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Vamshidhar Pande ( ne, वंशीधर पाँडे) known by Alias Kalu Pande ( ne, कालु पाँडे) was a Nepalese politician and military general who was appointed as Kaji of The
Gorkha Kingdom Gorkha Kingdom ( ne, गोरखा राज्य) was a member of the Chaubisi rajya, a confederation of 24 states on the Indian subcontinent ruled by Khas people. In 1743 CE, the kingdom began a campaign of military expansion, annexing se ...
. He was born in 1713 A.D. in Gorkha. He was the commander of the Gorkhali forces during the Unification Campaign of Nepal who died in the first
Battle of Kirtipur The Battle of Kirtipur (Nepal bhasa bhasa: कीर्तिपुरयाउ युद्ध) occurred in 1767 during the Gorkha conquest of Nepal, and was fought at Kirtipur, one of the principal towns in the Kathmandu Valley. Kirtipur was ...
in 1757 A.D. Pande's real name was Banshidhar Pande. He was a son of ''Kaji'' Bhimraj Pande who was minister during reign of King Prithivipati Shah of
Gorkha The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India. The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recruit ...
. He was descendant of Minister of Gorkha and Dravya Shah's accomplice
Ganesh Pande Ganesh Pandey or Ganesa Pande (Nepali:गणेश पाण्डे वा गणेश पाँडे) (born circa 1529-1606) was Minister and Accomplice of King Dravya Shah of Gorkha. He helped Dravya Shah to become King of Gorkha and was ...
. He had three sons: ''Dewan Kajisaheb''
Vamsharaj Pande Vamsharaj Pande (a.k.a. Bamsa Raj Pande, Vansha Raj Pande, or Bangsha Raj Pande) ( ne, वंशराज पाँडे; translit. ''vaṃśarāja pām̐ḍe'') was a Nepalese politician, military officer and minister of state. He was a signifi ...
, Sardar Ranasur Pande and ''Mulkaji Sahib''
Damodar Pande Damodar Pande ( ne, दामोदर पाँडे) (1752 – March 13, 1804) was the Mulkaji of Nepal (equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal) from 1803 to 1804 and most influential Kaji since 1794 to his death on March 13, 1804. He is al ...
(1st PM of Nepal).


Family

Pande was born in 1713 A.D to ''Kaji Bhimraj Pande''. He was a descendant of
Ganesh Pande Ganesh Pandey or Ganesa Pande (Nepali:गणेश पाण्डे वा गणेश पाँडे) (born circa 1529-1606) was Minister and Accomplice of King Dravya Shah of Gorkha. He helped Dravya Shah to become King of Gorkha and was ...
, who was the first Kaji (Prime Minister) of King
Dravya Shah Dravya Shah ( ne, द्रव्य शाह; 1559–1570) was the king of the Gorkha Kingdom in Nepal. He was the father of Purna Shah, king of Gorkha. Dravya Shah's accomplices were Bhagirath Panta, Ganesh Pandey, Narayan Arjyal, Sarveshwar Kha ...
of
Gorkha Kingdom Gorkha Kingdom ( ne, गोरखा राज्य) was a member of the Chaubisi rajya, a confederation of 24 states on the Indian subcontinent ruled by Khas people. In 1743 CE, the kingdom began a campaign of military expansion, annexing se ...
established in 1559 A.D. The Pandes were considered as Thar Ghar or aristrocratic family who assisted in the administration of
Gorkha Kingdom Gorkha Kingdom ( ne, गोरखा राज्य) was a member of the Chaubisi rajya, a confederation of 24 states on the Indian subcontinent ruled by Khas people. In 1743 CE, the kingdom began a campaign of military expansion, annexing se ...
. Kaji Kalu Pande (1714-1757) belonged to this family and became a war hero after he died at
Battle of Kirtipur The Battle of Kirtipur (Nepal bhasa bhasa: कीर्तिपुरयाउ युद्ध) occurred in 1767 during the Gorkha conquest of Nepal, and was fought at Kirtipur, one of the principal towns in the Kathmandu Valley. Kirtipur was ...
. These Pandes were categorized with fellow
Chhetri Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), ( ne, क्षेत्री ; IAST: ''Kṣetrī'') historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speakers of Khas community, some of whom trace their origin to migration from ...
''Bharadars'' such as Thapas, Basnyats and
Kunwar family The Kunwar family ( ne, कुँवर परिवार) was a noble Khas-Chhetri family in the Gorkha Kingdom and the Kingdom of Nepal. Kunwars were linked to the Thapa dynasty and family of Amar Singh Thapa by marital lineages and, thus, t ...
.http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/contributions/pdf/CNAS_02_01_09.pdf


Relation with Kaji Tularam Pande

Generally, historians conclude his relation to Kaji
Tularam Pande Tularam Pande ( ne, तुलाराम पाँडे) was Nepalese military personnel, diplomat and politician in the Gorkha Kingdom. He was a diplomat who served King Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha. Two of his diplomatic missions were with ...
of Gorkha. As per Historian
Baburam Acharya Baburam Acharya (Nepali: बाबुराम आचार्य) (1888–1971 AD) was a Nepalese historian and literary scholar. He is known as the historian laureate () of Nepal. The four part biography of King Prithivi Narayan Shah, founder ...
, Tularam was a brother (
first cousin Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...
) of Kaji Bhimraj Pande, the father of Kalu Pande. However, Historian
Rishikesh Shah Rishikesh Shah (May 16, 1925 – November 13, 2002) was a Nepalese writer, politician and human rights activist.Biraj Thapa Magar and his first major Battle was the
Battle of Kirtipur The Battle of Kirtipur (Nepal bhasa bhasa: कीर्तिपुरयाउ युद्ध) occurred in 1767 during the Gorkha conquest of Nepal, and was fought at Kirtipur, one of the principal towns in the Kathmandu Valley. Kirtipur was ...
. Despite his initial resentment to the fact that the valley kings were well prepared and the Gorkhalis were not, Pande gave a 'Yes' to the operation, due to being insisted by
Prithvi Narayan Shah Maharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775) ( ne, श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव) was the last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom and first monarch of the ...
. The Gorkhalis had set up a base on Naikap, a hill on the valley's western rim, from where they were to mount their assaults on Kirtipur. They were armed with swords, bows and arrows and muskets.


Battle of Kirtipur

The Battle of Kirtipur occurred in 1767 during the
Gorkha The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India. The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recruit ...
conquest of
Nepal Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
, and was fought at
Kirtipur Kirtipur (Nepal Bhasa: किपू ''Kipoo'') is a Municipality and an ancient city of Nepal. The Newars are the natives of Kipoo (Kirtipur) that is believed to be derived from Kirati King Yalamber. It is located in the Kathmandu Valley 5 k ...
, one of the principal towns in the Kathmandu Valley. Kirtipur was then a walled town of 800 houses and part of the kingdom of Lalitpur. It is spread along the top of a ridge. The battle between the Newars of the valley and the invading Gorkhalis marked a turning point in the war of expansion launched by Gorkhali king
Prithvi Narayan Shah Maharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775) ( ne, श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव) was the last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom and first monarch of the ...
. It led to his subjugation of the rest of the coveted valley and the end of Newar rule. The Gorkhalis had set up a base on Dahachok, a hill on the valley's western rim, from where they mounted their assaults on Kirtipur. They were armed with swords, bows and arrows and muskets. During the first assault in 1757, the Gorkhali army was badly beaten. As they advanced towards Kirtipur, the Newars went to meet them under the command of Kaji Danuvanta. The two forces fought on the plain of Tyangla Phant in the north-west of Kirtipur. The Newars defended their town ferociously. The Gorkhali commander Kalu Pande was killed, and the Gorkhali king himself barely escaped with his life into the surrounding hills disguised as a saint. The Valley Kings brought a large number of Doyas from Indian Plains under Shaktiballabh sardar. During the first assault in 1757, the Gorkhali army killed 1200 enemies, mostly Doyas, but were badly beaten themselves. Both sides suffered heavy losses. As they advanced towards Kirtipur, the combined force of Valley Kings under Kaji Gangadhar Jha, Kaji Gangaram Thapa and Sardar Shaktiballabh brought Havoc to the outnumbered Gorkhalis. The two forces fought on the plain of Tyangla Phant in the northwest of
Kirtipur Kirtipur (Nepal Bhasa: किपू ''Kipoo'') is a Municipality and an ancient city of Nepal. The Newars are the natives of Kipoo (Kirtipur) that is believed to be derived from Kirati King Yalamber. It is located in the Kathmandu Valley 5 k ...
. Surapratap Shah, the King's brother lost his right eye to an arrow while scaling the city wall. The Gorkhali commander Kaji Kalu Pande was beheaded by kantipur's king jay prakash malla himself, and the Gorkhali king himself narrowly escaped with his life into the surrounding hills disguised as a saint.


King's disheartenment

King
Prithvi Narayan Shah Maharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775) ( ne, श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव) was the last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom and first monarch of the ...
's letter to Sardar
Ramakrishna Kunwar Ram Krishna Kunwar or Ramakrishna Kunwar ( ne, रामकृष्ण कुँवर; IAST: ''Rāmakr̥ṣṇa kum̐vara'') was military commander (Sardar) of Gorkha Kingdom during the Unification of Nepal at the reign of King Prithvi Narayan ...
mentioned by historian
Baburam Acharya Baburam Acharya (Nepali: बाबुराम आचार्य) (1888–1971 AD) was a Nepalese historian and literary scholar. He is known as the historian laureate () of Nepal. The four part biography of King Prithivi Narayan Shah, founder ...
quotes disheartenment of King Prithvi over death of Kalu Pande: "When Kalu Pande was killed in
Kirtipur Kirtipur (Nepal Bhasa: किपू ''Kipoo'') is a Municipality and an ancient city of Nepal. The Newars are the natives of Kipoo (Kirtipur) that is believed to be derived from Kirati King Yalamber. It is located in the Kathmandu Valley 5 k ...
, I had felt disheartened, thinking that I had not been able to conquer the three towns of Nepal."


Marital Relationship with Basnyats

King
Prithvi Narayan Shah Maharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775) ( ne, श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव) was the last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom and first monarch of the ...
formed an alliance with Basnyat and Pande families of Gorkha in his quest for the unification of Nepal. As per his Divya Upadesh, King Prithvi Narayan is known to have arranged the marriage between Kaji
Kehar Singh Basnyat Kehar Singh Basnyat ( ne, केहरसिंह बस्न्यात) or Kehar Singh Basnet was a Nepalese military commander and warhero who led down his life in the Unification battles of Nepal. He was born in the illustrious clan of Shre ...
, the second son of Senapati Badabir
Shivaram Singh Basnyat Shivaram Singh Basnyat ( ne, शिवराम सिंह बस्न्यात) was the military commander of Gorkha. After the conquest of Naldum area by the Gorkhalis, he along with Commander Bir Bhadra Thapa conquered Sanga, Panauti, ...
, and ''Mukhiyani'' Chitra Devi, the daughter of Kaji Kalu Pande. Shivaram Singh Basnyat was addressed as Senapati Badabir (Brave Chief of the Army) in all the documents of that era. He died in the defensive battle of Sanga Chowk during
Unification of Nepal The Unification of Nepal, also known as Expansion of Gorkha Kingdom, officially began in 1743 AD (1799 BS) after King Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha launched an aggressive annexation campaign seeking to broaden his own kingdom's border. After ...
on 1803 B.S.


Kalu Pande memorial

The burial ground of Kaji Kalu Pande on a hill top is a popular hiking spot. It lies in
Chandragiri Chandragiri is a suburb and neighbourhood of Tirupati and located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration and a major growing residential area in Tirupati It is the mandal headqua ...
, western outskirts of Kathmandu from where Gorkha can be seen.


Gallery

Bamshidhar Kalu Pande.jpg, Bamshidhar Kalu Pande File:Kalu Pandey.jpg, Kalu Pande File:Unification Campaign1.jpg, unification during battle field File:कालु पाँडे समाधिस्थल.jpg, Memorial where Kalu Pande was assassinated in 1814 B.S. File:Kirtipur swords.jpg, Swords of Kaji Kalu Pande and his soldiers at Bagh Bhairab temple, Kirtipur File:Kaji_Kalu_Pande_Statue.jpg, Kaji Kalu Pande statue at Dahachowk


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pande, Kalu 1713 births 1757 deaths 18th-century Nepalese nobility Burials in Nepal Nepalese generals Nepalese military personnel killed in action Pande family People from Gorkha District People of the Nepalese unification Unification of Nepal Nepalese Hindus