Disputes for Kumaon Tarai between Nepal and East India Company

Anglo Nepalese War with   Reference to Gurkha Rule over Uttarakhand -5

History of Gorkha /Nepal Rule over Kumaun, Garhwal and Himachal (1790-1815) -126    

   History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -647

                          By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Student)

          Nepal captured Kumaon in 1790. After capturing Kumaon Hills, the Nepal government tried for capturing Kumaon Tarai regions as Kilpuri, Rudrapur, Kashipur, Nanakmatta, Subbara and Belari.

   The Nepali resident (Subba) argued that Tarai was under Kumaon Kingdom. Nepalese government wanted capturing Tarai but was afraid of East India Caompany Force near Tarai. Nepal King always reminded East India for handing over Tarai to Nepal. However, East India argued that since Awadh captured Kumaon Tarai before Nepal capturing Kumaon, Nepal did not have any right in Kumaon Tarai. The representative of Governor General clearly told to Subba of Kumaon not to show any right on Kumaon Tarai.

                             Right on Laldhang Garhwal

                 Laldhang was under Garhwal Kingdom. Aurangzeb wrote an order about Laldhang and Dehradun to Garhwal King Fateshah. Nazibbudaula capture Laldhang. Later on Awadh captured Laldhang. Awadh Nabab handed over Laldhang to East India Company. There did not have any disputes for Garhwal border between Gurkha and East India Company.

                          Situation in West of Yamuna River

   In Himachal region, the situation was simpler. East India Company declared that in case Nepal captured Hills of Himachal Chieftains the  Nepal government did not have right on plains of those Kingdoms. Company decided that in case any Himachal Chieftain asked help for his plain region the Company would offer help to Himachal Chieftain.

       In 1810, Amar Singh Thapa informed to David Ochterloni ( Akhtarloni )that Pinjor , Narayangarh and Lakhanpur were under Sirmaur (Nahan) Chieftain. Same way Budhiya and Pulasi were under Hindur Kingdom. Amar Singh Thapa argued that since, Nepal captured Sirmaur and Hindur Kingdom, automatically Nepal had right on Pinjor , Narayangarh and Lakhanpur of Sirmaur and Budhiya and Pulasi of Hindur. Akhatar Ali wrote clearly that the plains of those Kingdoms were now under guardianship of East India Company (Snawal, Nepal and the East Indai company). Amar Singh Thapa was aware of weakness of Nepal army and strength of East India Company. Therefore Thapa did not insist the right on Plains of Himachal Kingdoms.

 General David Ochterloni (Akhatarloni) used to hate Gurkha/Gorkha. He was ready to have head on with Gurkha/Gorkha. He wrote letter to east India Company that Company should ask Gurkah to vacate Dehradun too. Company refused the suggestion by Ochterloni.

 In 1814, Amar Singh Thapa captured a few villages of Patiyala and Hindur. Those villages had protection from East India Company. Thapa had argument that those villages were part of Sirmaur and Kyunthal Kingdom Nepal had right on those villages. Ochterloni showed opposition for Thapa capturing those villages. Thapa asked time for consulting Nepal court in Kathmandu. Ochterloni accepted time as there was no proper time for attacking on hill Nepalese armies. However, David Ochterloni started preparation for future war with Nepal. At that juncture Ochterloni met An Anglo Indian Haider Hearsay who also ahted Nepalese. Hearsay and Harsh Dev Joshi had planned to win over Gurkha in west of Kalinadi.

Harsh Dev Joshi wanted to take revenge with Nepal and Haider Hearsay got promise from Sudarshan Shah for Jagir.

 Nepal court suggested Thapa that not to leave right on won territories.

 Ochterloni wanted war with Nepal and Governor General wanted peace with Nepal.

** Most of references and details were taken from Dr Dabral

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com24/6/2015

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -648

*** History of Gorkha/Gurkha /Nepal Rule over Kumaun, Garhwal and Himachal (1790-1815) to be continued in next chapter 

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

XX

                    Reference

Atkinson E.T., 1884, 1886, Gazetteer of Himalayan Districts …

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 ko Aitihasik Rup Rekha

Chaudhari , Anglo  –Nepalese Relations

Pande, Vasudha , Compares Histriographical Traditions of Gorkha Rule in Nepal and Kumaon

Pradhan , Kumar, 1991, The Gorkha Conquests , Oxford University  Press

Minyan Govrdhan Singh , History of Himachal Pradesh

A.P Coleman, 1999, A Special Corps

Captain Thomas Smith, 1852,Narrative of a Five Years Residence at Nepal Vol.1

Maula Ram/Mola Ram  , Ranbahadurchandrika and Garhrajvanshkavya

J B Fraser , Asiatic Research

Shyam Ganguli, Doon Rediscovered

Minyan Prem Singh, Guldast Tabarikh Koh Tihri Garhwal

Patiram Garhwal , Ancient and Modern

Tara Datt Gairola, Parvtiy Sanskriti

John Premble, Invasion of Nepal

Chitranjan Nepali, Bhimsen Thapa aur Tatkalin Nepal

History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Sirmour Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Kangara Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Baghat Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Tehri Garhwal, Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Punar Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Uttarkashi Garhwal, Bageshwar Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Nahan Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Dehradun Garhwal, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History Himachal; 

Nepal Itihas, Garhwal Itihas, Kumaon Itihas, Himachal Itihas; Gurkha/Gorkha ka Kumaon par  Adhikar Itihas , Gurkha/Gorkha Garhwal par Shasan Itihas;  Gurkha/Gorkha Rule in Kumaon, Garhwal Uttarakhand; History Gurkha/Gorkha  Rule in Himachal,