Friendly Army drill between Kumaon and Garhwal Armed forces in Trimall Chandra period

(History of Kumaon from 1000-1790 AD)

         (History of Chand Dynasty Rule in Kumaon)

History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar) - Part 183

                                              By: Bhishma Kukreti

    Trimall Chandra did take shelter under Garhwal kingdom in his bad days. Garhwal king helped monetarily to Trimall Chandra for getting crown.  In the time of Trimall Chandra, there were cordial relations between Garhwal and Kumaon kingdoms.

              However, ‘Garhrajvansh Kavya’ and ‘Garhwal ka Aitihasik Vritant’ state that there was friendly battle between Kumaon and Garhwal armies.

                  Garhwal king Shyam Shah was busy in Tibet border in 1624-1625. Mahipat Shah (uncle of Shyam Shah in relation) was looking after the Garhwal kingdom rule from Shrinagar. There is inscription in Keshoray Math that Mahipat Shah took Garhwal rule in 1625. Shyam Shah was alive till 1631. That means Mahipat Shah was chief executive officer of King Shyam Shah.

  Mahipat Shah was Vammargi (stern believer on Tantra). At the time of Kumbh at Haridwar, in confusion, Mahipat Shah killed Naga saints and put out the eyes from idol of Bharat temple. He killed other innocent people. He wanted to die in battle for repenting his sinful deeds.   

 Mahipat Shah sent a request to Kumaon King Trimall Chandra to come forward for battle. Without getting positive answer from Trimall Chandra, Mahipat Shah marched towards Kumaon with his army.

            It is described in Garhrajvansh Kavya by Maularam that three pair of ‘Auji ‘(drum player professionals) of Salan (south Garhwal ) were leading army by playing Dhol-Damau. The soldiers from Lohaba and Badhan were marching with food materials into Kandi on their backs. They had Tada, Tobda, Batfar, Kath Patela etc for body protection. With Khas –Rajput soldiers, there were armed forces combined by Diswali Muslim, Dilwali Hindu from Delhi; and Chief Banwadidas Tumvar as commander. There were ministers, commanders and Brahmin priests with the king.

   When Trimall Chandra got message of Mahipat Shah, he consulted his minister and sent his lawyer to Mahipat Shah. In his plea, Trimall Chandra reminded Mahipat Shah that he (Trimall) took shelter and Garhwal king helped him in bad days. Therefore, Trimall requested Mahipat Shah to return back from border. Trimall clearly sent message that he is Kumaon because of help from Garhwal king. Trimall requested that instead of attack or battle he was ready to send tribute.

             Mahipat Shah insisted on battle as dying in battle was main character of a Rajput.  The lawyer of Kumaon Kingdom suggested that if battle was inevitable, Mahipat Shah should come with least army. Mahipat Shah accepted the suggestion of Kumaon kingdom lawyer. Mahipat Shah sent back his major army. Mahipat Shah ordered to coronate his son Prithwipati Shah as Garhwal kingdom King. The army was led by under Banwadidas Tomar (originally from Delhi) and now, there were only 1200 soldiers. Mahipat Shah marched with his army towards Almora. No Kumaoni army resisted at all.  Mahipat Shah camped near Koshi River bank in Almora.

     The Kumaon king Trimall Chandra did not send his army for battle.  Mahipat Shah sent ‘bangles ‘ to Trimall Chandra and started throwing arrows towards palace. Now, Trimall Chandra sent his army to fight with Mahipat Shah.  Kumaoni army killed Mahipat Shah and Banwadidas Tomar in the battle. Perhaps this battle happened in summer of 1635. This battle was just to fulfill madness of a mad Garhwal king Mahipat Shah. The battle was unnecessary and hundreds of soldiers were killed.  

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti -bckukreti@gmail.com 7/11/2013

                                      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

Aine-e Akbari

Akbari Darbar

Tareekh Badauni

Eraly Abraham, 2004 The Mogul Throne

The Tazuk-i-Jahangiri

Maularam- Gadh Rajvansh Kavya

Ramayan Pradeep

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

                           

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -184  

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…)

Xx

Notes on Asian Medieval history of Kumaon; Asian Medieval history of Pithoragarh Kumaon; Asian Medieval history of Dwarhat Kumaon; Asian Medieval history of Champawat Kumaon; Medieval history of Bageshwar Kumaon; Asian Medieval history of Nainital Kumaon; Asian Medieval history of Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon; Asian Medieval history of Almora Kumaon; Asian Medieval history of Kumaon Central Himalaya; Asian Medieval history of Kumaon North India; Asian Medieval history of Kumaon, South Asia;