Opinion (Spotlight Weekly)

PRESENT DAY NEPAL AND BHAKTI THAPA

By Mrs. Laxmi Thapa et al

World community is now pointing accusing fingers at us. They are warning that Nepal could soon become a failed state if we do not pay heed to what they are telling. We cannot say they are wrong. Does it not bother us? Will it not be an absolute disgrace to our ancestors who had laid down their life to rank our country among very few countries of Asia and Africa that could survive the onslaught by colonial powers to enslave them. Perhaps our memory is very short. How about other countries ?

Britain Preserves its Past Glory

When we come out of the Charring Cross Railway Station , which is in the very heart of the London City, we find ourselves on a big square. It is called the Trafalgar Square , which has been named after the famous 1804 naval battle at Trafalgar in Mediterranean fought against the rapidly rising French military power. There is a big statue of the Admiral Horatio Nelson on a high pedestal that soars above at the centre of the Trafalgar Square.

Admiral Horatio Nelson had laid down his life in the Trafalgar battle to defend England. Admiral Nelson is always remembered by his countrymen as the person who saved British Empire in its worst days. The bravery, skill and sacrifice of Nelson and similar other historic people have become a great source of inspiration for English people to date to protect their country against all odds. They could victoriously sail through the worst periods of the World War I and World War II. The Madame Tuissade Museum at London displays in a specially arranged hall the full animation model of the Trafalgar naval battle. The thundering sound of the animated cannon firings is said to be conforming in intensity to the roaring of the cannons in the actual Trafalgar battle. It is very clear that the Trafalgar battle animation has been scrupulously presented to remind the posterity of the great sacrifice made by their ancestors in defending the country.

Nepal’s Glorious Past

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 the formal declaration of war. Britain hoped that Nepal could be quickly subdued in a blitzkrieg invasion. The battlefronts stretched over a distance of about 1500 km. between the Teesta River and the Sutlez River.

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 pay off. They might have been hoping that their descendants would not have to be humiliated by colonial rulers of those days if they fought to the death. The way new territories in South Asia under British control were ruled in those days had provoked even the British public. British Parliament went completely against it.

Accusations Against British Rulers

Historian HG Wells has written about the British rule in India at great length. The text from his book {History of the World) has been reproduced here. Englishmen at home were perplexed when presently the generals and officials came back to make dark accusations against each other of extortions and cruelties. Parliament passed a vote of censure upon Clive. He committed suicide in 1774. In 1788 Warren Hastings, a second great Indian administrator, was impeached.

The Start of Hostilities Between Nepal and Britain

The process of expansion of the Great Nepal had spread like wild fire across the Himalayan region. The western boundary of the Great Nepal was pushed across a distance of about 400 km within a very short period of just two years. So it was natural for the British Government to be greatly alarmed. We can draw such conclusion from the circumstances surrounding the visit of the Kirkpatrick to Kathmandu in 1793. British governor general in India had agreed to send Kirkpatrick to mediate in Nepal- China dispute. Kirkpatrick did not even set out for Nepal until after the war had been successfully terminated by the Nepal-China agreement. The governor general was requested not to send Kirkpatrick since the war had been amicably concluded. Surprisingly the governor general was adamant on sending a man to Kathmandu. So Kirkpatrick visited Kathmandu for no specific official purpose. The intention of Kirkpatrick's visit could hardly be anything else but to watch closely the growing military activities in Nepal and to ascertain that such activities were not going to be directed against the British India in near future.

The Anglo- Nepal War

The British 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 at the same time 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.

The British Government was expecting a blitzkrieg victory. It is said that the Governor General Hastings had planned to win the war in one mighty sweep in one to two months by the end of 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. The British rule in India was at a risk of falling apart. Unfortunately at that time the Sikhs and Marathas did not join Nepal in liberating the whole of the South Asian Continent from the grip of the European domination. British Government had at their disposal virtually unlimited resources from the Nepalese perspective. They continued to press Nepal all across the frontier that stretched over a distance of more than 1500 km. Nepalese resources were being sharply depleted. There was not any chance for their replenishment. So the ability of the Nepalese force to defend the territory under their control was steadily declining. They were forced to pull back. There was breakdown in control and command system. Towards the middle of the 1815 Amar Singh Thapa, Chief of the Nepalese force fighting in the western front was confined within a small area of the Malaun fort. The fate of Nepal was going to be in the hand of the Governor General Lord Hastings, unashamedly imperialistic and who became famous for having established the British Empire in India more firmly than before. At that time there could not be any room for doubt in his intention either to eliminate Nepal completely and bring it under the British rule or to turn it into a vassal state like so many other states under that category in British India. He could be forced not to take any such decision detrimental to the honor of Nepal only if he perceived that such action could pose serious threat to the continuance of British rule in India. The Deothal Battle could not be anything else but a clear message of threat from Nepalese people to the British rulers warning them not to take lightly the determination of Nepalese people to protect the honor of their country.

Bravery of Bhakti Thapa

Towards the sunset of the April 15th evening Bhakti Thapa and the army units under him arrived at the Malaun fort from their station at Surajgarh without being noticed by the British army units scattered around the Malaun fortress. The subsequent events help to explain that he might have come to persuade Amar Singh Thapa on behalf of all the brave commanders prepared to sacrifice their life for the country to pursue more aggressive methods to deter the enemy from overrunning the motherland. He might have even advised him to pull back from the Maluan to regroup the army units spread all across the Garwal and Kumaun to go to a completely new type of offensive.

The following day in the morning Bhakti Thapa at the age of 74 led a kamikaze type counterattack against the British force entrenched at Deothal. Historians have presented the description of this battle at great length. It was 3.15 a.m. when a force of 400 under Bhakti Thapa marched out of the Malaun fort, to a slow but steady beat of a drum. The British column under Thompson 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 appeared to have vowed to fight to the death. Bhakti Thapa had even handed his infant grandson in the custody of the Amar Singh Thapa just before going to the battlefield. It was a bloody battle. It would not be wrong to visualize that the Khukri charge and the battle cry of the Nepalese fighters might have shaken the enemies with fear. RP Ochterlony, the author of "Sketches Of The Goorka War" has written. A body of Gorkhas advancing to charge bears no resemblance to a European column. Several huge trumpets putting up a harsh but stirring noise, set the multitude in motion who, except some carry shields, grasping each a matchlock in his left hand and a broad sword in his right, rush on, disregarding all regularity, very like a pack of hounds in full cry.

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 very high. The British Government has praised their officers and soldiers for their bravery in the battle. According to one account the British casualties of dead and wounded in Deothal battle were 384 as against 390 Nepalese casualties - almost a ratio of one to one, under the most adverse conditions to the Nepalese.

World Was Stunned by Bhakti Thapa’s Bravery

It might surprise many of us to learn that the Bhakti Thapa who sacrificed his life at an age of 74 in a counter attack in Deothal battle against the British became a legend in the whole world. 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".

Bhakti Thapa was also one of the founders of modern Nepal. He played crucial role in extending Nepalese territory to the west of the Bheri River. Unfortunately most of Nepalese people do not even know who is Bhakti Thapa. As a result, they are denied opportunity to draw inspiration to be honest, patriotic and ready to make any sacrifice for the good of the country from the great historical events that marked the life of Bhakti Thapa.

(Thapa writes on history)