Briddhi Lakshmi

Briddhi Lakshmi (Nepal Bhasa: 𑐰𑐺𑐡𑑂𑐢𑐶𑐮𑐎𑑂𑐲𑑂𑐩𑐷‎) was the queen consort of the Nepalese Kingdom of Bhaktapur (modern day Bhaktapur, Nepal) from 1722 as the first wife of Ranajit Malla and also a Newar language poet. For a brief period, she and her two-year-old son were the de jure monarch of an independent Thimi. She is today mostly remembered for the songs and poems she composed, some of which are still sung today by traditional Dapha groups in Thimi.

She was born in a noble family in Bettiah, in modern-day India and had a brother named Murāri Rāya. In 1712, she was brought to Nepal and then married to Ranajit Malla. Later during the reign of Ranajita Malla, she was popular among the people of the kingdom, however had no supporters among the nobility. Likewise, she also found herself replaced by Jaya Lakshmi, a who became a favourite concubine of Ranajit Malla. By the time she gave birth to a son in 1738, Jaya Lakshmi's eldest son had already reached maturity. This caused a crisis of succession in Bhaktapur which ended with Briddhi Lakshmi taking refuge in the town of Thimi.

She was a prolific poet and songwriter in the Newar language. Only six of her works survive today, however, preserved by traditional singing groups in Thimi. Her poem, "𑐎 𑐏 𑐫𑐵 𑐩𑑂𑐫𑐾‎" (ka kha yā mye), which she composed when she and her infant's safety was compromised in the palace, is considered one of the greatest works in the Newar language.