Gorkha Attack on Garhwal Kingdom

History of Gorkha /Nepal Rule over Kumaun, Garhwal and Himachal (1790-1815) -26

  

   History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -545

                        By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Research Student)

                      A Nepali Historian Balchandra Sharma stated that Gorkha army crossed Alaknanda River and captured territory without any resistance, there was treaty and Gorkha army returned back in 1791. The said statement is absolutely wrong and against the records.

      Harsh Dev was present in Almora in 1791. He was providing all sorts of support to Gorkha Commanders for attacking on Garhwal. Gorkha wanted a traitor in Garhwal Kingdom as Harsh Dev Joshi. However, Garhwali administrators fighting among themselves but nobody wanted to deceive his mother land as Harsh Dev Joshi did. Garhwali people had faith and devotion on the King equal to Shri Badrinath. Whenever, Gorkha army tried to attack on Garhwal the Border security forces answered with bravery and did not allow Gorkha army entering into Garhwal territory.

  Kumaon Kings used three regions for attacking Garhwal- Chaukhatiya via Havalbagh, Dwarhat Mahargaon at bank of Ramganga. Garhwal Border Security force used to be there in Lohabgarh (8231 Feet height) . Another raod was Simli via Begshwar, Baijnath, Gwaldam, Pindar region Tharali and Narayan Bagad. From Simili the road was via Karnprayag, Rudraprayag and Shrinagar.  There was Border Security force at Badhangadhi (8124 Feet height).

 Third road was from Almora to Shringar via Bhikhiyasain, Deghat, Gujdugadhi , Devlikhal to Nayar valley. There was Garhwal Force at Gujdugarhi (6000 feet height).

  Fourth road for Shringaar from Almora was via Salan (South Garhwal). The road was from Almora to Chhakhata, Bhimtal, Tarai, Ramnagar, Kashipur, Kalagarh and by crossing Ramganga to Kotdwar Bhabhar. From Kotdwara road was via Duggadda, Dadamandi to Langurgarh , Banghat ( , Nayar Valley) , Kanskhet , Naithana , Dev Prayag and Shrinagar.

 There was Garhwal Security Force in Langurgarh (Bhairongarh 6200 Feet Height)) near Dwarikhal.

        Garhwal King Pradyuman Shah was worried man as Gorkha could attack on Garhwal anytime as their strategy was to attack after winning one territory. However, grokha knew the geographical condition of Shrinagar. Gorkha commanders decided to attack on Garhwal from four ways.

    Gorkha commander Sardar Gangaram with his battalion marched towards Chandpur of Garhwal via Havalbagh, Dwarhat, Chaukhatiya from Almora. Garhwal Security Force of Lohabgarhi fought with Gorkha army with bravery. Pradyuman Shah sent another armyto Benital  led by Parakram Shah and Army Chief Dharnidhar Khanduri. Dharnidhar defeated Gorkha army and Gangaram was killed in the battle of Benital. Gorkha Army ran away to Almora.

 Nepali Historian Bhandari (Nepal ko Aitihasik Vivechana) stated that there was battle between Garhwal Force and Gorkha Army in Malangarhi (Garhwal). However, there was no such place in Garhwal neither there was /is any record for Malangarhi. According to Bhandari, Gorkha army was initiating camping there and Garhwal force attacked Gorkha army. Gorkha Army defeated Garhwal Army but this statement is just written for showing praise of Gorkha Army. No historical evidence is available for Malangarhi battle.  

* Read about Gorkha attack on Garhwal in next Chapter …

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com31/1/2015

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -546

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

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                    Reference

Hamilton F.B. 1819, An Account of Kingdom of Nepal and the territories

Colnol Kirkpatrik 1811, An Account of Kingdom of Nepal

Dr S.P Dabral, Uttarakhand ka Itihas part 5, Veer Gatha Press, Dogadda

Bandana Rai, 2009 Gorkhas,: The Warrior Race

Krishna Rai Aryal, 1975, Monarchy in Making Nepal, Shanti Sadan, Giridhara, Nepal

I.R.Aryan and T.P. Dhungyal, 1975, A New History of Nepal , Voice of Nepal

L.K Pradhan, Thapa Politics:

Gorkhavansavali, Kashi, Bikram Samvat 2021 

Derek J. Waller, The Pundits: British Exploration of Tibet and Central Asia page 172-173

B D pande, Kumaon ka Itihas

Sharma , Nepal kin Aitihasik Rup Rekha

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History of Gorkha Rule in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh; History of Gorkha Rule in Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh; History of Gorkha Rule in Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh; History of Gorkha Rule in Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh; History of Gorkha Rule in Tehri Garhwal, Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh; History of Gorkha Rule in Uttarkashi Garhwal, Bageshwar Kumaon, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh; History of Gorkha Rule in Dehradun Garhwal, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh;