Michele Borzoni


Portraiture

The Ranas of Nepal

Portraits of the Rana family

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The Rana dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951. Today the Rana family is noble family of the upper class in the Nepalese society.

The Ranas of Nepal

The Ranas, as prime ministers (raised at the maharajah status), detained the power hereditary for more then one century, since 1952 when the King Mohan Shamsher had to present one’s resignation in behalf of the kings Shah.

During the period of the Rana power, the country has been left behind. While the royal court lived in the luxury and in the richness, the farmers outside Katmandu lived in very poor conditions.

However the Ranas built magnificent palaces in the Katmandu Valley, and abolished the sati (the Hindu practice of sacrificing the widows of the husbands funeral pyre).

Today the Ranas represent the economic leading class. Banck directors, foundation leaders, stylists, pilots, army generals, politicians.. Their sons study in at the best schools and university of all Europe and UN. Some of them continue to live in the luxury and in memory of their royal past.