Brigadier Ochterlony Collecting Information from Various Sources

Anglo Nepalese War with   Reference to Gurkha Rule over Uttarakhand & Himachal -222

History of Gorkha /Nepal Rule over Kumaun, Garhwal and Himachal (1790-1815) -142   

   History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -664

                          By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Student) 

         In 1810, Francis What went to Sirmour via Ambala. However, due to Nepalese official’s interference he could not get information about Sirmour. Ochterlony asked Captain William Richards for collecting information about Sirmour and Kiyardoon. Captain William Richards provided important information about Sirmour and Kiyar Doon (valley). In immediate past, Richards travelled Kiyardoon for wood trade after taking permission from Amar Singh Thapa (Premble). Captain Richards informed that the road from Ludhiana to Talukpur for reaching Nahan was satisfactory. Richards informed that all types of carriages could be used on that road. Richards reported that from Talukpur to Nahan the wheel carriages could not go.  Richards reported that elephants could walk after correcting the road. According to Richards, small Gun up to 12 Pond (Topen) could be sent to Nahan without opening them. Richard told that though Kiyar Doon territory was plain but there are rivulets in between. From Kiyar Dun there was a River port for reaching Nahan.

                    Sirmour Map

                  Brigadier Ochterlony could not harm Nepalese in Himachal region as Governor General was against war with Nepal. However, Ochterlony was making preparation to push Gurkha to east of Ganga. Ochterlony sent an Indian to Sirmour with Compass. He drew the amp of Sirmour (Philimore, Historical records of Survey of India, volume -2). However, the map was having many mistakes.

                    Information from Ex Hill Chieftains

                 The ex hill chieftains of Himachal were definitely wanted to get back their Kingdoms captured by Gurkha. Most of ex Chieftains of Himachal including Garhwal were taking asylum in East India Territory. Those ex Hill chieftains provided various strategic information of their Kingdoms to East India.  A few years back the Ambala Commissioner got a bag of 807 hand written letters in 2000 pages (Hindi, Persian and English) and the letters exposed that Ex Hill Kings of Himachal provided activities of Gurkha and geographical, war related situations of their Kingdoms to Ochterlony (Dabral). Ex Hill Kings offered exact information about Gadhis (forts), number of Gurkha soldiers, resources with Gurkha Army, roads reaching to various Kot or Fort, river, bridges, River ports, rivulets and water logging or other difficulties etc.

          Ochterlony informed that the Company was ready for freeing Hill Kingdoms from the Gurkha Rule. Ex Hill Kings became pleased. Ex Kings offered information and promised that they were ready for arranging food grains, food godowns and labor in their old territory at the time of war.

        

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

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com12/7/2015

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -665

*** 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

Balchandra 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

Sanwal, Nepal and East India Company

Nagendra kr Singh, Refugee to Ruler

Saxena , historical papers related to Kumaon

XXX

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,