History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Kumaon

 (History of Kumaon from 1000-1790 AD)

         (History of Chand Dynasty Rule in Kumaon)

History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar) - Part 146

                                              By: Bhishma Kukreti

                   Thor Chand was founder of Chand Dynasty rule in Kumaon

     Thorchand or Somchand was the founder of Chand dynasty rule on Kumaon.

         There are Harshadev Joshi’s information to William Frazer (1813), the informations supplied by migrated Kumaonis Kankanidhi –Premanidhi Tiwadri and Hariballabh Pande to Hamilton (1818) for knowing the details of Thorchand or Somchand.

              According to Harshdev’s information to William Frazer Thorchand the founder of Chand dynasty came from Jhunsi at the age 10 16-17 years. He ruled and after him his son, grandson and great grandson ruled a particular territory.  When the great grandson did not have family heir, the relative of Gyanchand was called from Jhunsi and was made the king of that territory.  Gyanchand was uncle of Thorchand.

       As per Tiwari and Lande information to Hamilton, Thorchand came from Jhunsi and did serve to Nepal chieftain. The said Nepali chieftain was chieftain under Karvipur Katyuri king. Jaichand was friend of Thorchand. Thorchand and Jaichand (plains) captured a portion of Katyuri kingdom and established his rule over Champawat, Kumaon.

    It seems that Thorchand came to western Nepal and started serving Krachalla. When Krachalla attacked regain power on Katyuri of Kumaon, Krachalla might have engaged Thorchand as his one of army chiefs and Thorchand would have shown the bravery in the attack. Thorchand established a small rule in Kandev hills under Krachalla.

  There is no name of Thorchand as Mandlik or regional governors of Krachalla. That shows that Krachalla might donate the territory to Thorchand as independent kingdom.

 There is a name of Vadyachandra a regional chieftain or governor of Krachalla in inscriptions list. According to folklores, Vadyachandra was cosine of Thorchandra. It is suggested in Dabral’s book that in 1223, Vinay Chandra was regional chieftain of Krachalla for Talla Mal territory and Vadyachandra was regional chieftains of Krachalla for Malla Mal. After death of Vinay Chandra, his son Thorchand got the territory in 1226. Since, Thorchand was always active in administration it is believed that Thorchand was founder of Chand dynasty and not Vinaychandra.  

 According to folklores, the first branch of Chand dynasty was founded by Thorchand and second branch of Chand dynasty was founded by Gyanchand the uncle of Thorchand.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti -bckukreti@gmail.com 19/9/2013

                                      References

Dr. Shiv Prasad Dabral, Uttarakhand ka Itihas Bhag 10, Kumaon ka Itihas 1000-1790

Badri Datt Pande, 1937, Kumaon ka Itihas, Shri Almora Book Depo Almora

Devidas Kaysth, Itihas Kumaon Pradesh

Katyur ka Itihas, Pundit Ram Datt Tiwari

Oakley and Gairola, Himalayan Folklore

Atkinson, History of District Gazette

Menhadi Husain, Tuglak Dynasty

Malfujat- E Timuri

Tarikh -e-Mubarakshahi

Kumar Suresh Singh2005, People of India

Justin Marozzi, 2006, Tamerlane: Sword of Islam

Bakshsingh Nijar, 1968, Punjab under Sultans 1000-1526 

The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 13 page 52 

Bhakt Darshan, Gadhwal ki Divangit Vibhutiyan

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

                           

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -147

History of Kumaon (1000-1790) to be continued….

 Middle Himalayan, Indian Medieval Age History of Chand Dynasty rule in Kumaon to be continued…

  (Middle Himalayan, Indian Medieval Age History (740-1790 AD to be continued…)

            Notes on History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Lohaghat, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Bajkot Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Kandev hills, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Dhunaghat , Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Tanakpur, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Swala  Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Padmapur, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Sukhidhang, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Chalthi, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Dayuri, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Khoral Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Devidhura, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Chhira, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Rithakhal, Champawat, Kumaon; History of Start of Chand Dynasty Rule in Lupra, Champawat, Kumaon;