Brahmins 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, the 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, Mahatama Gandhi wrote his impressions of Almora in his newspaper 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 equalled, 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The earliest historical references to the region are found in the Vedas.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. Evidence of Stone Age settlements has 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 the following in his blog.

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 started after a tyrant king, King Vir Deo ascended the throne. After his death, his sons fought amongst each other and the kingdom got divided into small jagirs.

The Chands of Pithoragarh

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. Some prominent people got together and sent a delegation to King Kannauj to come and restore the civil administration. He sent King Som Chand, who some say was his younger brother and others say was a chiefton from Jhansi. Whatever be the case, Som Chand came to Champawat around 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 in 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 until the Gorkhali Conquest and subsequently the British Occupation, Kumaon was always independent

Towards the end of the 1700s, the Chand Dynasty was declining due to in-fighting. This was taken advantage of 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 and 1890 respectively.

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 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.