Death of Brave Bhaktivir Thapa

British Campaign for Capturing Himachal -6

            Nepal Rule over Kumaun, Garhwal and Himachal (1790-1815) -289

            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -819          

                                                           

                          By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Student)

                 15h April 1815 night was disastrous night for Nepal. On that night, British surrounded the Fort occupied by Amar Singh Thapa. British army created hurdles on the path of Bhaktivir Thapa for going to Malaungarh. In night, silently, Bhaktivir took a  path from west of Surajgarh for reaching Malaungarh. However, in Raila, irregular Hindurian soldiers led by Lieutenant Mare killed and injured the soldiers of Bhaktivir. By sever struggle, Bhaktivir Thapa reached to Malaungarh.

           It was decided that Bhaktivir would attack on British army with 2000 soldiers at Diuthal. Bhaktivir Thapa put his son under the guidance of Amar Singh Thapa. 70 Years old Bhakti Vir Thapa advised his wife both the wives be ready for being Sati (Burning with dead body of husband on pyre).

      By 4 AM, on 16^th April 1815, Bhakti Thapa marched from Malaungarh for Diuthal with best 2000 soldiers.  The Nepalese Soldiers were putting Broadcloth dress. After reaching at Diuthal, soldiers stood in line on a narrow hillock valley. After receiving order, Gurkha soldiers attacked on British army camp with bang by blowing war music instruments and shouting slogans. Gurkha soldiers started firing guns from north and two flanks.

           Bhaktivir Thapa wanted capturing two 6 pond gun of British army. By capturing both the guns, Gurkha would have won the war.  Gurkha soldiers Khukari in one hand and gun in other hand marched fast towards guns.  British soldiers were firing guns continuously that the valley became fire jungle.  Due to heavy firing Gurkha soldiers dead bodies were flying in the sky. There was heavy casualty in Gurkha camp. Now, live Gurkha soldiers did not have capacity for capturing 6 Podn guns from British.

 Bhakti Thapa instructed to back the front line soldiers and push fresh soldiers in their place. The British gun fires killed and injured Gurkha soldiers. Gurkha army attacked three times but had to face casualties only. Amar Singh Thapa and his son Ramdas were shouting and waving flags for enthusiasting Gurkha soldiers at Diuthal. Soldiers from Diuthal could see Amar Singh Thapa and company in Malaugarh. A few Gurkha soldiers reached near Guns but British gunmen killed many of them and remaining were forced to go back.

        Later on, Bhaktivir Thapa took an army company and attacked on British camp from east. Guns could not be taken at that place immediately by British loaders. Therefore, there was fierce fighting between Gurkha army and Hindur soldiers of British army for two hours. Suddenly, a British soldier fired on the chest of Bhaktivir Thapa and he fell down, Bhaktivir Thapa died there. , Falling down of Bhaktivir, Gurkha soldiers went back and Hindur soldiers followed them and again there was fierce fight between the two side soldiers.

        Bhaktivir Thapa was brave, courageous, calm-cool and a liberal commander and was the most trusted commander of Amar Singh Thapa.

          In Diuthal war, around 700 Gurkha soldiers were killed (by Gurkha source –Balchandra Sharma). British source (Premble) stated that 150 Gurkha soldiers were killed and 20 British soldiers were killed, 253 British soldiers got injured in the war. It was sure that the numbers of Gurkha soldiers injured would be around 500.

            British lost Commander Charles Shoves and when he was being buried, both the wives of 70 years Old Bhaktivir Thapa were also burning them with dead Bhaktivir in Malaugarh.

         Maularam illustrated the funeral o f brave Bhaktivir Thapa.   

 (From writings of Atkinson, Preamble, Sanwal, Saxsena, Fraser, Princep, Maularam, Balchandra Sharma, Letter of Bamshah for Amar Singh Thapa etc) 

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 6/6/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -820

*** 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

Paper Respecting Nepal War by East India Company (papers in Stock)

Basu, Rise of Christian Power in India)

Moti Lal Ghosh, an article in Amrit Bazar Patrika

XXX

History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand Ruthless Gurkha/Nepalese Administration in Himachal; Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand Ruthless Gurkha/Nepalese Administration in Himachal; Sirmour Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Kangara Himachal Ruthless Gurkha/Nepalese Administration in Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Baghat Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Tehri Garhwal, Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand Ruthless Gurkha/Nepalese Administration in Himachal; 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 Ruthless Gurkha/Nepalese Administration in Himachal;  History of Nepal, History of Doti Nepal, History of Nepalese/ Gurkha regime

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