Kunwar family

Kunwar family
कुँवर वंश/कुँवर खलक

Kingdom of Gorkha
Noble house
Parent familyKunwar khas chhetri
CountryKingdom of Nepal
Gorkha Kingdom
Founded18th century
FounderAhirama Kunwar (historical)
Ram Singh Rana (legendary)
Current headcurrently as pretender
Final rulerJang Bahadur Kunwar Rana (Ramkrishna family)
Balbhadra Kunwar (Jayakrishna family)
Titles
  • Hereditary Title of Kaji
  • Governor of Janalikot Achham District (Khulal kunwar)
  • Sardar of Kingdom of Gorkha
  • Governor of Garhwal Province
  • Governor of Jumla Province
  • Governor of Dhankuta Province
  • Governor of Pyuthan Province
  • Governor of Dadheldhura Province
Style(s)
Estate(s)Bhanwarkot and Dhulikhel
Dissolution15 May 1848 (conversion to Rana dynasty)
Cadet branchesRana dynasty
A section of Kunwars titled themselves as "Rana" onwards 1848 CE.

The Kunwar family (Nepali: कुँवर परिवार) was a noble Khas-Chhetri family in the Gorkha Kingdom and the Kingdom of Nepal.[1] The Kunwars were linked to the Thapa dynasty and family of Amar Singh Thapa by marital lineages and, thus, to Pande dynasty through the Thapa dynasty. Three branches of the Kunwars; Ramakrishna, Jayakrishna and Amar Singh Kunwar were formed with opposite political aspirations. Bal Narsingh Kunwar (of Ramkrishna section) supported Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa while Chandrabir Kunwar (of Jayakrishna section) supported Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa[2] due to their marital relations with those families. Later, the Ramakrishna section of the family including Amarsingh established the Rana dynasty of Nepal and styled themselves as Rana Rajputs while Jayakrishna most section remained as Kunwars.

  1. ^ Regmi 1975b, pp. 89–90.
  2. ^ Whelpton 1991, p. 254.