing impurity than displacing violence. In “Regicide and Maoist Revolutionary Warfare in Nepal” Lecomte Tilouine sets a historical background for the violence in both the 2001 massacre of Nepal’s royal family and the Maoist movement in opposition to the Nepalese government.

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According to Lecomte-Tilouine, war was an integral part of Nepalese kingdoms in the past, as it offered social mobility and was conducted outside of the caste system. Recent reforms, however, have excluded uneducated members of lower castes from using the military as a vehicle for social mobility. The Maoists have provided a new ideology allows these people to challenge their caste position. Lecomte-Tiloune’s assertion that Maoist leaders seek to supplant the monarchy by imitating the Shahs is not entirely convincing. Maoist political practices such as reassuring the public that the king was not opposed to them or declaring war are pragmatic political moves that are not unique to Nepal. Maoist ideology seems fundamentally different than that of the Shahs, and desires and complete change of government rather than ensuring continuity.