Opinion (Spotlight Weekly)

Amar Singh And Bhakti Thapa

By Mrs. Laxmi Thapa et al

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". . Unfortunately now 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 by the great historical events that marked the life of Bhakti Thapa.

Bhakti Thapa was also one of the founders of modern Nepal. Historians have written that the Bhakti Thapa had impressed the Gorkha commanders during the War of Consolidation and joined those who were to be the eventual ruler of Nepal. Kazi Amar Singh Thapa had treaded in the footsteps of Bhakti Thapa. Bhakti Thapa had played crucial role in extending Nepalese territory to the west of the Bheri River. At the height of the unification campaign in early 1790s Bhakti Thapa was stationed at Almora (now India), and he was the Supreme Commander and Administrator of the entire territory from the Chepe-Marshayangdi to Jamuna River ( now in India). All military commanders and garrisons based in this vast region including the kings of protectorates were under his direct command.

Bhakti Thapa and Unification of Jumla

According to Hamilton the Nepalese force was no match to the strength of the large Jumla force of that time so an outright attack against the Jumla force would have been extremely bloody, and it could even end up sadly. Hamilton writes the stalemate continued for more than two years. At the end of this stalemate period Bhakti Thapa entered into the unification campaign in 1789 and helped to score a swift victory.

In his first major military operation itself he demonstrated his exceptionally brilliant skill in launching a very successful operation under the most adverse condition that was sure to astonish anyone. He changed the strategy of the predecessors and led an attack on Jumla from the difficult north route. The result was a swift victory and the life of many people could also be saved. A letter sent by the King highly commends Bhakti Thapa for the skill displayed in successful accomplishment of the Jumla operation. The letter also cautions Bhakti Thapa not to advance further without completing the process of consolidation over the entire newly added territory. The capital appeared to be gripped by the fear that the further advance to the west would be very difficult and also risky. So it was clearly explained in the letter to the Bhakti Thapa that the whole operation would be in a mess if further advance is allowed to continue without fully completing the task of consolidation. It implied that the operation to extend territory of Nepal further to the west would have to be suspended for next two to three years to complete the task of consolidation.

Progress of Unification Beyond Jumla

Immediately after the unification of Jumla Bhakti Thapa was seen to have shifted his attention to the west to integrate with renewed vigor and determination new territories into the Great Nepal despite the warning of the Capital against such move. Poet Jayaratnakaran of that period has described in one of his books how Bhakti Thapa himself led the operation to integrate Doti into the Great Nepal by defeating the King of Doti. The territorial unification in the west beyond Jumla was much faster than anybody could have reasonably anticipated. In a short period of just two years from 1789 to 1791 the western border of Nepal had been extended almost across a distance of about 400 kilometers from Bheri River to Jamuna River( now in India).

Kazi Amar Singh Thapa

Soon after the return of Rana Bahadur Shah from Banaras in 1804 the campaign to extend the territory further to the west recommenced. Bhim Sen Thapa became the most powerful man in Nepal after the assassination of the Rana Bahadur Shah. During this period, two Amar Singh Thapas figured in Nepal’s history. The first was the father of Bhim Sen Thapa. The first Amar Singh Thapa was initially Subedar under Bhakti Thapa when the latter was the Administrator and Supreme Commander of the whole region from Chepe-Marshyangdi to Jamuna River. Perhaps on the recommendation of the Bhakti Thapa he was elevated to the post of Subba. Amar Singh Thapa was a brave military commander. During the Anglo-Nepal War of 1814-16 he and his son Ujir Singh Thapa had defeated the British invading force trying to break into Kathmandu through Butwal-Palpa route. Unfortunately, soon after the promotion from Subedar to Subba Amar Singh Thapa was recalled to Kathmandu from his assignment in Kumaun in mid 1790 on the pretext that he was trying to wage war against the Nawab of Lucknow. In reality the incidence was one of the minor border skirmishes which did happen occasionally since borders were not well defined. Soon it proved that the orchestrated incident was a grand ploy to make Bam Shah all mighty administrator of the vast western region. As soon as it became clear during the latter half of 1790s that Nepal would not be able to undertake unification campaign in near future Bam Shah might have been interested to occupy the post of the administrator. Perhaps it might be one of the reasons why Bhim Sen Thapa was not seemed to be well disposed towards Bam Shah when the former became all powerful mukhtiar of Nepal. .

Another Amar Singh Thapa who commanded the Nepalese force in far western region is often called in history as Kazi Amar Singh Thapa regardless of the military title he might have had more properly at any stage. Kazi Amar Singh Thapa had been paired with Bhakti Thapa to start the reunification campaign to extend the territory of the Great Nepal further to the west. Obviously, Kazi Amar Singh Thapa was to be the main leader. Such decision might have humiliated Bhakti Thapa as well as Kazi Amar Singh Thapa. Bhakti Thapa was the main leader in the previous campaign. He must have felt humiliated because now he was subordinate to Kazi Amar Singh Thapa. Similarly Kazi Amar Singh Thapa might have also felt that the state was not ready to put its full trust in him. As a result, a person of very high caliber like Bhakti Thapa was assigned to keep a watch on his activities.

Kazi Amar Singh Thapa was a straightforward, honest and brave person. But he had few weaknesses. Recent historians point out that he and Bam Shah showed such diabolical strategic inflexibility in Anglo-Nepal War of 1814-16 , which was very harmful to Nepal.

New Unification Campaign

The new unification campaign did not proceed as swiftly as the 1789-91 campaign. At the end there was even a big setback. There can be several reasons why the progress was so slow.

British Government had always felt at that time that the Great Nepal would pose a serious threat to their ambition to enlarge British Empire in South Asia. They never missed any opportunity to prevent further expansion of Nepal. Mr. Kirkpatrick had visited Kathmandu in early 1790s as an emissary of the British Governor General to gather information on Nepal’s preparation for the next phase of the unification campaign. British agents were inciting local rajas to rise against Nepal. British Government signed peace agreement in 1808 in Amritsar with the newly born Sikh state perhaps to drive back Nepal across the Sutlez River.

Conquest of Kangra fort was the Nepal’s prized goal. Kazi Amar Singh Thapa himself had taken the charge to defeat the King Sansar Chand who had taken refuge in the Kangra fort. The fighting stretched over a long period. Bhim Sen Thapa even sent his younger brother Kazi Nayan Singh Thapa to help Kazi Amar Singh Thapa. It is said that the two Kazis did not sincerely join forces to conquer Kangra fort. Ultimately Nepal’s effort to conquer Fort Kangra in time failed despite the fact that quite some time back Bhakti Thapa with a very small force under his direct command had thoroughly routed the army of the King Sansar Chand and the commander-in-chief of his army Banbajir had also been killed in the ensuing battle. The Tehra fort , which was the centre of fighting and the stronghold of Sansar Chand, had fallen to the force under the command of Bhakti Thapa.

Absence of Single Unified Western Command

Kazi Amar Singh Thapa might not have been granted the wide range of authority to the extent vested in Bhakti Thapa in course of the previous campaign to enable the former to mobilize the resources of the entire western region to finance the unification campaign. At that time Bhakti Thapa stationed at Almora (now India) was given full freedom. King did not challenge the authority of Bhakti Thapa even when the latter slashed the budget previously allocated to the brothers and nephews of the king. Bhakti Thapa only received a simple letter from the king not to reduce the previously allocated budget without consulting him in advance. Some historians like Mahesh Chandra Regmi have regarded this incident as a weakness of Bhakti Thapa. In reality it was perhaps the greatest strength of Bhakti Thapa. Even the king did not challenge it to hurt the pride of Bhakti Thapa. The authority vested in Kazi Amar Singh Thapa might have been greatly curtailed. There were several independent commanders in the western region who were directly responsible to the Centre. As a result, Kazi Amar Singh Thapa might have great difficulties even to relocate the fighting forces according to the actual need. Now historians are blaming that the absence of a single unified western command was the main cause of the defeat of Nepal in the war with the Great Britain.

(Thapa writes on history)