MeraPahad Community Of Uttarakhand Lovers

Dosto,

We are sharing here information about History of Uttarakhand Through coins compiled by Mr B C Joshi.



Excerpts from the history of Uttarakhand through coins  B. C. Joshi      My daughter has interest in collecting the coins. During my last visit to my village in Uttarakhand, she asked her grandmother if she has some old coins. My mother took out a hand made purse of olden days which itself looked like an antique piece. She gave her many coins. Some of them were very old and few of them didn’t even looked like a coin. I too was curious and she explained me that these coins were of ‘Gorkhiya Raj’ Then she narrated some ill famed incident told in folk songs of

I was even more curious and bought a book on history of Kumaon. Here are some excerpt from the history of Uttarakhand from Gorkha period onwards in chronological order viewed through the coins, i.e. History through coins that I want to share. (http://www.uttaranchal.org.uk/coinhistory.php)



 
Gurkha Invasion:
      Gorkha army wedged war against Chand Kingdom in the early months of the year 1790, from ‘Kali Kumaon’ under the leadership of Chautariya Bahadur Shah, Kazi Jagjit Pandey, Amar Singh Thapa and Sur Singh Thapa. They were assisted by Pt. Harsh Dev Joshi. After a fierce battle, Gorkha’s succeeded in the war and captured Almora, the capitol of Kumaon on Chaitra Krishna Paksh Purnima (full moon) of samvat 1847 i.e. year 1790.

     
      Coin from Gorkha rule

      In 1803, Gorkhas took over Garhwal also. Gorkha warrior Subba Amar Singh, Hastidal Chautariya, Bamshah Chautariya and Ranjor Thapa commanded a huge army in the crusade against Gadhwal King Pradyumna Shah and his sons, Kuwar Parakrama Shah and Kuwar Pritam Shah. A 12,000 strong army fought with Gorkhas at the palce known as ‘Khurhbure’ where king Pradyumn Shah was killed. Gradually, Gorkhas captured Dehradoon, Saharanpur, Kangada and Shimla.

The writer can be contacted at highlanderbcj@yahoo.com
M S Mehta

      This is a 1840 coin of early British period in India. I found this 165 years old coin with other old coins in my ancestral home. One side of the coin depicts Queen Victoria and other side have moulded ‘East India Company’ and ‘Rupee One’ in it. This coin made me curious about British reaching uttarakhand hills and capturing it. While going through the history, I found following excerpts interesting to post here.

     
British Rule Excerpts:
      During 1787 to 1812, Gorkhas captured nearly 200 villages falling under company rule. Britishers argued with king of Nepal but to no avail. Finally in1814 an army of 8000 under Major Genera Marley attacked Kathmandu, 4000 army under Maj Gen Wood started operation from Gorakhapur and 3500 soldiers attempted to take over Dehradoon under the captaincy of Maj Gen Zileswy. Gorkha army of 300 – 400 in Dehradoon was led by Balbhadra Thapa. Gorkhas fought a fierce battle to crush the British army, which had to be reinforced to 5000, and cannons. Finally English army captured Dehradoon on 30 Nov 1814.

      Lord Hasting then diverted his attention towards Kumaon . He was aware of the Gorkhas misrule and agony of the common public. On 14th Dec 1914, Britishers distributed a declaration in general public that they are aware of the misdeed of Gorkha dynasty and hence they are against Gorkhas. They also humbly sought the support of kumaonis in their tyrest against Nepali rule. This trick succeeded and people tired of Gorkha misrule, took it as a golden opportunity to get free from their clutches. Britishers also invited Pt. Harsh Dev Joshi, a renowned politician of the these days to join them who in turn wrote to all kumaoni soldiers in Gorkha army to join English forces against Gorkhas. This proved very effective and almost all kumaoni soldiers left Gorkha army and joined company forces.

      On 11th Feb, 1815 Col. Gardner took command of the army and moved from Kashipur to conquer Kumaon. They moved ahead capturing the areas and reached Katarmal (Where there is a famous sun temple) on 28th.

      Another contingent of 1500 Soldiers under Capt Harishy marched towards Tamli fort in Kali Kumaon. Later, a fierce battle was fought under the command of Col Nicoles at Vinayathal where Gorkha commander Hastidal and Jayrakha were killed. Thereafter, they launched attack on Almora. The war ended under an agreement with Gorkha supreme commander Bamshah and thus, British rule started in hills.

      East IndiaCompany came to India in 1600 and how they spread the roots of British dynasty in India is known to all of us. Same East India company established a factory in Kashipur. Company officers visiting the hills gasped seeing the beauty of nature in this part of the earth. Mr Gatt in 1802, Mr Moorcraft and Capt Herishy and later Mr Gardner sent detailed report about the land, climate, scenic beauty, natural resources. Lord Moyara also sent a confidential report to company saying,”I see the natural beauty of Kumaon hills and Himalaya even in my dreams. I pray to almighty, let the day come sooner than later when this beautiful country will be ours”. Opposing Gorkha rule was only a pretext to capture this beautiful hilly terrain.

     

 Mr Goin (Goyan?) became the Commissioner in 1831. In 1836, the slavery was abolished totally. Selling and buying of men and women was prohibited. Britishers had promised to Pt. Harsh Dev Joshi that prohibition on Cow slaughter would be continued but Commissioner Trail breached it. However, it was confined to cantonments but public of pahar agitated against it.

     
     
One Anna (Rupees ¼ ) coin of 1917 and 1936

      In 1987, Mr Bird was sent to examine the administration of Kumaon and Garhwal. In his report, he criticized the administration of Mr Trail and Mr. Goin.

     
     
                    Reverse side of the Anna with bust of Goerge–V King Emperor

  His significant contribution in the development of the area was construction of roads, canals and cultivation and establishment of new cities / clustered habitats in inaccessible Bhawar area. He motivated business by simplifying rules and taxation and giving protection to business community. His justice system was considered to be very effective and just. Inspite of the fact that he was a foreign ruler, Sir Henry was considered to be a better ruler that many native kings and succeeded in winning public respect and affection.

     
      One Pice (Paise) coin of 1933 (British Era) with Hole

      This coin was initially a subject of joke in public in Uttarakhand as they were used to Gold or silver coins. With this coin in circulation, this joke was also popular – Angreza tero raj chu khwat Ter Raj mei dabal mei le padi go twat (Aye angrez (Britishers) your rule is unjust hence even the coins have a hole in it).

      People in the hills were always keen to get education and had always a favourable education policy from the rule of native kings. Katyuri and Chand dynasty always facilitated education for all those deserved.

      In 1923, Commissioner Trail wrote to British Govt. “There are no general schools in Kumaon. Private schools are there which impart high quality education to its pupils. The teachers are Brahmin Pandits who teach language and mathematics. Children of high class Brahmins learn ‘sanskrit’ and go to Kashi for higher studies where they are taught as per hind religion.”

      Mr Barren, who got the deed of Nainital signed in the name of Company by terrorizing the Thokdar nar Sigh during boating in Naini Lake writes in his book ‘Himmala’ in 1840 “All the paharis, however poor , could read and write”.

      Education system and establishment, like all other, were demolished during Gorkha Raj. Inspite, there were 121 Hindi / Sanskrit schools in Kumaon alone and a lot more if included those in Garhwal. These schools were in personal houses of Brahmins. Out of these 121 schools, 54 did not charge any fee.

      Mr Thorton wrote in 1850, “there were 522 students in these 121 school. Apart from these 121, there was one more school which taught  Urdu language. In 1840, a school was opened in Srinagar. Teachers were paid Rs 5  per month from  ‘Lawarish fund’. Later, as per the recommendations of Calcutta Education Samiti, two more schools were opened; one in Kumaon with a monthly budget expenditure of Rs 20 and another in Garhwal with Rs  15 per month expenditure granted to it.

      In 1857, Education department was constituted in Kumaon, which was known as ‘Kumaon Circle’. In September 1858, schools were opened at Someshwar, Dhalarh, Satrali, Dwarahat and Nirai and in 1859 at Champawat, Bhikiyasain, Pithoragarh, Gangolihat, Syalde, Ganai, Bhikiyasaid and Deghat.

      In 1871, Pandit Biddhi Ballabh Pant as Education Inspector replaced Major Garden. At that time, there were 2 middle schools and 116 primary schools with a total student count of 8488 and in 1889 when he left, there were 17 middle schools and 204 primary schools with 10927 pupils. This was a phenomenal progress.

      India broke the clutches of slavery and declared a sovereign nation in 1947 after sacrifice of many brave sons of the land like Chandra Shekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru, Shubhas Chandra Bose and untiring efforts of father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi treading a new and untested path of non-violence. British people had to leave India. But all this happened with a deep scar in the minds of Indians and split of the nation. Iron man Sardar Patel, then home minister was instrumental in merger of many independent states like Hyderabad in India whereas Kashmir was left (the root of a poison tree). Jinnah got his pakistan at the cost of the lives of thousand of people and migration of millions. Those who witnessed the partisan, still spill blood and venom on the excesses they suffered.

      This coin of the year of Independence reminds us the cost of independence we had to pay.

     
      ‘Pav rupaya’ (Quarter Rupee) with George VI King Emperor in one side and a lion on the reverse

      1948, just one year after the nation was liberated, Nathu Ram Godse shot dead Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. ‘He Ram’ was the last words from that legendry icon of non-violence. This brass 20 paise coin reminds us of Mahatma and his contribution in securing independence and his indestructible, unconquerable determination to liberate the country by way of his principle of non-violence.

     
      Coins minted in post-independence period