The great four martyrs of Nepal

Dharma Bhakta Mathema was a professional body builder as well as a founding member of Praja Parishad party of Nepal. He introduced modern body building techniques in Nepal. But he is better known for his contribution to the Nepalese struggle for freedom against hereditary prime ministership of the Rana dynasty. He was killed during the freedom movement, and he is duly recognized as one of the four martyrs of Nepal. His statue is found, along with other three martyrs, in the Martyr's Gate (Sahid Gate) memorial in Kathmandu.A school is also established on his name 'Shahid Dharma Bhakta School (SDB)' currently located in Nakkhu, Lalitpur, Nepal by her daughter Renu Devi which runs the classes from montessori to grade 10 (School Leaving Certificate). On Magh 12, 1997 BS, Dharma Bhakta was hanged till death at Shifal, Kathmandu, at midnight. for more Click here

Dasharath Chand is martyr of Nepalese Democratic Movement and a politician of Nepal who was active in starting a political revolution in Nepal during Rana rule. He was born at Baskot of Baitadi district of Nepal in 1903 AD as a son of Sher Bahadur Chand.He received his education at different places of Uttarakhand like Almora, Nainital, etc. Finally, he went to Banaras, where he completed an Intermediate education. In Banaras he worked for Kashi Nagari Pracharini Sabha. Gangalal Shresthaand Dasharath Chand were arrested. In prison, they were given severe torture and pain. They were asked to beg pardon but they did not do so. At last, in 1941, January 25, Dasharath Chand and Gangalal were shot dead at Shobha Bhagawati. for more Click here

Ganga Lal Shrestha was a Nepalese revolutionary who was executed by the autocratic Rana regime. He is honoured as one of the four martyrs of the Nepalese revolution. He was a member of the clandestine political organisation named Nepal Praja Parishad that started a movement in 1939 to remove the Rana oligarchy and establish democracy in Nepal. The secret Nepal Praja Parishad was exposed by one Ramji Joshi in return for a cash reward of Rs. 5,000. This led to the arrest of many of its members on 18 October 1940. On 19 January 1941, the Ranas sentenced Ganga Lal, Dashrath Chand, Dharma Bhakta Mathema and Shukra Raj Shastri (although he was not involved in Praja Parishad), to death. On 28 January 1941, Ganga Lal was taken to Shobha Bhagwati on the bank of the Bishnumati River where he was shot dead along with Chand by Nara Shumsher Rana. The other two, Mathema and Shastri, were hanged. Ganga Lal was allowed one last meeting with his family the day before he was executed. They went to the jail and he was brought out from his cell with hands and feet shackled. The emotional reunion stirred his youngest brother Pushpa Lal Shrestha to dedicate himself to fight for democracy and equality. In 1949, he founded the Communist Party of Nepal which played a key role in removing the Ranas. for more click here

Shukra Raj Shastri was a Nepalese intellectual and fighter for democracy who was executed by the autocratic Rana dynasty. He is one of the four martyrs of the Nepalese revolution that toppled the Rana regime. The other three are Dashrath Chand, Dharma Bhakta Mathema and Ganga Lal Shrestha. The Ranas were eventually overthrown in February 1951, and democracy was established in Nepal. The Rana oligarchy ruled Nepal from 1846 until 1951. During this time, the Shah king was reduced to a figurehead and the prime minister and other government positions were hereditary. Jang Bahadur Rana established the Rana dynasty in 1846 by masterminding the Kot massacre in which about 40 members of the nobility including the prime minister and a relative of the king were murdered. Tyranny, debauchery, economic exploitation and religious persecution characterized Rana rule. This 104-years of Rana regime has been called as one of the darkest periods of Nepalese history. for more click here