History of Uttarakhand

Kumaon, Garhwal — Chand, Parmar, Katyuri Dynasties and Tehri State

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Overview

The history of Uttarakhand is a crucial topic for UTET Paper II Social Studies, testing your knowledge of the region's medieval and modern political evolution. This topic covers the major dynasties that ruled the Kumaon and Garhwal regions before British annexation and the formation of the princely Tehri State.

Understanding this history helps students connect local heritage with broader Indian history and teaches them how geography shaped political boundaries in the Himalayan region. Questions typically focus on dynasty names, important rulers, capitals, time periods, and the circumstances of British intervention. Expect 2-4 questions from this area, often testing factual recall of rulers, their achievements, and key events like the Gurkha invasion.

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Key Concepts

• **Geographical Division**: Uttarakhand was historically divided into two distinct regions — Kumaon (eastern part) and Garhwal (western part), each with separate ruling dynasties.

• **Katyuri Dynasty**: The earliest major dynasty, ruling from approximately 7th to 11th century CE, unified much of the central Himalayan region before fragmenting into smaller principalities.

• **Chand Dynasty of Kumaon**: Ruled Kumaon from approximately 10th century to 1790 CE, with Champawat and later Almora as capitals. They were the longest-ruling dynasty of the region.

• **Parmar (Panwar) Dynasty of Garhwal**: Ruled Garhwal from approximately 823 CE to 1804 CE, establishing Srinagar (Garhwal) as their capital and playing a significant role in temple construction.

• **Gurkha Invasion (1790-1815)**: Nepal's Gurkha forces conquered both Kumaon and Garhwal, ending indigenous rule and creating conditions for British intervention.

• **Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816)**: British defeated the Gurkhas; Treaty of Sugauli (1816) led to British annexation of Kumaon and restoration of part of Garhwal to the Parmar dynasty as Tehri State.

• **Tehri State (1815-1949)**: A princely state under British paramountcy, ruled by the Parmar dynasty until its merger with independent India.

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Key Facts

| Aspect | Katyuri Dynasty | Chand Dynasty (Kumaon) | Parmar Dynasty (Garhwal) | |--------|-----------------|------------------------|--------------------------| | **Period** | 7th-11th century CE | c. 10th century-1790 CE | 823 CE-1804 CE | | **Region** | Central Himalayas | Kumaon | Garhwal | | **Capital(s)** | Kartikeyapura (near Baijnath) | Champawat, then Almora | Chandpur Garhi, then Srinagar (Garhwal) | | **Founder** | Basantadeva (traditional) | Som Chand | Kanak Pal | | **End** | Fragmentation into small states | Gurkha conquest (1790) | Gurkha conquest (1804) |

**Important Rulers and Events**:

• **Katyuri Period**: Known for temple construction; Baijnath temple complex dates to this era; copper-plate inscriptions provide historical evidence.

• **Som Chand**: Founded Chand dynasty; established capital at Champawat.

• **Baz Bahadur Chand** (1638-1678): Most famous Chand ruler; shifted capital from Champawat to Almora; expanded territory; contemporary of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.

• **Kanak Pal**: Founder of Parmar dynasty of Garhwal (traditionally dated 823 CE).

• **Ajay Pal** (15th century): United 52 small Garhwal principalities (called "garhs") into one kingdom; the name "Garhwal" derives from this consolidation.

• **Pradyumna Shah**: Last independent Parmar ruler; killed fighting Gurkhas in 1804 at Khurbura.

• **Sudarshan Shah**: Son of Pradyumna Shah; British restored him to the portion of Garhwal east of Alaknanda (Tehri Garhwal) in 1815; founded Tehri town as new capital.

**Tehri State Timeline**:

• 1815: Sudarshan Shah established as ruler of Tehri Garhwal
• Capital: Tehri (later Narendranagar under Narendra Shah)
• 1949: Last ruler Manvendra Shah signed merger with Indian Union
• Tehri State merged with Uttar Pradesh, later became part of Uttarakhand (2000)

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Worked Examples

**Example 1**: *Who shifted the capital of Kumaon from Champawat to Almora?*

**Solution**: Baz Bahadur Chand shifted the capital from Champawat to Almora in the 17th century. He is considered the most powerful Chand ruler.

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**Example 2**: *Why is Ajay Pal significant in Garhwal's history?*

**Solution**: Ajay Pal (15th century) unified 52 small principalities called "garhs" into one kingdom. This unification gave the region its name "Garhwal" (land of forts/garhs). Before him, the region was fragmented under local chiefs.

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**Example 3**: *Explain how Tehri State came into existence.*

**Solution**: 1. In 1804, Gurkhas conquered Garhwal and killed King Pradyumna Shah 2. British defeated Gurkhas in Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816) 3. Treaty of Sugauli (1816) transferred Kumaon and Garhwal to British 4. British kept Kumaon and western Garhwal (British Garhwal) under direct rule 5. Eastern Garhwal (between Alaknanda and western Nepal) was restored to Sudarshan Shah, son of Pradyumna Shah 6. This became Tehri State — a princely state under British paramountcy

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Common Mistakes

• **Confusing Srinagar locations** → Srinagar of Garhwal (capital of Parmar dynasty) is different from Srinagar in Kashmir. The Garhwal Srinagar is located on the Alaknanda river.

• **Mixing up dynasty-region pairs** → Chand dynasty ruled Kumaon (eastern Uttarakhand), Parmar dynasty ruled Garhwal (western Uttarakhand). Remember: C-K (Chand-Kumaon), P-G (Parmar-Garhwal).

• **Wrong sequence of Gurkha conquests** → Gurkhas conquered Kumaon first (1790), then Garhwal later (1804). Kumaon fell 14 years before Garhwal.

• **Confusing Tehri State boundaries** → Tehri State was only the eastern part of Garhwal. Western Garhwal (British Garhwal) remained under direct British administration.

• **Attributing temple building to wrong dynasty** → Katyuri dynasty (not Chand or Parmar) is associated with early temple construction including the Baijnath temple complex.

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Quick Reference

• **Katyuris**: 7th-11th century → Kartikeyapura → Temple builders → Fragmented into small states

• **Chands**: Kumaon → Som Chand (founder) → Baz Bahadur Chand (greatest) → Almora capital → Fell to Gurkhas 1790

• **Parmars**: Garhwal → Kanak Pal (founder) → Ajay Pal (unified 52 garhs) → Srinagar capital → Fell to Gurkhas 1804

• **Treaty of Sugauli (1816)**: Ended Gurkha rule; British got Kumaon + western Garhwal; Tehri State created for Parmar heir

• **Tehri State**: 1815-1949 → Sudarshan Shah to Manvendra Shah → Merged with India 1949

• **Memory aid**: "Some Chand ruled Kumaon, Kanak Pal ruled Garhwal" (S-C-K, K-P-G)