PRESENT- DAY NEPAL AND GLORIOUS PAST
By Laxmi Thapa
We have good reason to be proud of our glorious past though our generations failed to live up to the greatness of our ancestors. World marvels at the utmost bravery and sacrifice of our ancestors, who succeeded in saving our country from falling into the clutches of the colonial powers. Nepal was in the forefront among the countries succeeding to defend themselves from the threat of being enslaved by colonial powers. At that time there was no other country to help us. Our country alone had to face the intruder many times superior to us in strength. In this struggle a large number of patriotic Nepali had to sacrifice their life
Unfortunately our country is one of the poorest in the world. Those of us living now should be ashamed that we could not live up to the expectation of our forefathers to transform Nepal into a reasonably developed country despite the fact that the present world situation is very conducive to carry out works to accelerate socio-economic development works of any country.
Worst Days in Nepal’s History
It was early 1810s. Great Britain was the most powerful country in the whole world. Its vast empire stretched across all five continents. At that time it was ruthlessly expanding its empire in the South Asian Sub-continent. Britain was tempted to make Nepal also its colony. Nepal was attacked without formally declaring war. Britain hoped that Nepal could be quickly subdued in a blitzkrieg invasion.
Needless to say that those were the worst days in the history of our country. The war stretched over a period of three calendar years in sharp contrast to the expectation of the British Government. Nepal bravely defended its independence. Britain was forced to abandon its grand design to enslave Nepal though we lost some of our territories.
Our forefathers were able to protect the honor of our country while almost all other countries in Asia and Africa failed. Nepal was able to defend its independence because of our forefathers’ great sacrifice. They must have visualized that their great sacrifice would be paid off. They might have been hoping that their descendants would not have to be humiliated by colonial rulers of those days if they bravely defended their country
Dreadful Plight of People in Colonies
Jawaharlal. Nehru has expressed in an extremely touching way the pitiable condition of Indians under the British rule in this famous book “ The Discovery of India” first published in 1946. He has written that the Indians were living in enslaved condition in their own country until 1947 when India became a free country. The text from his book is presented hereinafter.
“In Bombay there is a well-known club which did not allow and so far as I know, does not allow, an Indian (except as a servant) even in its visitors’ room, even though he might be a ruling prince or a captain of industry.”
“Racialism in India is not so much English versus Indian; it is European as opposed to Asiatic. In India every European, be he German, or Pole, or Rumanian, he is automatically a member of the ruling race. Railway carriages, station retiring-rooms, benches in parks, etc., marked “Europeans Only”. This is bad enough in South Africa or elsewhere, but to have to put up with it in one’s own country is a humiliating and exasperating reminder of one’s enslaved condition.”
“Bengal had the first full experience of British rule in India. That rule began with outright plunder and a land revenue system which extracted the uttermost farthing not only from the living but also from the dead cultivators.”
“A gold lust unequalled since the hysteria that took hold of the Spaniards of Cortes’ and Pizarro’s age filled the English mind. Bengal in particular was not to know peace again until she has been bled white. It was pure loot. This process was called trade later on but that made little difference. And it must be remembered that this lasted, under various names and under different forms, not for a few years but for generations.”
Expansion of British Rule
The way new territories in South Asia were brought under British control and ruled in those days had provoked even the British public. British Parliament went completely against it.
The Marquis Wellesley became in 1798 the next British Governor-General of India. In 1998 the French fleet was defeated by the British admiral Horatio Nelson significantly weakening its strength. After the 1998 naval victory British rulers in India must have felt that France would not anymore be able to pose serious threat to further expansion of the British Empire in South Asia. Britain started the task of further expansion of its territory.
Governor General Wellesley played decisive role in the expansion of the British Empire in India. Colonel Wellesley, the younger brother of the Marquis Wellesley, had also come to India. Colonel Wellesley afterwards became Sir Arthur Wellesley, and then Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon in Waterloo Battle. Later on he became the Prime Minister of the Great Britain.
Oude Nawab Cedes Do-ab to Britain
Governor General Wellesley used every possible means to expand British Empire in South Asia. Wellesley asked the Nawab of Oude to agree, like the Nizam, to cede to Britain some of his territories in exchange for British protection. At first the Nawab would not agree, but at length, when he saw there was no use of trying to resist, he gave in. British army was sent to Oude, and to pay for it the Nawab gave up the Do-ab or the country between the Jamuna and the Ganges. Meanwhile Wellesley turned his attention to Delhi. In 1803, General Gerard Lake captured Delhi and Agra.
It was very clear that British rulers in India did not want Nepal to become a strong power. They must have realized that sooner or later they would have to wage a war against Nepal. British rulers must not have liked to risk getting caught in battles against Nepal in unknown high mountain terrains without penetrating into Nepal’s defense system in advance.
British- Nepal War
The British actively began preparation for the war from the time when F.R. Hastings- Earl of Moira landed in India as Governor General and Commander-in- Chief in 1813. The actual declaration of war against Nepal is recorded as 1 November, 1814, though the war began from middle of October. The decision to declare war had been made six months earlier so the territorial dispute appears to be only a pretext. British force had marched into Nepal across a frontier of more than 1500 km to attack at several points simultaneously. The eastern British flank was moving north from the Teesta area whereas the farthermost western flank from the Sutlej river area. It was virtually a modern type warfare extended over a period of three calendar years and necessitating to protect the entire region bordering the enemy held territory. The British invasion force, in comparison with Nepalese, had absolute superiority in cavalry, pioneers, and at least the superiority of 10 times in infantry and 100 times in artillery. They also had the advantage of maneuverability in movement of their fighting force.
War Prolonged
British had expected a blitz-krieg victory. It is said that the Governor General Hastings had planned to win the war in one mighty sweep in one to two months in end 1814 but certainly before the Christmas. He was badly mistaken in his assessment. We Nepalese fought very bravely. In early months of the war the initial British invasion was completely beaten off. British offensive ended in complete failure. Nepalese force stationed within the shelter of the fortress were not only able to defend their position against an invading enemy many times superior in strength but they even shocked them by their dreadful counteroffensive that used to be accompanied by big losses on British side. The British rule in India was at a risk of falling apart.
After the initial defeats the British changed their strategy to avoid their casualties. They started to deploy long range guns to level the fortification and force us to flee. This strategy paid off. The British were able to advance quickly into the territory under our control. They even used elephants to carry heavy guns across the mountains.
Bravery of Nepalese People
Bhakti Thapa at the age of 74 had led a counterattack against the British force entrenched at Deothal on April 15, 1814. It was 3.15 a.m. when a force of 400 under Bhakti Thapa marched out of the Malaun fort. The British column had taken position at Deothal on reverse slopes. The cannons of 6 pounders were properly concealed. There were two Indian battalions, the Grenadiers companies of the Light Battalions and some 1000 Irregulars. The British strength was up to about 3,500 troops and weapons.
Bhakti Thapa and his followers in the counterattack had vowed to fight to the death. . It was a bloody battle Bhakti Thapa laid down his life in the battlefield. Every one who fought from the Nepalese side was either killed or wounded. The British casualties were also high.
Bhakti Thapa who sacrificed his life at an age of 74 in a counter attack in Deothal Battle against the British became a legend even in the eyes of his enemy. Historian CB Khanduri writes quoting various contemporary British historians" The euphemism of the BRAVEST OF THE BRAVES had been used by Napoleon for Marshal Ney, whose bravery during the retreat from Moscow in 1812 was one of the highest. BRAVE LES BRAVE, said Napoleon of him. British then used this citation for the Gorkhas during and after the Anglo-Nepal War. Such was the bravery shown by Bhakti Thapa that the next legend of the Bravest of the Braves had been created on the day- 16 April 1815 at Deothal.
(Thapa writes on history)
