There was a system of headmanship during the Rana period. The headmanship system is still discussed in Mustang. Although it is not discussed, this system is still in place in Tamangaun, Tamankhola Rural Municipality-3, Baglung.

The current headmanship system is not like the one of the time, but is a tradition of supporting and assisting the villagers in various tasks. Especially in Taman village, the headman has an important role in organizing the festivals celebrated, watching over the 'Sarun' when moving the shed, and managing the shed and grazing according to the season.

If someone obstructs the work of grazing animals indiscriminately, violating the prescribed rules, and ignoring the dates, the headman can even take action. For that, there is a tradition of electing a headman every 3 years from the village assembly. 46-year-old Gobinda Bahadur Budha is the current three-year headman for Taman village. He was elected as the chief in the month of Poush last year. During his tenure, if there is any attempt to spoil the situation in the village, he takes action.

He also leads the village cleaning, collective work, farming, and bringing in the cattle. At his request, the village's Katuwal Ruplal Budha makes a ghok. There is a rule that the villagers have to do the work assigned on the basis of the ghok. They must also be present at gatherings and meetings on his orders.

At this time, it is the time for the Baisakhe 'Chan' (moving the cattle shed) in Taman village. It will last until Asar. The shed that was moved from Taman village in the first week of Baisakh is currently in Jhare, Kafaldanda and Bisphal. There are now more than 900 cattle here. After that, the chan season begins here. At that time, the cattle are sent to the pastures of Amilvan and Tamanghanti. Cattle graze there until Asoj.

During the Kartik Chan, grazing begins around Taman village. It lasts for three months. During the Puse Chan, cattle are herded in the lower valley here. Some people graze cattle as far as Bongadobhan. Sheep herds are especially herded into the valley. At this time, millet, straw, and hay are fed. Since it is winter at that time, the locals can stay at home after the cattle descend into the valley. Here, there is a tradition of shifting cattle, i.e., shifting cattle, based on the four seasons throughout the year.

The tradition of moving cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats to the grazing area according to the time is different in Taman. Here, the chieftains have established a tradition to organize the Chan and other festivals. Until the political change of 2046 BS, the chiefs here used to collect taxes and invest in the development of the village. After the formation of the local level, the legislative work has been transferred to the ward chairperson. But due to traditional methods, the headman is regularly elected here.

Ward chairperson Jhak Bahadur Budha said that even if it is his job to do work according to the policy, he still follows the leadership of the headman in the old tradition. ‘To do work according to the policy, a ward chairperson and people’s representatives of the municipality are needed, and the leadership of the headman is good to establish the situation.’ He said that all the work was done on the advice of the headman elected as per the decision of the village assembly.

A model of the headman’s house still remains in Taman village, Tamankhola-3. Since it was built a long time ago, this house was dilapidated. Last year, this house was renovated and made neat at a cost of 1.5 million rupees by collecting 10 lakh rupees from the rural municipality and 5 lakh rupees from the locals. The common chiefs of Taman, Lamela, Khunga, Khunkhani, Narzakhani and Lukurban villages in West Baglung used to rule from this house. Now, that custom has gone. The development of the village and other activities have been carried out on the advice of the chief who lives only in Taman village.

After the first general election in 2015, the then chief Dirgha Narayan Bhattachan went to Kathmandu to meet the Prime Minister and returned. This house was built with the central budget and the labor of the villagers. ‘According to the records I have seen, Tham Bahadur Sherchan of Khunga was the first chief of our six villages,’ said Man Bahadur Budhathoki of Taman, ‘Dirgha Narayan Bhattachan, who followed him, gained access to the central government.’ Bhattachan was close to BP Koirala. He said that this building was built in 2016 with his help.

Budhathoki says that the then chief used to live in this house and run the six villages here. Budhathoki is a retired teacher after 41 years of teaching at Dhangaujyoti Secondary School in Taman. ‘The headman system is no longer practiced in this building, but it has been renovated because it carries history,’ said Joklal Budha, the rural municipality chairman. ‘Materials of traditional and cultural importance are collected here.’ Now, an office has been built on the ground floor and a library on the upper floor.

If there was a dispute, fight, or problem of land tenure in the village, the headman would resolve it. They also had the right to collect land revenue tax. ‘The headman system had the right to collect farm, field, and household taxes,’ said Prof. Dr., former principal of Dhavalagiri Multiple Campus. Ram Prasad Upadhyay said, ‘The headman’s house, as per the then government’s policy of appointing headmen in different areas and collecting taxes, is still alive somewhere.’ Upadhyay said that the government has assigned five/seven village headmen to collect taxes and settle cases in places like Harichour in Galkot and Darwang in Myagdi. He is a professor of history.