Balo Kalyan Chandra: A Chand king Struggled and captured Gangoli, Sor and Danpur, Kumaon

 (History of Kumaon from 1000-1790 AD)

         (History of Chand Dynasty Rule in Kumaon)

History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar) - Part 166

                                              By: Bhishma Kukreti

                     Ruling or Regime Period of Chand king-Balo Kalyan Chandra

 Ruling period of Chand king Balo Kalyan Chandra is 1559-1565.

His inscriptions are available of 1559.

          Shifting of Capital from Champawatkot to Khagmara, Almora

                   Bhishma Chandra the predecessor of Balo Kalyan Chandra had decided to shift the capital from Champawatkot to Khagmara, Almora. The place was in centre to control the won territories by Chand Kings especially Kirati Chandra. However, Bhishma Chandra could not complete his decision.

             The hill was called Khashiyakhola (the place of Khasa) and Balo Kalyan Chandra established the capital as Alamnagar in this hill. In this hill, Almoda (a medicinal plant) and a bush Kilmoda (a spiky medicinal, flower and fruit plant) were found abundantly. The flowers of these plants were brought daily for rituals at Katarmal temple. This hill was also called Almoda due to growing of Almoda plants.  In inscription the new capital was named as ‘Rajapur’. Alamnagar became part of Almora.

       Almora was at central place of the Chand kingdom. There was abundant availability of wood and building materials for creating capital in the new region.

              The capital was nearby Devalikhan, Tadikhan, Bilolikhan and Chinakhan. Balo Kalyan Chandra gave ten times more land in Chhakhata to successors of Shri Chand a Gujrati Brahman for land in Syunara. Chand King Balo Kalyan Chandra built his palace at Nail Pokhar in Alamnagar or Almora. King Balo Kalyan Chandra provided land to his family members near his palace. Balo Kalyan Chandra provided land to Joshi families of Champawat too to settle in the capital. However, Chautara Brahmans did not agree for settling in Alamnagar. For many years after Almora being a capital, some administrative works were done in Champawat the old Capital. Champawat was additional capital till 1611.

  There was disappointment among people of Kali Kumaon for shifting the capital. Therefore, balo Kalyan Chandra settled mara, Fadtiyal, Chauthan Brahmins in Almora. Balo Kalyan Chandra also settled the Brahmins, Khasa, Rajput from Bramandal, Pali, Faldakot, etc in the new capital

                                  Capturing Gangoli

        

       Manikoti King Narayan Chandra was ruler of Gangoli at east north of Almora. Balo Kalyan Chandra attacked Gangoli and Narayan Chandra accepted over rule of Balo Kalyan Chnadra by providing tributes.

 There is copper inscription of Prithvi Chandra available of dated 1610. Prithvi Chandra was succsor of Narayn Chandra.  

 Lakshaman Chandra the successor of Prithvi Chandra freed Gangoli from Chand kingdom in 1620.

                   Capturing Sira and Sor by Balo Kalyan Chandra

   Rattan Chandra captured Sor in 1468 from Katyuri. However, Doti king freed the territory immediately.

 At the time of Balo Kalyan Chandra, his brother in law Raymall Sahi Katyuri was ruler of Katyuri territory of Sor.

 Balo Kalyan Chandra sent his wife to Sor and she asked Sor territory from her brother as dowry for her husband Balo Kalyan Chandra. The Katyuri king Raika Maharaj Raymall Sahi refused to accept the rule of Balo Kalyan Chandra.  Balo Kalyan Chandra attacked on Sor and captured Sor territory.  Balo Kalyan Chandra also attacked on Sira. However, Sira army defeated Balo Kalyan Chandra and he had to flee to Almora.

                             Winning Danpur

  Due to defeat at Sira, the honor of Balo Kalyan Chandra was far below down in the region. Danpur a small kingdom was there at North West of Gangoli. There were many Khasa tribal chieftains in Danpur. Balo Kalyan Chandra attacked the territory. The army of Balo Kalyan Chandra was organized and his army won the territory easily. Balo Kalyan Chandra took all Khasa Thakurai into Chand kingdom.

           

                                Rautela as Thokdars

   

            Rautela families used to support Chand kings for getting opportunities looting the people. Chandra kings used to reward Rautela army men the land Jagir or Thokdari to rule. There were huge chains of Rautela Thokdars under Chand kingdom. This chain of Rautela Thokdars supported Chand kings in extending territories.

       Balo Kalyan Chandra died in 1565 and his son Rudra Chandra was crowned in 1565.

                 History will remember Balo Kalyan Chandra for his struggle to extend Chand kingdom.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti -bckukreti@gmail.com 9/10/2013

                                      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 vol 4

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

Mahajan V.D.1991, History of Medieval India

Majumdar R.C. (edited) 2006, The Sultanate

Rizvi, Uttar Taimur Kalin Bharat

Tarikhe Daudi

Vishweshara nand , Bharat Bharti lekhmala

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

                           

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -167

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 Champawat, Kumaon; History of Sor Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Almora east Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Danpur Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Doti (now in Nepal) Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Nainital Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Khagmara Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Alamnagar Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Almora Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Faldakot Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Baramandal Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Pali Kumaon of Middle Age;  History of Gangoli Kumaon of Middle Age;  History of Ranikhet Kumaon of Middle Age;  History of Didihat Kumaon of Middle Age; History of Chaukharga Kumaon of Middle Age;  History of  Pithoragarh Kumaon of Middle Age;  History of  Dwarhat Kumaon of Middle Age;