Emergence and Growth of Kangra

BACKGROUND:

• The territories included in the Kangra district were originally a part of the Jalandhara or Trigarta Kingdom. The Trigarta at that time comprised of all the regions between the Satluj and the Ravi in the outer hills and the Jalandhara Doab on the plains, as well as a tract to the east of the Satluj, probably it was Sirhind.
• Jalandhara state with its capital at Kangra was then called Nagarkot or Bhimkot. The names of Jalandhara and Trigarta were used synonymously in Sanskrit literature to indicate the whole Kingdom. After the 6th century, the limits of the state were restricted by the foundation of new principalities within its borders; as Chamba and Pratishthana (Pathankot) on the west; Suket, Kutlehr, Bangahal and Mandi on the east.

Literary sources of history of kangra:

1. Sanskrit literature:

• Mahabharata: Susharma (considered as founder of Nagarkot ) sided with Kauravas in Mahabharata against Virat of Matyadesa.
• Puranas: According to Padma Purana, Danava(Monster Jalandhara) was the son of Ganges and Ocean.
• Panini: In his book ‘Ashtadhayi’ , he has called Trigarta as Ayudhjivi Sangha ( Republican Tribe ). He talked about confederation of Trigarta which was constituted by six states.
• Kalhan’s Rajtarangini: This book provides an invaluable source of information about early Kashmir and its neighbors in the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent and has been widely referenced by later historians and ethnographers.

2. Persian Literature:

• The siege and the conquest of the fort of Nagarkot by Sultan Firoz Shah Tuglaq is found in ‘Tarik – I – Firuz Shahi’ written by Barani and Afif.
• Utbi refers about it in Tarikh-i-Yamini as Bhimnagar and Farishta refers to it as Bhimkot .

3. Sikh Literature:

• The Himalayas had been an attraction for the Sikh Gurus for which accounts are available in various books written during 16^th to 19^th The ‘Guru Granth Sahib’, ‘Bachitra Natak by Guru Govind Singh’, ‘Gur Bilas by Bhai Sukha Singh’ give detailed history of the penetration of Sikh religion in Himalayan foothills.

4. Travelogues:

• The Himalayas have always been inspiring people all over the world. The accounts left by these foreign and domestic travellers are serving as especially important source of information. Hien Tsang mentioned that Jallandhar was being ruled by Udito.
• European travellers William Finch, Thomas Coryat, J.B. Fraser, J.C. Davidson and Captain Harcourt wrote about the political, cultural, geographical and economic aspects of Himalyan states. Their writing also includes the description of the courts of the native Himalayan rulers and their behaviour in contrast with the outside powers such as Gurkhas, Britishers and Sikhs. Forster was the civil officer in the East India Company. He travelled through the outer hills from Nahan, via Bilaspur, Haripur and Nurpur to Basholi and Jammu. His journey was made during an interesting period of Indian History, and he presents a vivid picture of the disorder, which was prevailing in the hills, as well as in the plains. Rest of the gentlemen also visited the hills from time to time and gave their own account.

5. Vamshavalis:

• The genealogical rolls include the names of the rulers with tenure and various activities performed during that period. These rolls were prepared by Rajgurus or Kul purohits.

Archaeological Sources:

1. Coins:

• In district Kangra, two eulogies (prasastis) have also been found. Both these inscriptions mention the local Chief Lakshamana of Kiragrama (Kangra) and his overlord, King Jayachandra of Trigarta.

2. Inscription:

• The earlies inscriptions have been found in the ‘Pathyar’ and ‘Kanihara’ in Kangra district. These inscriptions throw light on the early socio-economic and political history of Himachal Pradesh. In ‘Pathiyar’ , there is a 2000 year old stone inscription in Brahmi and Kharoshti Scripts dating back to Maurya era.

Important Kings of Medieval Kangra

Raja Rup CHAND (1360 AD):

• Rup Chand’s name is found in the ‘Dharam Chand Natak’ written by Manik Chand.
• Raja Rup Chand (Raja of Kangra, 1360 AD) was responsible for the attack of Firoz Shah Tuglaq, as he was plundering areas up till Delhi and latter wanted to settle the score with him.
• To teach a lesson to Raja of Kangra, Firoz Shah Tuglaq invaded Nagarkot and encircled the fort with his army in 1361 A.D.
• This invasion was mentioned in ‘Tarikh-i-Firoz-Farishta’ and ‘Tarikh-i-Firoz-Shahi’.
• Raja Rup Chand and Firoz Shah reached to an agreement in which Raja Rup Chand accepted the suzerainty of the latter. After the agreement in 1365, Firoz Shah visited Jawalamukhi and took away with him 1300 books of Sanskrit, which got translated into Persian by an eminent Persian writer ‘Ajjudin Khalid Khani’ and named the book ‘Dalai-i-Firozshahi’. After the death of Raja Rup Chand in 1375 A.D., his son Sagar Chand ceded the throne.

Jai Chand (1570 AD)

• Akbar was suspicious of him and thus issued and order for his arrest; He order Ram Chand of Guler to arrest him .
• Jai Chand was kept in confinement in Delhi.
• Bidhi Chand , his son regarded his father dead assumed the role of the state and broke out into revolt . He was being assisted by Raja Gopi Chand of Jaswan
• In A.D. 1572 , Akbar sent and army under Khan Jahan Hussein Quli Khan , to subdue the country which had been bestowed by the emperor in Jagir upon Birbal
• Mughal army then marched to Kotla fort located 20 miles from Nurpur. It originally belonged to Raja Ram chand of Guler but Jai Chand had occupied it by force.
• Mughal army snatched the fort and handed it over to Raja of Guler.
• Now they advanced towards Nagarkot: siege of Kangra fort was progressing favourably , when it was reported that Ibrahim Hussein Mirza and Musud Mirza , relatives of Akbar had invaded Punjab Mughal army departed to oppose the Mirzas.
• It was probably after Khan Jahan’s expedition to Kangra, that Akbar deputed his great finance minister Todar Mal , to Kangra in order to create an imperial demesne ( Lordship ) by confiscation of territory from hill states
• In this, Akbar made a failed attempt to capture the fort.

Raja Ghammand Chand(1751 AD):

• Revival of Katoch Dynasty: Katoch dynasty again came to the limelight when Ghamand Chand became king in 1751. The Mughal Empire was on its decline with Ahmed Shah Durrani and the Marathas struggling to gain control of India. Maharaja Ghamand Chand got an opportunity to further expand his kingdom in hills.  Except the fort of Kangra, he was able to get back all Katoch territories from Mughals. The Afghans could not successfully control these far-flung areas from Kabul, so local governors were appointed to administer the territory on their behalf.
• Governor of Jalandhar Doab: In A.D. 1758 Maharaja Ghamand Chand, supported Ahmed Shah Durrani (Abdali) who had become a master of all Punjab. Ahmed Shah made Maharaja Ghamand Chand the Governor of Jalandhar Doab and the title of ‘Nizam-e-Jalandhar’ conferred upon him as a hereditary distinction (the only Hindu Rajput Nizam India). However, he had to accept dominance of Adina Be Khan in 1758.
• Use of Rohillas: Ghamand Chand was the first King who used Rohillas (Pathans/Afghans) in his Kullu expedition. Rohillas damaged Bajaura temple externally. He established his capital at Nadaun.
• Territorial expansions: He raised a large army and defeated the Raja of Chamba and captured the fertile area of Palam. He annexed half of the Kutlehar states, seized the fertile land Of Chamba and conquered Kullu(Leh and Ladakh). The small principalities within the old kingdom of Kangra (Nurpur, Mau, GuIer, Datarpur, Sibba,  Kotla, Trilokpur, Una & Amb) were subdued.
• Architecture: He renovated the fort of Pathiyar (near Chamunda). He established the town of Sujanpur and beautified the palaces in Tira Sujanpur and Kangra Haveli in Lahore was built.

Raja Sansar Chand:

Maharaja Sansar Chand’s primary aim was to regain the Kangra Fort, which was still being governed by aged Saif Ali Khan on behalf of the Mughals.

1. Threat to neighbouring states:

• In battle at Nerti (1794) with Raja Raj Singh of Chamba for fertile area of Rihlu. Raja Raj was killed in battle by Jit Singh Purbea and his  Samadhi was created at place called Dehra. An annual fair is organized here in his memory.
• In 1792, the state of Mandi was sacked and plundered. Maharaja Sansar Chand entered triumphantly into the capital town of Mandi wearing armour made completely of gold. The Raja of Mandi Ishwari Sen was taken as prisoner and held at the Chaumukhi fort of Nadaun for 12 years.
• The state of Arki (Shimla hills) rendered his alliance to Maharaja Sansar Chand.
• Battle of Chartadu in 1793: After this Maharaja Sansar Chand fought another battle against Raja of Bilaspur and Raja of Sirmour, Dharam Prakashat Kehlur border. this battle Dharam Prakash was killed in duel with Sansar Chand.

 2. Gurkha’s invasion in Kangra hills:

• The Gorkhas under the command of Amar Singh Thapa were dreaming of creating a large mountain kingdom (which would stretch from Nepal to Kashmir). They had already acquired Garhwal, Sirmour, and the other small hill states of Shimla.
• Amar Singh Thapa and Wazir Nathu(Chamba) attacked Sansar Chand at Mahal Morian in which they defeated Sansar Chand and got Ishwari Sen free from Prison.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh had already united all the Sikh Misls under his banner and had become the lord of Punjab with his headquarters at Lahore. Sansar chand seek assistance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Maharaja Ranjit Singh defated forces of Gurkhas.
• Kangra fort came under the control of Ranjit Singh and rest of hilly states went to Sansar Chand . Dessa Singh Majithia was appointed as governor of fort.

3. Golder Era:

• Temple Construction: He renovated Baijnath temple in 1786 A.D. He also constructed a temple within the fort of Tira Sujanpur which contains the largest Ashtha Dhatu idols(Shiv, Parvati, Nandi) in India. The temple dedicated to Gauri Shankar was built during the time of Raja Sansar Chand in 1793 AD.
• Buildings: He built Zanana Mahal in the gardens of Alampur. He built the fortified town of Nadaun(Chaumukhi fort) with great palaces and other official buildings. He also built Darbar hall in Tira Sujanpur which had 22 gates representing every ruler subdued by him.
• Hatim and Rustom: He was called as ‘Hatim’ for helping rewarding artists and ‘Rustom’ for his generosity. In Nadaun, he settled Brahmins, astrologers, physician, sculptors and painters and gave them cash allowances and jagirs.
• Paintings: Maharaja Sansar Chand established the system of “Chhatis Kaarkhanas” which produces various handcrafts. The most famous of these crafts was the Kangra school of Miniature paintings and under the patronage of Maharaj Sansar Chand, almost 40,000 paiints were produced which depicted various Hindu epics and the court life of Sansar Chand.

Rise and Decline of Kangra State:

Causes and Circumstances that favoured rise of Trigarta:

• Fertile areas: This state was drained by three rivers i.e., the Satluj, the Beas and the Ravi which made this region economically prosperous.
• Powerful Kings: Bhumi Chand, Susharma Chand, Ghammand Chand and Sansar Chand II helped in formation and consolidation of Trigarta state.
• Impregnable forts: It was exceedingly difficult to attack and took control over forts of trigrata especially Nagarkot fort. It was one of oldest and strongest fort of Himachal Pradesh.
• Geographical area: Kangra is crisscrossed by mountain ranges and valleys. The terrain varies from the “Dhauladhar” range to plain and fertile plains of Jalandhar Doab regions.

Decline of Trigarta:

• Muslim invasion: It was invaded by Mahmud of Gaznavi, Akbar and Jahangir. These multiple invasions led to deterioration of trigarta empire in 11t^h-16^th century A.D. It was during attack of Mahmud of Gaznavi when native rulers lost their control over Nagarkot.
• Gurkha invasion: After revival of Trigarta state by Ghammand Chand and Sansar Chand, Gurkhas attack further weakened the Trigata rulers.
• Policies of Sansar Chand II: His attacks on neighbouring state made them enemy of Kangra state which further facilitated the invasion of Gurkhas in Kangra hilly areas.
• Sikh attacks: After arrival of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the fort was handed over to the Sikhs.
• British Consolidation: The Kangra fort was finally taken by the British after the Sikh war of 1846. A British garrison occupied the fort until it was heavily damaged in an earthquake on the 4th of April, 1905.