History Of Kumaon

Background

Kumaon is one of the administrative divisions of Uttaranchal, India. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar. It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Nepal, on the south by the state of Uttar Pradesh, and on the west by the Garhwal region.

The people of Kumaon are known as Kumaonis. Important towns of Kumaon are Haldwani, Nainital, Rudrapur, Almora, Pithoragarh, Mukteshwar and Ranikhet. Nainital is the administrative centre of Kumaon Division.

Kumaon Hills have their headquarters at Nainital. Kumaon region constituted an old Rajput principality, which became extinct at the beginning of the 19th century. For some time region was ruled by Gorkhas. But People of Kumaon fought them bravely and with the help from British, threw them out. Later, the region was annexed by the British in 1815, and was governed for seventy years on the non-regulation system by three administrators, Mr. Traill, Mr J. H. Batten and Sir Henry Ramsay. In 1891 the division was composed of the three districts of Kumaon, Garhwal and the Tarai; but the two districts of Kumaon and the Tarai were subsequently redistributed and renamed after their headquarters, Nainital and Almora.

After a visit to Almora, Mahatma Gandhi wrote his Impressions of Almora in his News Paper Young India on 11 July 1929;

" IN THESE HILLS, NATURE'S HOSPITALITY ECLIPSES ALL MEN CAN DO. THE ENCHANTING BEAUTY OF HIMALAYAS, THEIR BRACING CLIMATE AND THE SOOTHING GREEN THAT ENVELOPES YOU LEAVES NOTHING MORE TO BE DESIRED. I WONDER WHETHER THE SCENERY OF THESE HILLS AND THE CLIMATE ARE SURPASSED, IF EQUALED, BY ANY OF THE BEAUTY SPOTS ANYWHERE OF THE WORLD. AFTER HAVING BEEN NEARLY THREE WEEKS IN ALMORA HILLS, I AM MORE THAN EVER AMAZED WHY OUR PEOPLE NEED GO TO EUROPE IN SEARCH OF HEALTH"

Early History

The earliest historical references to the region are found in the Vedas. Specific mention of the mountains exists in the Mahabharata, dated to about 1000 BC, when the protagonists of the epic, the Pandavas, are said to have ended their life on earth by ascending the slopes of a peak in Western Garhwal called Swargarohini - literally, the 'Ascent to Heaven'.The Kumaonis have singular faith in the presiding deity of Kumaon - Nanda Devi, the Goddess of Bliss. The graceful peak of Nanda Devi , is visible from almost everywhere in Kumaon. Nanda Devi who is said to be the reincarnation of Parvati is said to represent the icy, unmoving form of Parvati in endless anticipation of her desired consort, Lord Shiva.The word Kumaon can be traced back to the 5th century BC. The Kassite Assyrians left their homeland 'Kummah', on the banks of river Euphrates,and settled in the northern part of India. These inhabitants formed Koliyan tribe and having their new settlement as 'Kumaon'. Lord Buddha's mother, Mayabati belonged to this clan. Another version of the origin is that word Kumaon is believed to have been derived from "Kurmanchal", meaning land of the Kurmavatar (the tortoise incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver according to Hindu mythology). The region of Kumaon is named after as such. Evidences of Stone Age settlements have been found in Kumaon, particularly the rock shelter at Lakhu Udyar. The paintings here date back to the Mesolithic period.

Katyuri Kings

The early medieval history of Kumaon is the history of the Katyuri dynasty. The Katyuri kings ruled from the seventh to the 11th century, holding sway at the peak of their powers over large areas of Kumaon, Garhwal, and Western Nepal. Kartikeyapur near town of Baijnath near Almora was the capital of this dynasty and a center of the arts. Temple building flourished under the Katyuris and the main architectural innovation introduced by them was the replacement of bricks with hewn stone.On a hilltop facing east (opposite Almora), is the temple of Katarmal. This 900-year-old sun temple was built during the declining years of the Katyuri dynasty. ACHLANAND JAKHMOLA writes in his blog that "There are solid inscriptional evidences of historical importance (Taleshwa copper plates, Bageshwar temple inscription) available after the ascendance of Katyuri rulers in 7th century A.D. Whether these were of the same people belonging to Katyuri dynasty having their capital at Karttrirpur, listed in the Allahabad pillar of Gupta king Samudragupta as mentioned above, is a matter of controversy. Dr. Y.S. Katoch, in his ‘Uttarakhand ka Navin Itihas’ mentions that these two kingdoms were not the same. Literary evidences including the detailed and faithful accounts about the social and cultural activities of Uttarakhand, which Hiuen Tsang physically visited, are available in his travelogues. It proves that during the 7th-8th century A.D. the kingdom of aforesaid Kartripura of the Katyuries, who ruled Uttarakhand for about three hundred years, was the most prominent power in Uttarakhand." Cunnigham and Atkinson have written in their accounts that during the visit of Kieun- Tsang, their kingdom extended from Tibet in the North, to Rohilkhand in the South and from River Sutlej in the West to River Gandak in the East. Their decline statred after a tyrant king, King Vir Deo accended the throne. After his death, his sons fought amongst each other and the kindom got divided into small jagirs.

The Chands of Pithoragarh

The intricately carved doors and panels have been removed to the National Museum in Delhi as a protective measure after the 10th-century idol of the presiding deity was stolen.The Chands of Pithoragarh were the dominant dynasty which later ruled Kumaon . The magnificent old temple complex at Jageshwar, with its cluster of a hundred and sixty-four temples, was built by the Chand rulers over a period of two centuries. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. After the decline of the Katyuri Kindom, the civil administration of this region was in total disarray. A few prominent people got together and sent a delegation to King Kannauj to come and restore the civil administration. He sent King Som Chand, who somre say was his younger brother and some say was a chiefton from Jhansi. Whatecer be the case, Som Chand came to Champawat some where in 700 AD and set his Kingdom there. He was assisted by the local Killedars or chieftens, Taradgi, Karki, Bora and Chaudhari clans. Mr Atkinson write is his book that " I can therefore put this account forward as a unique record of civil administration of a Hill State untainted by any foreign admixture, for untill the Gorkhali Conquest and subsquently the British Occupation, Kumaon was always independent" Towards the end of 1800, the Chand Dynasty was declining due to in fighting. This was taken off by the Gorkhali King who invaded Kumaon in 1790.

Gorkha Invasion

Gorkhas invaded Kumaon in 1790 and ruled for next 25 years. They were poor administrators and did not prove efficient rulers. They were involved in their own infighting and court room intrigues. They were defeated by the English in 1815, after two previous unsuccessful battles.

Kumaon under the British

Col gardner and Capt heresay led the British Army contigents which defeated the Gorkhas in a two pronged attack. Almora was captured by the English on 27 April 1815 and the whole of Kumaon came under the British Rule on 3 may 1815. As per the Treaty signed between the British and the Gorkhas, the Gorkhas left for Nepal with bag and baggage on 30 April 1815. They went to Doti via Jhulaghat. on 3 may 1815, E gardner was appointed the Commissioner of Kumaon Region.

The first Police Station in Kumaon was established in 1837 in Almora. Thereafter Police Stations were established in Nainital and Ranikhet in the years 1843 1nd 1890 respectively.

MIGRATION THEORY

The Making of Kumaoni Community

Despite Kumaon being an integral part of the Indian mainstream, it has often experienced sociological and historical phenomena which are at variance with those in the rest of the country. This may be because of the distinctive geographical features of the region. In the last 4000 years, Kumaon has given shelter to and is, consequently, an amalgamation of various people who have migrated here from all places.

Kumaon is derived from the word "KURMANCHAL". It means the Land of the “KURM AVTAR", the tortoise incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu is referred to as the preserver of the Hindu Trinity.As Adi Kailash (also known as Chotta Kailash) is situated in Kumaon Hills, the region has immense importance in Hindu mythology. This is more so since Adi Kailash is one of the three residences of Lord Kailash (Shiva), his wife Goddess Parvati and his sons Lord Ganesh and Lord Kartikey.

From 500 B.C. to 600 A.D, The Kunindas ruled the Kumaon region. Theirs was the first known ruling dynasty of Kumaon region. They reigned for almost 11 centuries at a stretch.

For almost five centuries after their reign ended, the Katyuri kings ruled the Kumaon region. Their rule extended from the 7th to the 11th century, with Baijnath, near Almora, serving as the capital. One of the many contributions of the dynasty was the building of the Sun temple of Katarmal which has seen more than 900 years pass by. It is situated on a hilltop facing eastward exactly opposite the town of Almora.

It is also believed that, in the 16th century, the famous Maratha warrior Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used shilas or granite stones from the sacred river of Kali Gandki for the famous idol of Pratapgad's Bhavani Devi.

The original inhabitants of Kumaon are said to have been the Kols (also related to the Mund, ethnic group). One of their groups migrated to Kumaon after they had been defeated by the Dravidians. The Shilpkars of Kumaon are said to be the descendants of the Kols. The Kirats are believed to have been the ancestors of the tribes which are today known as Shaukas, Banrajis and Tharus. While the Shaukas were active from the Tarai region to Tibet, the Tharus and Boksas confined themselves to the Tarai, and the Banrajis had always lived in 'splendid' isolation.

Later on, the Khasas came from West Asia and settled down in many parts of Himalaya. A major portion of the population of Kumaon is said to have descended from the Khasas. After an indepth study of the languages, social traditions and customs of Kumaon, scholars have come to the conclusion that before the advent of the Khasas and the Kirats. Kumaon was inhabited by

the Kols. The Kols eventually surrendered to the Khasas. Many ancient texts mention the coming of the Shakas. After the Khasas, who can be called pre - Rigvedic Aryan tribes, the Vedic Aryans also came to Kumaon. However there is another school of thought which believes that migration of Aryans never took place and that Hindus or the Aryans have always been the residents of present day India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, For details visit the site: http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/saranagati/html/vedic-upanisads/aryan-invasion.html

Chand Dynasty of Pithoragarh is, usually, credited for the building and development of the modern Kumaon. With their capital at Almora, right in the heart of Kumaon, the dynasty ruled in the 17th century AD. It took the Chand rulers two centuries to complete the magnificent temple complex at Jageshwar, near Almora which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It boasts of amazing architectural beauty throughout the cluster of a hundred and sixty-four temples.

In so far as the CHAND Rajas of Kumaon are concerned, another theory is they were decedents of Jaichand, the last ruler of Kannauj, of the short-lived Gahadvala dynasty,and father of Sanyogita, (whose Swayamvar with Prithviraj Chauhan is a famous episode detailed in the Prithviraj Raso). Her choosing Prithviraj Chauhan at the swayamvara for which he was not even invited enraged her father. This led to a rift between Delhi and Kannauj kingdoms which was shrewdly exploited by Muhammad Ghori. Jaichand is also notorious for having sided with Muhammad Ghori against his son-in-law Prithviraj in the First Battle of Tarain (1191AD). However, Jaichand was not killed by Ghori in the battle of Chandwar (1194 A.D.) He fled to Kumaon Hills with his entourage (his consorts, his concubines, his children and his coterie). His descendants later established a kingdom in Kumaon Hills. They were always fighting to establish their supremacy with the local tribals known as Khasis and eventually they managed to establish a kingdom in Kumaon Hills and later came to be known as 'Chand Rajas'.

After the beginning of the local dynastic history, inhabitants of Kumaon, most of whom were pastoralists, agriculturists and traders, were influenced from the 'savarnas' or higher castes who had come from different parts of India. This migration to Kumaon continued upto very recent times.Today Kumaon, is generally said, to consist of Brahmins, Rajputs and Shilpkars, with the Sahs or Shahs sometimes considered a separate caste. However, in order to be able to understand Kumaon fully, one must mention that it consists of Shaukas, Banrajis, Tharus, Boksas, Shilpkars, 'Savarnas' Gorkhas, Muslims, Bengalis and Punjabis (who came after partition) and Tibetans ( who came after 1960).

The Joshis, Pants and Pandes, Brahmins of Kumaon Hills, trace their roots to the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Most of them migrated to and settled in Kannauj, which was then a centre of Brahmanical influence. Kannauj is frequently referred to in the the epic Mahabharata and is alluded to by Patañjali in the second century B.C. In the 17th / 18th Century they again migrated from Kannauj and settled in the Kumaon hills of the Himalayas. The reasons for migration are lost in History, but it may have occurred because by the early years of the 13th Century Kannauj was incorporated into the Delhi Sultanate and by the 17th Century had lost all its relevance.

ALMORA

Almora was founded in 1568 by King Kalyan Chand however there are accounts of human settlements in the hills and surrounding region in the Hindu epic Mahabharata (8th and 9th century BCE). Almora was the seat of Chand kings that ruled over the Kumaon Kingdom. According to local history, the earliest inhabitants in Almora were Tewaris It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. An exceptionally beautiful place that is sometimes referred to as the 'Switzerland of India', Almora is all about three things; romance, charm and serenity It is a cantonment town in Almora district in the state of Uttaranchal, India. It is considered the cultural heart of Kumaon.Famous for its rich cultural heritage, unique handicrafts, sumptuous cuisine and magnificent wildlife, coupled with an easy accessibility, Almora promises its tourists a visit full of fun and unforgettable moments. Almora is also called a town of temples. Situated in the centre of the town is the temple of Goddess Nanda Devi. Unlike Shimla, Ranikhet and Nainital which were developed by the English, Almora is a hill station totally developed by the Indians.

More than 5 centuries ago, Raja Kalyan Chand who was the ruler of Kumaon at that time, stumbled upon the place while he was in pursuit of prey riding on the back of his. The bush, Kilmora, where the hunted quarry took refuge to safeguard itself revealed the place where the Raja decided to build his new capital in place of Champawat.

The ancient town of Almora, before it's establishment was under the possession of Katyuri king Baichaldeo. He donated major part of this land to a Brahmin Sri Chand Tiwari. Later on when Chand kingdom was founded in Baramandal, the town of Almora was founded at this centrally located place in 1560 by Kalyan Chand. In the days of the Chand Kings it was called Rajapur. The name 'Rajpur' is also mentioned over a number of ancient copper plates. The town of Almora is situated over a horse saddle shaped ridge of a mountain. The eastern portion of the ridge is known as Talifat and the western one is known as Selifat.