History of Ajit Chandra: A Kumaon King the victim of Gaida Gardi (Cruel Interfering Rule of Gaida family)

(History of Kumaon from 1000-1790 AD)

         (History of Chand Dynasty Rule in Kumaon)

History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar) - Part 196

                                              By: Bhishma Kukreti

 Ruling Period of Ajit Chand- 1726-1729

Inscription -1729

Contemporary Rulers

Garhwal King- Pradeip Shah (1717-172)

Delhi Mogul Emperor – 1719-1748

             International fame historian Dr. Dabral states Ajit Singh as Imagery King (Kalpit Chand Naresh).

           Manik Bisht, his son Puranmall and a palace guard Ranjit Singh murdered Kumaon King Devi Chandra in 1727. Devi Chandra died childless.

                         Manik Bisht, his son Puranmall took over power in their hands and started searching a king who can be under them but they could enjoy the real power.  Due to heavy resistance, it was not feasible that Bisht or his son ascend on the crown. Therefore, they started searching a Rautela (Chand family and relative clans). The Katehar King Narpati Singh used to live in Pipli. His wife was daughter of late Kumaon King Gyan Chand.  Narpati Singh and Kumaoni princess had a young son Ajit Singh. Manik Bisht called Ajit Singh in Almora. Bisht and group declared Ajit Singh as King of Kumaon.

           At the time of anointment on crown of Ajit Singh, there held two rituals –coronation and Vratbandh or thread ceremony of Ajit Singh.  Narpati Singh and nineteen Jagirdar (Kings or Thakurs) of Katehar; Anand Singh from Garhwal Kingdom attended the coronation ceremony.

              Ajit Singh lived till 1729. He was leveled the father of a Khavasin (dancer) in 1729. It means that his age would be more than seventeen years.  

                      Gaidagardi

          After crowning Ajit Singh as King, Bisht and family stared completing their job to control the court. Bisht group killed Minister Bhava Nand Joshi of Digoli by sinking him into Saryu River. Bisht group appointed Veerbhadra Joshi as minister in place of Bhava Nand Joshi. Now, on behalf of king, Gaida Bisht group started exploiting the subject so cruelly that the period is called Gaidagardi.  Bisht group called the Brahmins who got donations from earlier Kings. The reversed the earlier orders of land donations.

                  Puranmall had illicit relation with Bijuli a court Khavasin (dancer). She delivered a son from Puranmall. Puranmall and his father Manik declared that the son is from Ajit Singh. Puranmall went to congratulate with gifts to Ajit Singh that King became father. Ajit Singh did not accept the conspiracy of Manik and Puranmall. Manik Bisht and Puranmall became restless that Ajit Singh might revolt in future. In night, Puranmall and his servants entered into Palace and killed Ajit Singh. Bisht group spread the news that Ajit Singh died of paralysis attack.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti -bckukreti@gmail.com 24/11/2013

                                      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

Annatdev’s Smriti-Kaustubh

Sarkar, History of Aurangzeb

Jadunath Sarkar, History of Aurangzeb

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

                           

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -197  

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

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

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