国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

Narrative of the Family

At first, during the time of self-rule (i.e. of independence) two Chhatrī families,
Pāl and Rānā, ruled over various districts in that mountain. At that time, in the
district of Bangāl, one family, Pāl, becoming powerful, defeated the remaining small
families of Pāl and Rā.o and took possession of their country. At the present time a
space of about 800 years must have elapsed since Rānā Nīl (a Chhatrī by caste and of the
Lunar Family), commonly known as Thākur Chādlā Sūrat, an ancestor of ours, was
a self-ruler (i.e. an independent Rānā) in Kolang, in the district of Bangāl.

Unable to endure the oppression of the above-mentioned Pāl, he came into the
district of Lāhul (where he used formerly to go for sport, and hence was acquainted
with the district) to one named Ajo Pāl Totiyā Thākur, who was an independent
ruler of the Pāl family.

Since Totiyā Thākur had no heir, but only a daughter, he gave her in marriage
to Rānā Nīl Chand, whom he took to live with him as a son-in-law.¹ After the
decease of the above-mentioned Totiyā Thākur, Rānā Nīl Chand became independent
ruler of the district in his stead and named [Totiyā's] district after his first place.²
Since that was a time of independent rule, he made conquests round about and
extended his territory.

The length east to west from Lingtī to Jagliwā.ī, the frontier of Kothī Thādī,
is 60 miles; breadth north to south at the least 30 miles, at the most 20³ miles. The
son of Nīl Chand was Sūrat⁴ Chand; of Sūrat Chand, Bhīm Chand; of Bhīm Chand,
Phāgī Chand; of Phāgī Chand, Dharam Chand; of Dharam Chand, Dīp Chand;
of Dīp Chand, Gyān Chand; of Gyān Chand, Tek Chand; of Tek Chand, Rām Chand;
of Rām Chand, Dayāl Chand; of Dayāl Chand, Fatah Chand; of Fatah Chand,
Karam Chand. For ten generations without a break, i.e. down to Dayāl Chand, the
independence of this family continued. In the time of Fatah Chand the Rāja of
Tibat got possession of Lāhul; but the territory of ten families remained as before
in their possession. Moreover, under Tibat the rule of this family was extended to
the whole of Lāhul. Down to the time of Karam Chand, i.e. about one hundred years,
the rule of Tibat over this territory continued. During this time Lāmās and Gurūs
were introduced into this country. This is the reason why below ⁵ Karam Chand
the names of our ancestors ⁶ are in Tibetan. Afterwards, in the time of Singī and
Nonō Chogan, the sons of Karam Chand, Rāja Mān Singh of Kullū, through the decline
in power of the Tibatan Rāja, became the ruler of Lāhul. At this time, too, the
territory of this family remained as before. Since in this family the custom had
come down that the eldest son should succeed and the younger sons sit under him as
dothā.is,⁷ the names of the latter used not to be entered in the family tree. Since the
two brothers Singī and Nonō Chogan were equally powerful, hence in the time of
Rājā Mān Singh the territory was divided and both became equal jāgīrdārs under
Rājā Mān Singh of Kullū. Singī took possession of Gumrang and Nonō Chogan of