Note/Material (Medium Level Note)

Unification Campaign of Nepal (Reference Reading Material)

Objective : To find out the early effort of Gorkha for unification.

Introduction:

Many kings before Prithvi Narayan Shah tried to unify various small states to make a greater kingdom but failed as time passed like Mandev, Amshuverma, Jayasthiti Malla, Yakshya Malla etc. Prithvi Narayan Shah finally laid the foundation stone of unification campaign by defeating the Malla Kings of Kathmandu Valley and the Eastern Principalities. His incomplete mission in the Baise and Chaubise regions was completed by Bahadur Shah, Rajendra Laxmi, Girbanyuddha Bikram Shah and Bhimsen Thapa.

Prithvi Narayan Shah was brought up under the guidance and care of his elder mother Chandrapravawati. He also got various skills required for a successful ruler from his teachers Maheshwor Panta and Bhanu Aryal. Prithvi Narayan Shah , born on 27th Poush 1779, was ascended to the throne of Gorkha in 1779 at the age of 20.

Invasion into Nuwakot:

Prithvi Narayan Shah attempted to invade Nuwakot, a neighbouring state of Gorkha, in the year 1800 B.S. with much preparation. He sent his troops to attack Nuwakot under the command of Kazi Biraj Thapa Magar. Biraj Thapa made his camp at Khinchet and waited for favorable situation to attack as the Trishuli river was overflowing. Prithvi Narayan Shah was impatient and dissatisfied with the slow move of Biraj Thapa. So, he sent Maheshwor Panta with another troops to attack Nuwakot. The Gorkhali army was defeated by the well equipped troops of Kantipur (Nuwakot was the territory of Kantipur though there was a separate ruler) The Gorkhalese lacked the unity of command, sufficient skills, geographical knowledge of Nuwakot and weapons. This defeat became a great lesson and eye opener to Prithvi Narayan Shah. Thus, he started planning and strengthening his army.

Group Activities:

  1. Discuss in your group and explain the early effort of unification campaign in your own words.
  2. Discuss in your group and explain the character of Prithvi Narayan Shah.
  3. Explain the Nuwakot attack of Prithvi Narayan Shah in the year 1800 B.S.
  4. Discuss in your group and write why the Nuwakot attack of 1800 B.S. was considered as the eye opener for Prithvi Narayan Shah.

Presentation: All groups present their works in 10 minutes.

Assignment:

  • What lessons should a ruler like Prithvi Narayan Shah learn from the defeat in Nuwakot? List out possible lessons that a ruler should learn.

Source: History of Nepal by Pitamber Lal Yadav and Rishikesh Shah, Early mission of Prithvi Narayan Shah from the internet, teachers, parents and friends

Presentation for the next day:

  • A short skit on Nuwakot attack and the reasons for bad defeat

Obstacles to the Unification Campaign (Reference Reading Material)

Objective : To find out the obstacles to unification campaign and the strategies adopted by Prithvi Narayan

Shah to overcome them.

Introduction:

Gorkha was a small and powerless state compared to the Malla and many other Chaubise States. It was not an easy task for Prithvi Narayan Shah to unify these small principalities. He had to face many obstacles during his unification campaign. There were obstacles like geographical, political, economic, envy of Lamjung, Chaubise powers, Malla Kingdoms as well as the British. The major obstacles are as follow:-

  1. Political Obstacles:

The powerful Malla, Sen, Chaubise and Baise states were the major political obstacles to unification campaign. Lamjung was a great threat to Gorkha for its unification among Chaubise states. It could attack Gorkha anytime while marching towards Nuwakot. In such an environment, Prithvi Narayan Shah requested advice from his Maternal uncle, Udhot Sen of Palpa. In reply, he said, “Lamjung is a vulture, Gorkha is a snake and Nepal valley is a frog. The snake can swallow the frog only if he can dodge the vulture.”

Prithvi Narayan Shah understood and applied what Udhot Sen suggested. With the special effort of Kalu Pandey (Vanshidhar Pandey), a treaty was signed between Gorkha and Ripumardan Shah of Lamjung. Kalu Pandey was honored as ‘Kazi’ in accordance with the wishes of his courtiers and Baise-Chaubise rajyas though he wanted to give this post to Biraj Bakheti.

Besides this, Prithvi Narayan Shah also maintained a very good diplomatic relation with British India and Tibet through the special representation of his most trusted people in Gorkha Palaca. He also had separate treaty with strong Baise, Chaubise and Malla kingdoms to tackle the political obstacles in his mission.

  1. Economic Obstacles:

Gorkha with 1200 houses was economically weaker compared to other Chaubise states. Unification campaign required a large amount of fund which was one of main obstacles. Prithvi Narayan Shah established matrimonial relationship with Makawanpur marrying with Indra Kumari. Makwanpur was one of the economically sound states. Unfortunately, his brother in Law, Digbandhan Sen refused to give Naulakha Har (necklace worth Rs. 9 lakh) and single tusked elephant. Dissatisfied with Digbandhan Sen, Prithvi Narayan Shah went to Benaras and married Narendra Laxmi as his second wife and got a lot of property, weapons as well as skillful soldiers who could train the Gorkhali troops.

In order to attract Gorkhali youths in Army, he adopted ‘Marwat policy’ and established inclusive army. He also appealed to his people to help him in cash or kind for his mission. The Gorkhali people contributed whatever they could.

This is how, Prithvi Narayan Shah overcome his obstacles on his way.

Group Activities:

  1. Discuss in your group and explain the political obstacles to unification campaign of Prithvi Narayan Shah.
  2. Discuss in your group and explain the economic obstacles to unification campaign of Prithvi Narayan Shah.
  3. Discuss in your group and write what you would do if you were Prithvi Narayan Shah and had to solve such obstacles to your mission.
  4. How would you like to solve the economic obstacles in your family? Discuss in your group and prepare a brief plan.

Presentation: All groups present their works in 10 minutes.

Assignment:

  • Prepare a plan of action to maintain a good relation with your neighbors.

Source: History of Nepal by Pitamber Lal Yadav and Rishikesh Shah, obstacles of Prithvi Narayan Shah in his unification campaign and solutions from the internet, teachers, parents and friends

Presentation for the next day: Group A

  • A short skit on political and economic obstacles to unification campaign and their solutions

Conquest of Nuwakot(Reference Reading Material)

Objective : To explain the events leading to victory over Nuwakot.

Introduction:

After overcoming all obstacles and with massive preparation, Prithvi Narayan Shah was ready to attack Nuwakot. The Gorkha troops were well trained and armed with weapons Prithvi Narayan Shah had brought from Benaras. Prithvi Narayan Shah also lured King Ranjit Malla of Bhadgaon to take side with him by promising to give Sankhu, Changu, Dolakha, Naldum and Mahadev Pokhari after their conquest. Prithvi Narayan Shah also sent representatives to Lamjung, Kaski and other Baise-Chaubise states to maintain friendly relation and avoid possible attack to Gorkha during the campaign in the east.

Prithvi Narayan Shah himself commanded the Gorkha troops this time. They were divided in to 3 groups; one led by Kalu Pandey, another led by Mahoddam Kriti Shah and the next led by Prithvi Narayan Shah. Jay Prakash Malla of Kantipur had appointed Jayanta Rana as the chief of Nuwakot. Prithvi Narayan Shah attacked Nuwakot in 1807 B.S. Jayanta Rana was in Kathmandu at the time of attack to Nuwakot. His son Shankhamani Ranan was made commander of Nuwakot army. Shankhamani Rana lost his life and Gorkha troops captured Nuwakot. Gorkhali troops also captured Belkot a small state between Nuwakot and Kantipur. Jayanta Rana was chieftain of Gorkhali soldiers when Narabhupal Shah attacked Nuwakot but he betrayed Narabhupal Shah and took shelter at the court of Jay Prakash Malla.

When Belkot was captured, Jayanta Rana was arrested and asked to rejoin Gorkhali troops but he refused and said, “Of course, I am yours but I am obliged to Jay Prakash Malla.” Thus, Jayanta Rana, declared as traitor, was killed mercilessly.

This is how Nuwakot came under Gorkhalese. The major reasons to attack Nuwakot by Gorkhalese were:

  1. To take revenge of previous defeat of Narabhupal Shah.
  2. The trade route between Kantipur and Tibet passed through Nuwakot.
  3. Nuwakot was the main western gateway to Kathmandu Valley.
  4. It was useful to gather information about valley.
  5. Nuwakot, having situated at higher altitude was suitable for making forts on it.
  6. The fertile land of Nuwakot could provide sufficient food to the Gorkha army.

Group Activities:

  1. Discuss in your group and explain how Prithvi Narayan Shah prepared for the attack to Nuwakot in 1807 B.S.
  2. Give a brief introduction of Jayanta Rana and his relationship with Gorkha and Kantipur.
  3. Explain how Nuwakot was captured by Gorkhali Army.
  4. Explain the reasons why Gorkhalese attacked Nuwakot.

Presentation:All groups present their works in 10 minutes.

Assignment:

  • Evaluate the role of Jayanta Rana. Also give your opinion on the merciless killing of Jayanta Rana by Gorkha army.

Source: History of Nepal by Pitamber Lal Yadav and Rishikesh Shah, Prithvi Narayan Shah and his victory over Nuwakot from the internet, teachers, parents and friends

Presentation for the next day: Group B

  • A short skit on the attack to Nuwakot in 1807 B.S.

March for winning Valley: (Reference Reading Material)

Objective : To find out the events leading to win Kathmandu Valley.

Introduction:

The highly motivated Gorkha Army concentrated on the attack over Nepal valley. Prithvi Narayan Shah started conquering other states around the valley so that he could impose an economic blockade on the valley. Various attempts and victory over all the states in and around the valley has been given in the following table:-

S.N. Description of Events
1 The Gorkha Army brought several states under their control like Sankhu, Changu, Mahadev Pokhari, Naldum, Panauti, Dolakha, Palanchowk, Dhulikhel, Banepa etc by 1814 B.S.
2 Gorkhalese attacked Kirtipur for the first time in 1814 B.S. They were badly defeated in the war and Kalu Pandey lost his life. The allied force of Kantipur, Bhadgaon and Patan jointly helped Kirtipur to defeat Gorkha troops.
3 Although Makwanpur and Gorkha had matrimonial relationship, it was impossible to impose an economic blockade on the valley as it was the gateway to Kathmandu from terai. So, Gorkha troops attacked Makwanpur and Digbandhan Sen was defeated in the year 1819 B.S.
4 The army of Mirlassim, led by Gurgin Khan, who came to fight in support of Makwanpur was defeated by Gorkhali troops. Altogether 1700 Muslim Soldiers lost their lives in the battlefield.
5 The Gorkha Army attacked Kirtipur for the second time under the command of Sur Pratap Shah in 1821 B.S. Allied troops of 3 Malla Kingdoms defeated the Gorkha troops once again and Sur Pratap Shah lost his left eye.
6 The Gorkha Army imposed an economic blockade over Kirtipur and finally the rulers of the state surrendered in the year 1822 B.S. In order to take revenge, Prithvi Narayan Shah ordered his army to cut the nose and ears of people of army age. So, he kept the name of Kirtipur as Nakatipur. This incident shows the cruel character of Prithvi Narayan Shah.
7 The Gorkha troops badly defeated the British troops under the charge of Captain Kinlock in Sindhuli who was sent to help Jay Pralash Malla in 1824 B.S.
8 The Gorkha troops surrounded Kathmandu Palace from Nardevi, Bhimsenthan and Tudikhel in the night of Indra Jatra and captured it on 13th Aswin 1825 B.S. Jay Prakash Malla fled away to Patan.
9 Patan surrendered on 24th Aswin 1825 B.S. and both the kings, Jay Prakash Malla and Tej Narsingh Malla escaped to Bhadgaon and took refuge.
10 The Gorkha troops also got victory over Bhadgaon after the fierce battle of 3 days on 1st Mangsir 1826 B.S. Jay Prakash Malla was injured and died at Aryaghat afterwards. Tej Narsingh Malla was kept in jail and Ranjit Malla was sent to Kashi as per the latter’s wish.

This is how, Prithvi Narayan Shah got victory over valley and shifted his capital to Kathmandu from Gorkha.

Group Activities:

  1. Discuss in your group and explain why Prithvi Narayan Shah had to attack tiny states around Valley though his target was Kathmandu.
  2. Explain the Gorkha attack over Kirtipur.
  3. Explain how Prithvi Narayan Shah got victory over Kantipur, Patan and Bhadgaon.
  4. Why do you think that Prithvi Narayan Shah got easy victory over 3 states in Nepal valley though they were more powerful than Kirtipur?

Presentation: All groups present their works in 10 minutes.

Assignment:

  • Give a critical analysis of Prithvi Narayan Shah’s inhuman act in Kirtipur in the year 1822 B.S.

Source: History of Nepal by Pitamber Lal Yadav and Rishikesh Shah, Prithvi Narayan Shah and his victory over Kathmandu Valley from the internet, teachers, parents and friends

Presentation for the next day: A short skit on the capture of Kirtipur/Kantipur/Bhadgaon

Campaign to Conquer the East and West: 

Objective : To find out how Gorkha troop were able to conquer powerful Kirat states in the east.

Introduction:

After the victory over Nepal Valley, Prithvi Narayan Shah shifted his attention to the Chaubise States in Western Nepal. A few Chaubise states like Parbat, Palpa, Lamjung, Kaski and Tanahu were too powerful to defeat. Prithvi Narayan Shah sent troops to attack these states under the command of Kehar Singh Basnyat. When he annexed Tanahu, King Kumari Dutta Sen committed suicide. He didn’t have any child so his brother Har Kumar Dutta Sen accepted the sovereignty of Gorkha. Thus, Prithvi Narayan Shah awarded the kingship of Tanahu to him. King Birmardan Shah of Lamjung sent his son Birbhupal Shah to Kathmandu by accepting the supremacy of united Nepal. So, Prithvi Narayan Shah happily awarded the kingship to Birmardan Shah.

After Tanahu and Lamjung, Prithvi Narayan Shah sent a huge battalion to Kaski under the command of Kehar Singh Basnyat and Bansharaj Panday. King Siddhi Narayan Shah immediately surrendered. The Nepalese army captured Pallo Nuwakot too.

When the Nepalese troops were stationed at Tanahu, Kriti Bam Malla of Parbat and Mukunda Sen II of Palpa made an alliance with Lamjung, Kaski and Tanahu. They attacked unprepared Nepalese troops and defeated them. They killed Kehar Singh Basnyat and arrested Bansharaj Pandey. This is how, Lamjung, Kaski and Tanahu once again declared independent states deceiving Prithvi Narayan Shah. Thus, Prithvi Narayan Shah abandoned his unification campaign in the west.

Conquest of the East:

In order to compensate a great loss and betrayal in the west, Prithvi Narayan Shah concentrated in the Eastern Sen Kingdoms. He sent different troops to the east under the command of Abhiman Singh Basnet, Parath Bhandari and Ram Krishna Kunwar. King Karna Sen of Chaudandi was defeated and fled to Bijaypur in the year 1830 B.S.

The throne of Bijaypur was empty so, Minister Buddhi Karna Rai crowned Karna Sen as king of Bijaypur. However, Nepalese troops conquered Bijaypur after a year so, both of them fled to Sikkim. Abhiman Singh requested the king of Sikkim to hand over Karna Sen and Buddhi Karna Rai but he could not find them in his state. Instead the king of Sikkim returned Illam to Nepal which had earlier been captured from Bijaypur. This is how, Prithvi Narayan Shah extended his territory up to Mechi River in the east and breathed his last on 1st Magh 1831 B.S. at Devighat in Nuwakot.

Group Activities:

  1. Explain the western attempt of Prithvi Narayan Shah.
  2. Explain how the kings of Lamjung, Kaski and Tanau betrayed Prithvi Narayan Shah.
  3. Explain the eastern conquest of Prithvi Narayan Shah.
  4. List out the commanders in the west and east. Also, list out the kings of Parbat, Palpa, Lamjung, Tanahu, Kaski, Bijaypur and Chaudandi.

Presentation: All groups present their works in 10 minutes.

Assignment:

  • Prithvi Narayan Shah diverted his mind to the east instead of taking revenge with those 5 states. Why? Give your critical opinion.

Source: History of Nepal by Pitamber Lal Yadav and Rishikesh Shah, Prithvi Narayan Shah and his unification attempt to the east and west from the internet, teachers, parents and friends

Presentation for the next day: A short skit on the eastern/western attempt of Prithvi Narayan Shah.