Kirati Chand: The Cruelest Chand king infamous for Cruel mass Human Slaughtering

(History of Kumaon from 1000-1790 AD)

         (History of Chand Dynasty Rule in Kumaon)

History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar) - Part 162

                                              By: Bhishma Kukreti

                       Kirati Chand or Kirti Chandra (1499-1506)

The list ‘A’ of Chand kings states that Kirati Chandra or Kirti Chand ruled from 1488-1503. Chand Kings List ‘A’ describes him Kiratichandra and ‘B’ and C’ lists describe him as Kirtichandra.

Atkinson suggests the ruling period of Kirati Chandra or Kirti Chand is from 1488-1503.

There is inscription of Kirati Chandra or Kirti Chand dated 16^th December, 1505 and the inscription of his son Pratap Chandra is of 1510. Therefore, Dr Dabral states that Kirti Chandra or Kirati Chand ruled from 1499-1506 or a year above.

                        Chand Kingdom Extension

  Soon, Kirti Chand or Kirati Chandra succeeded the kingdom from his grandfather Bharati Chandra; Kirati Chand started extending Chand kingdom.

Bramandal Campaign- There was dozens of small Gadhi or Thokdari in Baramandal. Katyuri family members or Khasa Thokdar (chieftains) used to rule over Barmandal (subsidy of Katyuri kingdom). Bisaud a smaller kingdom or Gadhi was on the east bank of Sual River, and Syunara a smaller kingdom was on the west bank of Sual River. As per rock inscription of 1348 Niraypal Katyuri was chieftain of Biasaud in 1348 and as per temple inscription of 1307, Arjundev Katyuri was chieftain of Syunari.  

  In 1421, Dhyan Chand won over Bisaud, Chaugarkha and Mahrudi regions. Dhyan Chandra in 1421, invited Gujrati Brahmin Sukhdev as priest for Baleshwar temple worshipping. Shri Chandra the father od Sukhdev felt insulted and he reached to Khagmarakot the capital of Syunara kingdom. There he met chieftain of Syunara.

       Shrichandra the astrologer told to Syunara king or chieftain that very soon somebody would snatch Khagmarakot. The Syunara chieftain donated  Khagmarakot to Brahmin Shrichandra and shifted his capital to Syunarakot. Seeing opportunity, the Bisaud chieftain captured Khagmarakot and villages under Khagmarakot. At the same time, Chand king captured Biasuad.

 Kirati Chandra captured Bisaud and dispatched away the chieftain of Bisaud.

        Immediately after winning Bisaud, Kirti Chandra won over the territory of Syunara.  

  After winning Syunara, Kirati Chand progressed to win over Tikhun ruled by a Khasa chieftain. However, Kirati Chandra failed in first attempt to capture Tikhunkot the capital of Tikhun. Kirati Chandra took help a Tikhun traitor Chilwal who blocked the water supply to Tikhunkot. Due to cutting of water supply for Tikhunkot (fort), the Tikhun chieftain ran away from there. Kirati got right over Tikhun region. Kirti Chand awarded Thokdari for many villages to Chilwal the traitor of Tikhun.

                         Cruelest Human Slaughtering

               When Kirati Chandra won over Syunarakot or fort of Syunara, the Syunara chieftain ran away towards Borarau. However, the Syunara king army resisted Kirti Chand. Syunara army killed the frontier infantry of Kirati Chandra or Kirti Chand. However, this resistance did not stop Kirti Chand for winning over present regions of Almora, Ranikhet and west of Almora-Ranikhet.

  Kiratichandra or Kirti Chand ordered to kill people of village under newly won territory. Kaida and Buara army commanders accepted the order in literal form and killed or slaughtered the people of territory in between Kosi and Gagas Rivers. This bloodbath by cruel soldiers of Kirati Chand was equal to as Muslim rulers did in Katehar.

 Kirti Chandra rewarded Kaida and Borau commanders and awarded them Kaidaro and Borarau Patti as Jagir.

An Unknown Katyuri King-

                    Bhikiyasain is at the confluence of Gagas and Ramganga. Pali Katyuri family branch used to rule over this territory from thirteenth century. Lakhanpur was the capital of confluence of Ramganga and Gagas rivers.  This Lakhanpur is different than Lakhnapur near Badachina of Brahmdev. Kiratichandra attacked on this territory ruled by Katyuri family. The Katyuri ruler sent message to Kiratichandra that he was vacating the fort and Kiratichandra should treat the subject as his subject and Kiratichandra was free to rule on this territory.

 The Katyuri king ran away from Lakhnapur Kot (fort) and built a small fort in Salt. Katyuri ruled peacefully in Salt for many centuries without interference of Chand kings.

Human Slaughtering in Faldakot- After getting win over eastern part of West Ramganga River, Kiratichandra attacked on Faldakot. Khati a family tree heir of Katyuri used to rule over Faldakot. The Faldakot Khati king was killed in first attack by Kiratichandra. The army and subject of Khati kingdom (Faldakot) fought with Kiratichandra’s army with courage. The subject and army of Faldakot failed the attack of Kiratichand.

                  Kiratichandra attacked second time with more force. Kirati Chandra won over the fort of Faldakot. Kiratichandra ordered his army commanders who were from Mara, Khadayat and Dhek caste Rajput to slaughter the people of Faldakot. Mara, Khadayat and Dhek commanders took order seriously and killed innocent people of Faldakot. It is said that army commanders of Kirti Chandra beheaded people of Faldakot as man cuts crops.

  Kirati Chandra awarded Faldakot territories among Mara, Khadayat and Dhek army commanders.  

Attack on Kota-Kotauli- After winning over above territories Kirti Chandra campaigned for winning Kota and Kotauli.

 The chieftains and subject did not dare to fight back with cruelest ever army of Kumaoni kings. Kirti Chandra captured Kota-Kotauli with ease.

Kirati Chandra returned from Kota-Kotauli to Champawat via Dyani Rau. Kirti Chandra appointed governors for looking after the administration.

Kiratipur Chauki- After the above campaign, Kirti Chandra visited Mal. At this time there was peace in Bhabhar –Tarai Mal due to infighting among Delhi Sultan heirs. Now again, the people started residing in the area (which was once barren due to frequent attacks from governors of Delhi Sultan). Kiratichandr established a Chauki near Jaspur. It was called Kiratipur Chauki or police station or army check post.

## Read about attack of Kiratichandra on Garhwal territories in chapter -163

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti -bckukreti@gmail.com 5/10/2013

                                      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

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

                           

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -163

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 the Cruelest Chand king infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Champawat infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Faldakot infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Almora infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Ranikhet infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Bhikyasain infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Bisaud infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Syunara infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Kaidaro and  Burarau regions infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Kota-Kotauli infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering; the Cruelest Chand king of Jaspur infamous for Cruel Human Slaughtering;