Queen Tripurasundari

Tripurasundari (; 1794 – 6 April 1832), also known as Lalit Tripura Sundari Devi, was a queen consort of Nepal by marriage to King Rana Bahadur Shah of Nepal. Widowed at a very young age and childless, she served as regent of the kingdom for a long period. She was regent for her stepson Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah in 1806–1819, and for her step-grandson Rajendra in 1819–1832. She was the first woman to publish literature in Nepal.

Biography Lalit Tripura Sundari Devi was born into an influential Nepali family to the feudal military elite of the kingdom. As per historical records, Tripurasundari was from the Thapa family, and the daughter of Bhimsen Thapa's brother Nain Singh Thapa. Her siblings included Mathabarsingh Thapa (sometime Prime Minister of Nepal) and Ganesh Kumari Devi, the mother of Jung Bahadur Rana who founded the Rana hegemony over Nepal which lasted over 100 years (1846–1950).

In 1805 or 1806, Tripurasundari married the king of Nepal, Rana Bahadur Shah. She was the youngest wife of the king. Tripurasundari and Rana Bahadur Shah did not have children.

Regency After Rana Bahadur Shah was assassinated in 1806, Queen Rajeshwari, who acted as the regent for her stepson Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah, was forced to commit sati. Tripurasundari also served as regent during the minority of Rajendra. She died the same year that Rajendra ascended to power, and her death decreased Bhimsen's political control. in 1824. Rajdharma has been praised by historians as "a credit to Nepal's language and literature."

She had also written many other poems in Nepali. She also encouraged writers and poets in her court, and, with her encouragement, her stepson Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah and step grandson Rajendra Bikram Shah each wrote three books.

Structures and monuments The construction of Dharahara was commissioned by either Tripurasundari or Bhimsen Thapa on her behalf. The tower collapsed in the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and now has been reconstructed. She also commissioned the Tripureshwor Mahadev temple at Tripureshwor and the bridge between Kathmandu and Lalitpur at Thapathali.