Battle of Khurbura

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Battle of Khurbura
Date14 May 1804 - 26 May 1804[1][2]
(13 days)
Location
Khurbura, Dehradun, India
30°19′32″N 78°01′36″E / 30.3256°N 78.0267°E / 30.3256; 78.0267
Result Gorkha victory[3]
Commanders and leaders
Pradyumna Shah
(Garhwal Kingdom)		 Amar Singh Thapa
Balbhadra Kunwar (Gorkha)[4][5]
Strength
4000 10000

Battle of Khurbura or Battle of Khudbuda occurred in May 1804 near modern-day village of Dehradun, Khurbura

 WikiMiniAtlas
30°19′32″N 78°01′36″E / 30.3256°N 78.0267°E / 30.3256; 78.0267. The battle is regarded as the first major attack in the history of Garhwal Kingdom that triggered between Gurkha forces and Maharaja Pradyumna Shah, and continued for 13 days until the Garhwal king was defeated. It is chiefly regarded the only defeat of Pradyumna Shah's life and the victory of Gurkhas.[6][7]

Background[]

With the beginning of this battle, the kingdom came under the rule of Gorkhas until 1814. Gurkha forces, loaded with guns entered in "Khurbura" to invade the territory. Since Garhwal's soldiers were fighting against the Great Nepalese invaders with swords, the kingdom was defeated heavily that led the opposition forces to begin their rule.[8][1]

Aftermath[]

The king accompanied by his 4000 soldiers were carrying swords, while 10,000 Gorkha forces were loaded with guns to carry out the war with territory-invading ambitions. Since the kingdom was already shattered and unstable due to the 1803 Garhwal earthquake and the entire kingdom was yet to reinstate. With great difficulty due to unstable circumstances caused by earthquake, Maharaja Pradyuman Shah first moved to Srinagar, Uttarakhand to Dehradun and then to Saharanpur arranging the forces to combat Gorkhas. The king succeeded arranging 10,000 soldiers. However, they were much untrained. Fighting alongside his army, he was killed in the battle. Soon after his death, his brother, Pritam Shah, was incarcerated by the Gorkhas where he passed his life under many hardships and poverty.[9][1]

Further reading[]

Khurbura was an important place in Garhwal kingdom and now its the only a small village that has left remarkable history behind. This area is now administered by the Dehradun authorities of Uttrakhand state.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "The story of Maharaja Pradyumna Shah of Garhwal princely state".
  2. ^ "खुड़बुड़ा युद्ध के 83 शहीदों को यज्ञ आयोजित कर श्रद्धांजलि की गई अर्पित". June 27, 2017.
  3. ^ "History | District Pauri Garhwal, Government of Uttarakhand | India".
  4. ^ Pioneer, The. "Where history never gets old". The Pioneer.
  5. ^ "Indians rage as some Nepalese chauvinists assert 'Greater Nepal'". January 26, 2019.
  6. ^ Rawat, Ajay Singh (February 11, 1999). Forest Management in Kumaon Himalaya: Struggle of the Marginalised People. Indus Publishing. ISBN 9788173871016 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Hāṇḍā, Omacanda (February 11, 2002). History of Uttaranchal. Indus Publishing. ISBN 9788173871344 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b Service, Tribune News. "King Pradyumna 'deserves' a memorial". Tribuneindia News Service.
  9. ^ "Memorial of 54th Garhwal king in Dehradun lying desolate, forgotten | Dehradun News - Times of India". The Times of India.
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