Chand kings
Chand Kingdom Kurmanchal | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11th century–1790 CE | |||||||||||||||
Ghurid Empire invasion of the subcontinent.[1] | |||||||||||||||
Status | Sovereign state | ||||||||||||||
Capital | Baijnath (600–1200) Champawat (1200–1563) Almora (1563–1791) | ||||||||||||||
Common languages | Kumaoni, Sanskrit | ||||||||||||||
Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||||
Raja (King) | |||||||||||||||
• 700 CE – 721 CE (legendary)[2] | Som Chand (legendary) | ||||||||||||||
• 1374–1419 CE[2] | Garur Gyan Chand | ||||||||||||||
• 1488–1503 CE[2] | Kirti Chand | ||||||||||||||
• 1560–1568 CE[2] | Balo Kalyan Chand | ||||||||||||||
• 1638–1678 CE[2] | Baz Bahadur Chand | ||||||||||||||
• 1788–1790 CE[2] | Mahendra Chand | ||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||
• Established | 11th century | ||||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1790 CE | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Today part of | India Nepal |
The Chand dynasty was a
The traditional genealogical lists of the Chand dynasty date their founder's ascension to as early as the 7th century, but historical evidence suggests that the Chand rule began only in the early 11th century.[5] Their rule ended in 1790, when Bahadur Shah of Nepal invaded the region, forcing the last king - Mahendra Chand - to flee.[6]
History
Origin
Several traditional genealogical lists (vamshavalis) of the Chand dynasty are available, but these are not completely reliable, having been compiled in the mid-19th century.
By the first quarter of the thirteenth century, the Chand kings appear to have been ruling in Kumaon as feudatories. For example, the 1223 CE Baleshwar Temple inscription of Krachalla Deva, a conqueror from present-day Nepal, lists his ten counsellors and feudatories. The names of three of these men suggest that they may have belonged to the Chand family: Chandra Deva, Vinaya Chand and Vidya Chand. Vina Chand, whom the three principal genealogical lists name as the 8th Chand king, was probably same as Vinaya Chand of the inscription.[10]
The tradition states that Som Chand was an immigrant from Jhusi, a relative of the king of Kannauj, and a contemporary of the last Katyuri king Brahma Deva.[9] Based on this, historian Krishna Pal Singh theorizes that Som Chand may have migrated to Kumaon amid the political upheaval resulting from the Ghaznavid invasion of the Kannauj kingdom during 1018-1019 CE. Singh, therefore, dates the beginning of the Chand rule to 1019-1021 CE. This dates aligns with Katyuri chronology and with the placement of the eighth Chand king Vina (Vinaya) Chand in 1223 CE.[11]
Early rule
Som Chand continued to call his state Kurmanchal, and established its capital in
In 1581, the Chand King, Rudra Chand (1565–1597), son of Raja Kalyan Chand seized Sira defeating Raika king Hari Malla and attacked the
After death of Rudra Chand in 1597, his son, Lakshmi Chand, also continued attacks of Garhwal for many years, though he too was repulsed. He also constructed the 'Bagnath temple' at Bageshwar in 1602.[citation needed]
Peak
One of the most powerful rulers of the Chand dynasty was Baz Bahadur (1638–78), who met
In 1672, Baz Bahadur started a poll tax, and its revenue was sent to Delhi as a tribute. Baz Bahadur also built the Golu Devata Temple, at Ghorakhal, near Bhimtal,[19] after Lord Golu, a general in his army, who died valiantly at war.[20] He also built the Bhimeshwara Mahadev Temple at Bhimtal.[21]
Towards the end of 17th century, Chand Rajas again attacked the Garhwal kingdom, and in 1688 Udyot Chand erected several temples at Almora, including Tripur Sundari, Udyot Chandeshwer and Parbateshwer, to mark his victory over Garhwal and Doti. The Pabateshwar temple was renamed twice, to become the present Nanda Devi temple.
The Chand kings also defeated the
The hill station of
In the coming years, Jagat Chand's successor, Debi Chand (1720-6) took part in the wars of Rohillas of Rohilkhand, and was defeated by the British troops.[19]
Decline
In 1744, Ali Mohammed Khan, the Rohilla leader, sent a force into the Chand territory and penetrated through Bhimtal in the Nainital district to Almora; the resistance of Chand army, under its ruler, Kalyan Chand, was weak and ineffective, and Almora fell to the Rohillas, who stayed here for seven short months, though they were ultimately driven out, an exit made possible by paying them a sum of three lakh rupees, and hastened by the harsh terrain of the region.
This peace didn't last long as after just three months, unhappy over his lieutenants, Ali Mohammed Khan attacked again, though this time, he was stopped right at the entrance to the hills, at Barakheri, and defeated; and he made no further attempts to conquer the Kumaon kingdom, nor did the Muslim rulers of Delhi, and this remained the first and the last attack by Muslim rulers on the region. Reconciliation subsequently came into effected; troops from the hills, under Dip Chand, fought side by side with the Rohillas at Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.[19]
In 1760, he renamed the old Parbateshwer temple as Dipchandeshwar temple.[22]
During British rule, then divisional commissioner of Kumaon, George William Trail, got the statue of the Nanda Devi, which had been relocated to the Udyot Chandeshwar temple, from the 'Malla Mahal' (Upper Court) of Chand kings, where the present collectorate exists, and in time, the temple started being called the 'Nanda Devi temple'. The 'Talla Mahal' (Lower Court) of Chand rulers now houses the District Hospital.[26]
Due to internal strife, in the coming thirty years the kings lost most of the land they had previously ruled in the plains, and retained only the Bhabhar region.
In early 1790, the
The Terai and Kashipur were ceded to the British by the Nawab of Awadh in 1801, along with the rest of Rohilkhand.
Nepalese rule lasted for[27] twenty-four years. The end came because of their repeated intrusion into British territories in the Terai from 1800 onwards. Lord Moira, the Governor-General of India, decided to attack Almora in December 1814, marking the beginning of the Anglo-Nepalese War.[14] After the war, the old Lal Mandi fort, near Almora (present cantonment), was renamed ‘Fort Moira’.[28]
Harak Deo Joshi, the minister of the last Chand Raja,
Titles
Chand princes used Maharajkumar , Kunwar or Gusain as title. Maharajkumar was at the start of the name, while Kunwar or Gusain was used at the end. Doti princes used Rainka and Katyuris used Rajwar as titles.
The Kings used titles such as Sri Raja, Sri Rajadhiraj or Rajadhiraja Maharaj and sometimes Maharajadhiraj Sri Raja etc. and name ended with Deo . This Deo was used by Katyuris as well.[31]
List of rulers
King | Reign | Notes |
---|---|---|
Som Chand | 700–721 | |
Atm Chand | 721–740 | |
Purn Chand | 740–758 | |
Indra Chand | 758–778 | Opened Silk Factories |
Sansar Chand | 778–813 | |
Sudha Chand | 813–833 | |
Hamir Chand | 833–856 | |
Vina Chand | 856–869 | Lost to Khas Kings |
Vir Chand | 1065–1080 | |
Rup Chand | 1080–1093 | |
Laxmi Chand | 1093–1113 | |
Dharm Chand | 1113–1121 | |
Karm Chand | 1121–1140 | |
Ballal Chand | 1140–1149 | |
Nami Chand | 1149–1170 | |
Nar Chand | 1170–1177 | |
Nanaki Chand | 1177–1195 | |
Ram Chand | 1195–1205 | |
Bhishm Chand | 1205–1226 | |
Megh Chand | 1226–1233 | |
Dhyan Chand | 1233–1251 | |
Parvat Chand | 1251–1261 | |
Thor Chand | 1261–1275 | |
Kalyan Chand II | 1275–1296 | |
Trilok Chand | 1296–1303 | Conquered Chhakhata Built a fort at Bhimtal |
Damaru Chand | 1303–1321 | |
Dharm Chand | 1321–1344 | Defeated One Lakh Army of Delhi Sultan Muhammad Bin Tughluq under Khusrau Malik in his Qarachil Expedition |
Abhay Chand | 1344–1374 | |
Garur Gyan Chand | 1374–1419 | Established authority over Bhabar and Terai; later lost them to nawab of Sambhal, Recaptured it by defeating Turkish Nawab of Sambhal under General Nilu Kathait |
Harihar Chand | 1419–1420 | |
Udyan Chand | 1420–1421 | built Baleshwar Temple at Champawat Captured Chaugarkha |
Atma Chand II | 1421–1422 | |
Hari Chand II | 1422–1423 | |
Vikram Chand | 1423–1437 | Completed Baleshwar Temple |
Bharati Chand | 1437–1450 | Defeated Doti |
Ratna Chand | 1450–1488 | Defeated Bams of Sor, defeated Doti again |
Kirti Chand | 1488–1503 | annexed Barahmandal, Pali and Faldakot, Conquered Garhwal by defeating Ajaypal and made it vassal state of Kumaon |
Pratap Chand | 1503–1517 | |
Tara Chand | 1517–1533 | |
Manik Chand | 1533–1542 | |
Kalyan Chand III | 1542–1551 | |
Purna Chand | 1551–1555 | |
Bhishm Chand | 1555–1560 | laid foundation stone of Alamnagar lost Barahmandal to Khas Sardar Gajuwathinga |
Balo Kalyan Chand | 1560–1568 | recaptured Barahmandal moved capital to Alamnagar and renamed it Almora Annexed Mankot and Danpur |
Rudra Chand | 1568–1597 | Successfully defended Terai from nawab of Kath and Gola founded the city of Rudrapur Annexed Sira- Battle of Basantpur |
Laxmi Chand | 1597–1621 | built Laxmeswar and Bagnath Temple at Almora and Bageshwar respectively |
Dilip Chand | 1621–1624 | |
Vijay Chand | 1624–1625 | |
Trimal Chand | 1625–1638 | |
Baz Bahadur Chand | 1638–1678 | Captured , has his kingdom from ton river till karnali |
Udyot Chand | 1678–1698 | Defeated combined armies of Garhwal and Doti Kumaon invasion of Garhwal (1678) |
Gyan Chand | 1698–1708 | Defeated Garhwal and expelled fateh shah from Srinagar |
Jagat Chand | 1708–1720 | Invaded Garhwal and captured its capital Srinagar, defeated army of Garhwal |
Devi Chand | 1720–1726 | Made Afghani Daud Khan General of Kumaon, looted Moradabad, Mughal Empire and captured villages of Mughals |
Ajit Chand | 1726–1729 | |
Kalyan Chand V | 1729–1747 | Defeated Rohillas |
Deep Chand | 1747–1777 | Defeated Garhwal King Pradip Shah left him embarrassed |
Mohan Chand | 1777–1779 | Defeated by King Lalit Shah of Garhwal due to treason of Joshis |
Pradyumn Chand | 1779–1786 | Son of king Lalit Shah of Garhwal |
Mohan Chand | 1786–1788 | Overthrew Pradyumn Shah; Became king for second time |
Shiv Chand | 1788 | |
Mahendra Chand | 1788–1790 | Defeated by Gorkhas |
Panchpurviya
Five Clans namely: Deopa(Village Roba, Garkha Paspa), Serari (Village Sangor, Sorari Talli Malli), Puruchuda (Village Rundakot, Garkha Puruchudi), Chiral (Village Chhawati Chiral) and Paderu (Garkha Paderu) were known as Panch-purviyas. They were brought from Doti and settled in Kumaon by King Ratan Chand (1450–1488) after granting them jagirs. These Five kind of Rajputs were relatives of the Chand kings and had matrimonial relations amongst each other. They are considered to be subcastes/clans of the Chands . After some time the Chiral family went back to Doti but other clans stayed.[33][page needed]
Legacy
The first capital of Chand rulers,
See also
- Kumauni people
References
- ISBN 0226742210.
- ^ a b c d e f g Pandey 1993, pp. 197–332.
- ^ ISBN 9788185182629.
- ^ Acharya, Baburam (1976). "King Prithvi Narayan Shah" (PDF). Regmi Research Series: 225.
- ^ Krishna Pal Singh 1973, pp. 88–90.
- ^ Handa 2002, p. 103.
- ^ Krishna Pal Singh 1973, pp. 88, 90.
- ^ Krishna Pal Singh 1973, p. 88.
- ^ a b Krishna Pal Singh 1973, p. 89.
- ^ Krishna Pal Singh 1973, p. 90.
- ^ Krishna Pal Singh 1973, pp. 89–90.
- ^ Handa 2002.
- ^ History of Almora city Archived 25 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Champawat Archived 9 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine British Library.
- ^ Kumaon Archived 13 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine Official website of Almora district.
- ^ Garhwal history www.garhwalhimalayas.com.
- ^ Rudra Archived 9 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Akbarnama of Abu Fazl, Volume 3, chpt. 196.p807, "On 9 Āẓar he received the felcity..."1588
- Ain-e-AkbariVol II, pp. 289.
- ^ a b c History of Nainital District The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1909, v. 18, p. 324-325.
- ^ Chitai Temple Archived 13 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Bhimtal Archived 18 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine British Library.
- ^ a b Almora Temples Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine www.uttaranchal.org.
- ^ History of Garhwal District The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1909, v. 12, p. 165-166.
- ^ Askot The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1909, v. 6, p. 14.
- ^ Almora Archived 13 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine Almora city official website.
- ^ . Devi Temple Nanda Devi Temple Archived 25 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine website of Almora city.
- ^ Cruel Gurkha Regime Archived 7 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine www.uttaranchal.org.
- ^ Almora Archived 9 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine British Library.
- ^ "Chand Rajas in Kashipur". Archived from the original on 16 April 2009.
- ^ History of Almora District The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1909, v. 5, p. 245-246.
- ISBN 978-81-955862-0-2.
- ^ Krishna Pal Singh 1973, p. 88-90.
- ^ Pandey 1993.
Bibliography
- Krishna Pal Singh (1973). "The Chand Epoch". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 34 (1). Indian History Congress: 88–92. JSTOR 44138597.
- Pandey, B. D. (1993). History of Kumaun. Almora, India: Shyam Prakashan : Shree Almora Book Depot. English version of "Kumaun ka itihas".
- Handa, Umachand (2002). History of Uttaranchal. Indus. ISBN 81-7387-134-5.
Further reading
- Misra, Nityananda (1994). Source Materials of Kumauni History. Shree Almora Book Depot. ISBN 81-85865-24-8.
- Arora, Ajay (1996). Administrative History of Uttarakhand (Kumaon and Garhwal), During the Rule of the East India Company, 1815–1857. Eastern Book Linkers. ISBN 81-86339-33-7.