Army Camps in Garhwal under G.W. Trail

Administration of G. W. Trail in Garhwal and Kumaon -4

History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -5

            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -843

-

                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

 -

              Baldock built a bungalow near the ruined palace in Shrinagar.  Nearby his bungalow, the barracks and camps for Santari/guard men were erected.  It became essential for controlling the nuisance of many santaries/ guards that Trail had to establish a military camp in Shrinagar.

      Trail got a mango garden from an old woman for Rs33/- for establishing military camp.    It was decided that in future government would not pay any rent to the old woman.  

    In the first week of January 2016, dacoits looted textile bundles those for Shrinagar in between Nazibabad and Kotdwara. On 17^th January 2016, the textile business men reported about looting Gardner and reported that the cost was Rs. 600/-.  It was requested to government that there should be horse army for patrolling on Nazibabad to Kotdwara road.

          The temporary army men in various camps of Kumaon were continuously making nuisances in Kumaon and few were leaving the camps. As soon as Gardner went to plains side, the temporary Pathan soldiers of various camps in Kumaon became totally indiscipline. They built groups for looting the subjects. Pathan soldiers captured the food stores of Rutherford and started looting nearby villages. On 29^th February 1816, many Garhwali soldiers (now in British service) were dispatched to Kumaon from Shrinagar.

               Jail Repair in Shrinagar

      There was only one jail in Garhwal in Shrinagar. In Garhwali King and Gurkha time, foots of prisoners were put inside wooden fetter. It was painful. Trail made iron fetters. In Gangawar (British Garhwal), tying the prisoner by iron fetter started from 1816.  However, in Tehri Wooden fetters was in custom.

                       Establishing Treasury in Shrinagar

              The treasury of Garhwali King inside the palace in Shrinagar was then ruined. Gurkha local officers used to take state money for them and did not send to regional or central head quarters. Therefore, the amount of tax collected by local Gurkha officers of Garhwal was less and did not require huge treasury. Nepali Subba used to keep the tax amount under his possession.

        British officials corrected the tax detailing and recording and bigger tax amount started reaching to Shrinagar. Trail built a treasury house with strong boxes. Officers kept the tax money received from Garhwal and materials such as gold, wool, Chanvar etc as tax received from Bhaotiya business men were kept on those strong boxes. There was arrangement for protecting treasury.

 (Chapter Reference - English Pre Mutiny Records, Kumaon 1816, part-1, Vol. – 7, , Atkinson, page 40, Maularam, Johan Pemble, page 307)  

)

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 6/7/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -844

*** History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun, (Pauri , Rudraprayag, and Chamoli) Garhwal (1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

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

XX   

References  

 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan,  part -1, page 123 

2-Maularam, Badariashtak

3-Devar, English Pre Mutiny Records

4- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts vol. 3 ,

 5- English Pre Mutiny Records, Kumaon 1816, part-1, Vol. – 7

6- Johan Pemble , Invasion of Nepal

      Xx

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand;

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;