Anglo-Gorkha and Anglo-Sikh War
The Gorkhas, a martial tribe came to power in
Nepal in the year 1768. They consolidated their military power and began to
expand their territory. Gradually the Gorkhas annexed Sirmour and Shimla hill
states. With the leadership of Amar Singh Thapa, Gorkhas laid siege to Kangra.
They managed to defeat Sansar Chand, the ruler of kangra, in 1806 with the help
of many hill chiefs. However Gorkhas could not capture Kangra fort which came
under Maharaja Ranjeet Singh in 1809. After this defeat the Gorkhas began to
expand towards south. This resulted in the Anglo-Gorkha war. They came into
direct conflict with the English along the tarai belt after which the English
expelled them from the hill states east of the Satluj. Thus British slowly
emerged as the paramount powers in this tract.
After the Anglo-Gorkha war
the common border of the British domain and Punjab became very sensitive. Both
the Sikh and English wanted to avoid a direct conflict, but after the death of
Ranjit Singh, the Khalsa army fought a number of wars with the British. In 1845
when the Sikhs invaded the British territory by crossing the Satluj, the rulers
of many hill states sided with the English as they were looking for an
opportunity to settle scores with the former. Many of these rulers entered into
secret communication with the English. After the first Anglo-Sikh war, the
British did not restore the hill territory vacated by Sikhs to their original
owners.
Revolt of 1857
The revolt or first Indian war of independence resulted due to the
building up of political, social, economic, religious and military grievances
against the British. People of the hill states were not politically alive as the
people in other parts of the country. They remained more or less aloof and so
did their rulers with the exception of Bushahr. Some of them even rendered help
to the Britishers during the revolt. Among them were the rulers of Chamba,
Bilaspur, Bhagal and Dhami. The rulers of Bushars acted in a manner hostile to
the interests of British. However it is not clear whether they actually aided
the rebels or not.
British Rule 1858 to 1914
The British
territories in the hill came under British Crown after Queen Victoria's
proclamation of 1858. The states of Chamba, Mandi and Bilaspur made good
progress in many fields during the British rule. During the first World War,
virtually all rulers of the hill states remained loyal and contributed to the
British war effort both in thr form of men and materials. Amongst these were the
states of Kangra, Siba, Nurpur, Chamba, Suket, Mandi and Bilaspur.
Freedom Struggle 1914 to 1947
The people of the hill also participated in
the freedom struggle. The highlights of the freedom movement in this tract are
listed below:
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Praja Mandal launched
agitations against the British yoke in areas under direct British
Rule.
-
In other princely
states agitations were launched for social and political reforms. However
these were directed more against the princes than against the British and as
such were mere extensions of freedom movement.
-
The Mandi conspiracy
was carried out in 1914-15 under the influence of the Gadhr party. Meetings
were held in Mandi and Suket states in December 1914 and January 1915 and it
was decided to murder the Superintendent and Wazir of Mandi and Suket, to loot
the treasury, blow to up the bridge over Beas river. However conspirators were
caught and sentenced to long terms in prison.
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The Pajhota agitation
in which the people of a part of Sirmour state revolted is regarded as an
extension of the Quit India Movement of 1942.
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Important freedom
fighters of this state during this period included Dr. Y.S. Parmar, Padam Dev,
Shivanand Ramaul, Purnanand, Satya Dev, Sada Ram Chandel, Daulat Ram, Thakur
Hazara Singh and Pahari Gandhi Baba Kanshi Ram.
-
The Congress party
was also active in the freedom movement in the hill state particularly in
Kangra.
Post-Independence Period
The history of present day Himachal Pradesh in the post-independence era
has been outlined below:
-
The Chief
Commissioner's province of H.P. came into being on 15th April,
1948.
-
H.P. became a part C
state on 26th January, 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of
India.
-
Bilaspur was merged
with Himachal Pradesh on 1st July, 1954.
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Himachal Pradesh
became Union Territory on 1st November, 1956.
-
Kangra and most of
the other hill areas of Punjab were merged with H.P. on 1st November, 1966
though its status remained that of a Union Territory.
-
On 18th December,
1970 the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament and the new
state came into being on 25th January, 1971. Thus H.P. emerged as the
eighteenth state of Indian Union.
-
Himachal Pradesh has
come a long way since then. It has seen a number of full-fledged governments
which have led the state towards economic self-reliance.
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