Nepal–Sikh War

The Nepal–Sikh War was a large scale military conflict in 1809 between the forces of the Kingdom of Nepal under Amar Singh Thapa and the Sikh Empire under general Dewan Mokham Chand.K. L. Pradhan, ''Thapa Politics in Nepal: With Special Reference to Bhim Sen Thapa, 1806–1839'' (New Delhi, 2012), pp. 42–43.

Background

The confrontation between Nepal and the Sikhs had its genesis in the policy of the Nepalese to prevent more territories falling into foreign hands ''Mukhtiyar'' Bhimsen Thapa. The Kumaon Kingdom having been incorporated into Nepal in 1791, he endeavoured to add the hill country to its west as far as the river Sutlej. This expedition was entrusted to the '' Kaji'' Amar Singh Thapa, who was later reinforced by the ''Kaji'' Nain Singh Thapa. In 1807, Kangra Fort, on the west bank of the Sutlej, was put under siege. By early 1809, most of the land of Kangra ''jagir'' had been incorporated into Nepal, although the fort still held out. ''Raja Sansar Chand'' of Kangra took refuge among the Sikhs in the Punjab.

At first, the Sikh ''Maharaja'' Ranjit Singh was reluctant to assist the ruler of Kangra, but a Nepalese push towards the Kashmir Valley (which was his next target for Sikh military expansionism) changed his mind. Kashmir was effectively independent territory, riven by Afghan factions and coveted by both Sikhs and Gurkhas. The Sikh ruler dispatched a force which raised the siege of Kangra on 24 August 1809 and forced the Gurkha forces back across the Sutlej. Ranjit Singh then sent a proposal to Amar Singh Thapa to make the Sutlej the boundary between their states. Thapa forwarded the proposal to the Kathmandu Durbar, but Bhimsen Thapa rejected.

The Nepalese received British arms from the British East India Company, and the Nepalese allied with the and the Phulkian Dynasty to fight against the Sukherchakia Misl. All three lost against the Sikhs.

War

The Maharaja recalled Diwan Mohkam Chand from the Kangra expedition in March 1809 and directed him to reach Phillaur. After the settlement of affairs with the British government, Maharaja Ranjit Singh again turned his attention towards Kangra. The Gurkha general Amar Singh Thapa had been at war for quite some time with Raja Sansar Chand in the Kangra valley and had besieged the fort of Kangra. Sansar Chand lost hope for life. Therefore, he sent his brother Fateh Singh to the Maharaja to seek help. The Maharaja demanded the possession of the fort of Kangra in return for help; to which Sansar Chand agreed. The Maharaja set-out with full preparations and reached Kangra accompanied by a relatively small army by the end of May. All the feudal chiefs were present with their respective militias. According to Munshi Sohan Lal's estimate, there were about ten thousand irregular horse and foot with the Nepalese at that time. The hill Chiefs who were well- acquainted with the routes of the hilly terrain were ordered to block all passages so as to stop all means of procurement of provisions and equipment for the Gorkha army.

Amar Singh Thapa sent a letter to Maharaja Ranjit Singh asking him to surrender and let them keep the fort from his forces and let the Gurkhas capture Kashmir. Ranjit Singh did not accept. The next morning supply routes of the Gurkha army had been closed by the Sikhs. They waited for ammunition and food of the Gurkhas to run out and after a few weeks the Gurkhas started eating their horses and camels, diseases like Cholera started rising and many died due to lack of medical supplies.

The Gurkhas in their mad frenzies of their 'last fight' before death madly ran into the muzzles of the Sikh forces, unplanned. After a month of starvation and bad conditions the Gurkhas made a charge onto the Ganesh Valley, Sikhs conquered the Kangra Fort and fired their superior artillery onto the Gurkhas, massacring them in the thousands. Their bow and arrows could not match to the Sikh cannons, after the gunpowder had finished 1,000 Sikh cavalrymen attacked the Gurkhas killing almost all of them. The remaining forces of Nain Singh Thapa arrived at Guler Fort. The violence ended after some time.

The Maharaja finding an opportune time to drive them out of Guler launched an attack and occupied their positions about a mile (1.06 km.) in front of the fort. A pitched battle ensued. The Gurkhas fought dauntlessly but the had to retreat. Thereafter, they gave a pitched battle near the Satluj where most Gurkhas froze in the river, surrendered or drowned.

Aftermath

After Gurkhas suffered heavy losses and a shattering of pride during this war, the Gurkha Army surrendered to the power of the Khalsa.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurkha-Sikh War
category:Battles involving the Sikhs
category:History of Sikhism
category:conflicts in 1809
category:Wars involving Nepal

1809 in Nepal