Political Situation before Anglo Nepalese War

Anglo Nepalese War with   Reference to Gurkha Rule over Uttarakhand & Himachal -29

History of Gorkha /Nepal Rule over Kumaun, Garhwal and Himachal (1790-1815) -149   

   History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -671

                          By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Student) 

                    Nepalese relation with China

          At the difficult time,, Nepal used to bluff and menace to its enemy that Nepal was under China. East India Company was conscious that war with Nepal could result into non cordial relation with China. The Company needed cordial relation with China for its business.  Therefore, before attacking on Nepal, Hastings enquired from the Company officials in China about Chinese mind in case of Anglo Nepalese war.

                      The Company Comforting Ranjit Singh

               Colonel Ochterloni had to have head on in Himachal in case of Anglo Nepalese war. Therefore, high authorities order Octerloni to counsel Ranjit Singh and should take Ran Jit Singh that Company was only interested to attack Gurkha. Ochterloni met Ranjit Singh and offered confidence to Ranjit Singh. Perhaps Ochterloni showed to Ranjit Singh the letters of Amar Singh Thapa in which Thapa requested the Company for helping for capture Kangara fort from Ranjit Singh.  Ranjit Singh wanted dispatching Gurkha from Himachal. Ranjit Singh got convinced by Ochterloni. Now, the Company was assured that Ranjit Singh would not disturb Ludhiana when Company army would march towards Himachal.

  Ex Kangra Chieftain Sansar Chand wanted back his Kingdom. His army chief O’ Bryan wanted to help the Company. Sansarchand would stop Gurkha marching to west of Sutlej.  Governor General agreed the help of Sansarchand. However, Sansarchand was clearly told that Company would not hand over Kangra fort from Ranjit Singh. The Company was not interested to part any portion of Gurkha land to Ranjit Singh. Therefore, Company did not ask help from Ranjit Singh.

         Weakening the Nepal Strategy  

         Governor General Hastings was not in favor for displacing Nepal King. He just wanted Nepal weak Kingdom before British strength. Hastings was interested Nepal as buffer State for trading with Tibet and China.  Hastings refused the wish of ex Nepal minister Damodar Pandey and his two nephews staying in Banaras (exiled from Nepal) that Company should displace the Nepal King from the thorn. Hastings was not interested in now ruler in Nepal but friendly and weak before the Company Nepal Kingdom. In other case, if the Company would have boundaries with China there were chances disputes with China and the Company never wanted non cordial or conflicting relation with strong China.

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

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 20/7/2015

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -672

*** 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

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,