The Ranas of Nepal were de\n facto rulers of the kingdom for slightly over a century, reigning as prime\n ministers of the state, with the king as a figurehead. Their rule, while\n bringing stability to a fraught empire, has also been criticized for economic\n and religious excesses, and for tyranny. Now, for the first time, a\n descendant of the Rana clan opens up about his family, setting right certain\n historical misconceptions, and offering an honest critique of what was one of\n the most vital periods in the history of Nepal which drew to a close in 1951.\n Frank, forthright and utterly balanced, Sangha Durbar: Rise and Fall of the\n Rana Regime of Nepal is one of the most important historical accounts to have\n been published on the Himalayan kingdom in recent years.