Kunwar family

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Kunwar family
कुँवर वंश/कुँवर खलक

Kingdom of Gorkha
Jang Bahadur Kunwar Rana (Ramkrishna family)
Balbhadra Kunwar
(Jayakrishna family)
Titles
  • Hereditary Title of Kaji
  • Governor of Janalikot Achham District (Khulal kunwar)
  • Sardar of Kingdom of Gorkha
  • Governor of Garhwal Province
  • Governor of Jumla Province
  • Governor of Dhankuta Province
  • Governor of Pyuthan Province
  • Governor of Dadheldhura Province
Style(s)
Estate(s)Bhanwarkot and Dhulikhel
Dissolution15 May 1848 (conversion to Rana dynasty)
Cadet branchesRana dynasty
A section of Kunwars titled themselves as "Rana" onwards 1848 CE.

The Kunwar family (

Pande dynasty through the Thapa dynasty. Three branches of the Kunwars; Ramakrishna, Jayakrishna and Amar Singh Kunwar were formed with opposite political aspirations. Bal Narsingh Kunwar (of Ramkrishna section) supported Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa while Chandrabir Kunwar (of Jayakrishna section) supported Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa[2] due to their marital relations with those families. Later, the Ramakrishna section of the family including Amarsingh established the Rana dynasty of Nepal and styled themselves as Rana Rajputs
while Jayakrishna most section remained as Kunwars.

Origins

Genealogy

The Kunwars of Nepal claim descent from a

Chittaurgarh.[4] His nephew, Fakht Siṃha Rāṇā, had a son named Rāma Siṃha Rāṇā who came to hills with four followers after the siege of Chittaurgarh.[4][note 1] He and his four followers joined the services of a hill Raja for ten or twelve months. The Raja learned the art of fencing from Rāma Siṃha and made him a personal tutor. He wanted to retain Rāma Siṃha in his country. Thus, the hill Raja asked for the daughter of Raja (King) of Bīnātī, a Bagāle Kṣetrī and married her to Rāma Siṃha.[4] They had six sons over 10 –12 years, one of whom was given the title of Kum̐vara Khaḍkā for bravery displayed in the battle against Raja of Satān Koṭ.[4] The title passed down to his descendants. Rāma Siṃha suddenly met his younger brother who requested him to return to Chittaur for once and Rāma Siṃha died on the way there.[7] The hill Raja made Rāma Siṃha's son, Rāut Kunwar, was a nobleman (Sardār) and commander of the army.[7] Ahirāma Kunwar, the son of Rāut Kunwar, was invited by the King of Kaski and was ennobled with a birta or jagir of Dhuage Saghu village.[7] The King of Kaski asked the hand of Ahirāma's daughter, who was a great beauty, through only Kalas Puja to which Ahirāma replied to give his daughter only through a legal marriage.[7] The king brought his troops and tried to take over the village by force.[7] Ahirāma was supported by the village inhabitants belonging to the Parājulī Thāpā caste and a war was broke out.[7] On the same day, Ahirāma took his immediate family including three sons, Ram Krishna Kunwar ,Jaya Krishna Kunwar and Amar Singh Kunwar, to the King of Gorkha, Prithvi Narayan Shah, where the lands of Kunwar-Khola were given to them as birta.[8]

John Whelpton opines that the legend of the Kunwar family's origins, which says their progenitor to have entered hill and married a daughter of Bagale Kshetri, might have linked their family to the Bagale Thapa, a clan of Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa.[9]

Caste Background

Main article: Khadka

This family was a minor section of the

Khas language and attempted to disassociate from their Khas past.[14] According to some historians, Nepalese ruling families have claimed Indian Rajput descent for political purposes.[15]

Historicity

Sardar Ram Krishna Kunwar, a prominent member of Kunwar family of Nepal

Ahiram (Ashiram) Kunwar was a nobleman of the Kingdom of Kaski. Later, he went to the

Chainpur.[24] Later, he achieved victory over the Kirant region.[25] King Prithvi Narayan Shah bestowed 22 pairs of Shirpau (special headgear) in appreciation to Ram Krishna Kunwar after his victory over the Kirant region.[25]

Ram Krishna family/Rana Kunwars

Further information: Rana dynasty
Kaji Bal Narsingh Kunwar, a prominent member of Ramkrishna branch of Kunwars

Ram Krishna had only one son named

Anglo-Nepalese war as reinforcement and took a position in Jayantgadh with cousin Balbhadra Kunwar.[39]

Ranas of Mewar on May 15, 1848[40] and ultimately became royal after declaration of Jang as Maharaja (Great King) of Kaski and Lamjung on August 6, 1856,.[41]

Jaya Krishna family

Jaya Krishna Kunwar had a son named

Ranajor Thapa[43] and was a son-in-law of Bada Amar Singh Thapa[44][45] He had three sons: Bira Bhadra Kunwar, Bir Bhadra Kunwar and Balbhadra Kunwar.[citation needed] Birabhadra Kunwar was the Sardar until 1818 AD, when he was appointed Captain and remained in office until 1838 AD.[16] A royal order by the government of Bhimsen Thapa was issued in 1887 Vikram Samvat Chaitra Badi 6, to Captain Birabhadra to resolve the irrigation dispute in Mahottari[46] Another was issued in 1887 Vikram Samvat Chaitra Badi 8, to collect taxes at the fixed rate and refund the excess collection.[47] Similarly, Birabhadra had ample instructions directed to him for running the administration of Saptari and Mahottari around 1887 V.S.[47]

Captain Balbhadra Kunwar, commander of Nalapani fort in the distinguished Battle of Nalapani

Rollo Gillespie died on that day[54] and the British ceased the battle.[55] The second attack resumed on November 25, and for three days the fort was bombarded until at noon on November 27, a large section of the northern wall finally gave away.[56][57] However, the day ended with the British assault force withdrawing after having spent two hours pinned outside the wall, exposed to heavy fire from the garrison, and having suffered significant losses.[58][57] After two failed attempts to capture the fort by straightforward attacks, the British resorted to attrition tactics. On November 28, instead of launching another infantry assault, the fort was encircled from all sides and placed under siege which prevented the Nepalese reinforcements from entering the fort.[59] Mawbey then instructed his scouts to locate and cut off the fort's external water source.[59][60] The water situation was made worse for the defenders when about a hundred earthen vessels stocked with water, stored in a portico, were destroyed in the bombardment.[61] Thus, after days of thirst and continuous bombardment, the Nepalese were forced to evacuate the fort on November 30.[60] Balbhadra refused to surrender and, with about 70 of his surviving men, he was able to fight his way through the besieging force for the hills.[60] General Gillespie had been killed and Balbhadra and his 600 men had held the might of the British and their Indian troops for a month.[62]

In Nepal, the story of the battle at Nalapani has gained legendary status and has become an important part of the nation's historical narrative, while Balbhadra himself has become one of the

national heroes of Nepal.[63] In the years following of the battle, the British constructed a small obelisk that was dedicated with the inscription "Our brave adversary Bul Buddur and his gallant men".[note 3][64]
Full inscription is as follows:

This is inscribed as a tribute of respect to our gallant adversary Bulbudder and his brave Goorkhas who were afterwards, while in the service of Runjitsingh, shot dead by the Afghan artillery to the last man.[3]

Kunwar family tree

Ahirama Kunwar
Ram Krishna KunwarJaya Krishna KunwarAmar Singh Kunwar
Ranajit KunwarChandrabir Kunwar
Bal Narsingh KunwarBalaram KunwarRewant KunwarBira Bhadra KunwarBalbhadra KunwarChetan Singh Kamar

Gallery

  • Balabhadra Kunwar, a Kunwar dynast on Jayakrishna branch
    Balabhadra Kunwar, a Kunwar dynast on Jayakrishna branch
  • Bal Narsingh Kunwar, a Kunwar dynast on Ramkrishna branch
    Bal Narsingh Kunwar, a Kunwar dynast on Ramkrishna branch
  • Bam Bahadur Kunwar, son of Bal Narsingh, later Prime Minister of Nepal
    Bam Bahadur Kunwar, son of Bal Narsingh, later Prime Minister of Nepal
  • Ranodip Singh Kunwar, son of Bal Narsingh, later Prime Minister of Nepal and Maharaja of Lamjung and Kaski
    Ranodip Singh Kunwar, son of Bal Narsingh, later Prime Minister of Nepal and Maharaja of Lamjung and Kaski
  • Bir Narsingh Kunwar, a Kunwar dynast on Ramkrishna branch
    Bir Narsingh Kunwar, a Kunwar dynast on Ramkrishna branch

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ Daniel Wright did not mentioned the location of the hill where Ram Singh settled while a Kunwar pretender claims it to be Bhirkot in Western Nepal. However, he claims the date of migration of Ram Singh after the fall of Chittaur as on 1404 A.D.[3] while historical fall of Chittaur occurred on 1303 A.D.,[5] 1535 A.D. and 1568 A.D.[6]
  2. ^ "The use of English terms for their grades of command was common in the Gurkha army, but the powers of the different ranks did not correspond with those of the British system. The title of general was assumed by Bhimsen Thapa, as commander-in-chief, and enjoyed by himself alone; of colonels there were three or four only; all principal officers of the court, commanding more than one battalion. The title of major was held by the adjutant of a battalion or independent company; and captain was the next grade to colonel, implying the command of a corps. Luftun, or lieutenant, was the style of the officers commanding companies under the captain; and then followed the subaltern ranks of soobadar, jemadar, and havildar, without any ensigns."[49]
  3. ^ The inscription uses an alternate spelling of Bal Bhadra's name, "Bul Buddur".

Notes

  1. ^ a b Regmi 1975b, pp. 89–90.
  2. ^ a b Whelpton 1991, p. 254.
  3. ^ a b c Ram Krishna Rad Kunwar (February 1, 2012). "Bulbudder and the British". The Kathmandu Post. Archived from the original on 2018-01-21.
  4. ^ a b c d Wright 1877, p. 285.
  5. OCLC 31870180
    .
  6. ISBN 9788124110669
    .
  7. ^ a b c d e f Wright 1877, p. 286.
  8. ^ Wright 1877, pp. 286–87.
  9. ^ Whelpton 1991, p. 36.
  10. ^ Regmi 1975b, p. 90.
  11. ^ Sharma Baral 1964, p. 111.
  12. ^ Regmi 1975b, p. 91.
  13. ISBN 81-7303-087-1
    .
  14. ^ Richard Burghart 1984, pp. 118–119.
  15. ISBN 978-81-7024-847-7
    .
  16. ^ a b c d e Pradhan 2012, p. 193.
  17. ^ Adhikari 1984, p. 27.
  18. ^ Hamal 1995, pp. 180–181.
  19. ^ Vaidya 1993, p. 151.
  20. ^ a b c d Acharya 1972, p. 95.
  21. ^ Acharya 1975, p. 231.
  22. ^ Hamal 1995, p. 180.
  23. ^ Vaidya 1993, p. 165.
  24. ^ Vaidya 1993, p. 167.
  25. ^ a b Hamal 1995, p. 181.
  26. ^ Regmi 1975a, p. 223.
  27. ^ Bolt 1967, p. 51.
  28. ^ Regmi 1987, p. 9.
  29. ^ Regmi 1987, p. 38.
  30. ^ Pradhan 2012, p. 13.
  31. ^ a b Acharya 2012, p. 67.
  32. ^ Nepal 2007, pp. 62–63.
  33. ^ Pradhan 2012, pp. 27–28.
  34. ^ a b Pradhan 2012, p. 28.
  35. ^ Acharya 2012, pp. 68–71.
  36. ^ Nepal 2007, pp. 63–64.
  37. ^
    ISBN 978-99933-39-91-5
    .
  38. ^ Regmi 1987, p. 152.
  39. ^ Pant 1978b, p. 188.
  40. ^ Whelpton 1991, p. 253.
  41. ^ Whelpton 1991, p. 192.
  42. ^ a b c Regmi 1987, p. 48.
  43. ^ Acharya 1971, p. 3.
  44. ^ Dabaral 1987b, p. 51.
  45. ^ Regmi 1987b, p. 150.
  46. ^ Regmi 1978, p. 174.
  47. ^ a b Regmi 1978, p. 175.
  48. ^ a b Prinsep 1825, p. 86.
  49. ^ Prinsep 1825, pp. 86–87.
  50. ^ Acharya 1971.
  51. ^ Fraser 1820, p. 14.
  52. ^ Fraser 1820, p. 15.
  53. ^ Prinsep 1825, pp. 87–88.
  54. ^ Fraser 1820, p. 16.
  55. ^ Prinsep 1825, p. 90.
  56. ^ Prinsep 1825, p. 91.
  57. ^ a b Fraser 1820, p. 27.
  58. ^ Prinsep 1825, p. 92.
  59. ^ a b Pant 1979, p. 23.
  60. ^ a b c Prinsep 1825, p. 93.
  61. ^ Pant 1978b, p. 190.
  62. ^ Prinsep 1825, pp. 94–96.
  63. ^ Onta 1996.
  64. ^ Farewell 1984, p. 32.

Bibliography

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