Battle of Khurbura facts for kids

The Battle of Khurbura (also called the Battle of Khudbuda or Gorkha-Garhwal War) was a big fight that happened in May 1804. It took place near a village called Khurbura, which is close to modern-day Dehradun in India.

This battle was the first major attack on the Garhwal Kingdom. It was fought between the forces of the Kingdom of Nepal and Maharaja Pradyumna Shah, the king of Garhwal. The battle lasted for 13 days. In the end, the Garhwal king was defeated. This was the only time King Pradyumna Shah lost a battle. The Gorkhali forces from Nepal won.

Why the Battle Happened

Some people in the Garhwal Kingdom felt that their royal family, the Garhwal dynasty, was in trouble. They even believed it was because of old stories about curses from queens. When this battle began, the Gorkhas took control of the kingdom. They ruled Garhwal until 1814.

The Gorkha forces came into Khurbura with guns to take over the area. The soldiers from Garhwal mostly fought with swords. Because of this, the Garhwal Kingdom lost badly, and the Gorkhas began their rule.

The Battle Itself

The Garhwal Kingdom was already weak and unstable. A big earthquake in 1803 had caused a lot of damage. The whole kingdom was still recovering from it.

Despite these difficult times, Maharaja Pradyumna Shah tried to gather his forces. He moved from Srinagar, Uttarakhand to Dehradun, and then to Saharanpur. He managed to gather about 10,000 to 12,000 soldiers. However, most of them were not well-trained. These soldiers came from different groups, including Rajputs and Gujars. They were led by a Gujjar leader named Ramadayal Singh.

On the other side, the Gorkhali forces were led by their main commander, 'Bada Kaji' Amar Singh Thapa. His other leaders included Kaji Ranajit Kunwar and Bhaktibir Thapa. The battle happened at Khadbuda, not far from the palace of Guru Ram Rai.

During the battle, King Pradyumna Shah was on his horse. He was talking to another leader, Miya Dulal Singh. At that moment, Kaji Ranajit Kunwar shot King Pradyumna Shah, and he died. After their king was killed, the Garhwali soldiers ran away. This brought the war to an end.

What Happened After

After the king died, his son, Prince Sudarshan Shah, escaped to Kanakhal with some soldiers. The king's brother, Parakram Shah, fled to his father-in-law's home without even taking care of the king's funeral.

Another of the king's brothers, Pritam Shah, was captured by the Gorkhas. He lived a very difficult and poor life while imprisoned. The Gorkhali commander, Amar Singh, sent King Pradyumna Shah's body to Haridwar. He made sure it was sent with respect, protected by some Gorkhali soldiers.

Amar Singh then made Kaji Ranajit Kunwar a leader in charge of one part of the Garhwal area, specifically Srinagar.

Khurbura was once an important place in the Garhwal Kingdom. Today, it is just a small village. However, it holds a remarkable history. The area is now managed by the authorities of Dehradun in the state of Uttarakhand.