Kingdom of Kumaon

Kingdom of Kumaon
कुमाऊं राज्य (Kumaoni)
600–1791
Flag of Kumaon Rajya
Flag
Royal Seal
Dagger Seal of the Maharaja of Kumaon
Location of the Kumaon Kingdom, and main South Asian polities in 1175, on the eve of the Ghurid Empire invasion of the subcontinent.[1]
Status
Capital
Common languages
Ethnic groups
Religion
State religion:
Hinduism
Other:
Buddhism
Islam
Demonym(s)Kumaoni
GovernmentFederal Aristocracy under an Absolute monarchy influenced by Political Factions [2]

or

Occasionally an Oligarchy with a Monarchial Figurehead [3]
Maharajadhiraja 
• 600
Vasu Dev (First {Katyuri Dynasty}
• 1064–1065
Bir Dev (Last {Katyuri Dynasty}
• 700–721
Som Chand (First {Chand Dynasty} as Feudatory)
• 1450–1488
Ratna Chand (36th {Chand Dynasty}, First of united Kumaon)
• 1638–1678
Baz Bahadur Chand
• 1788–1791
Mahendra Chand (Last)
Diwan 
• 700–721
Joshi Sudhanidhi Chaube (First {Chand Dynasty})
• 1788–1791
Lal Singh (Last)
LegislaturePanchayat of Kumaon (Powerful Privy council)
Malladhada (Mahar Faction)
Talladhada (Fartyal Faction)
History 
• Established
600
• Fall of Katyuri Dynasty
11th Century
• Period of Fragmentation
12th century–15th century
• Reunification of Kumaon by Chand Dynasty
1450
• Invaded by Kingdom of Nepal
1791
Area
• Total
72,000[4][5] km2 (28,000 sq mi)(Approx. area during peak of Chand Dynasty)
Population
• Estimate
500,000 [6][7]
CurrencyRupee, Paisa
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kuninda kingdom
Kingdom of Nepal
Today part ofUttarakhand, India

Tibet, China

Sudurpashchim Province, Nepal

29°35′50″N 79°39′33″E / 29.5971°N 79.6591°E / 29.5971; 79.6591

The Kingdom of Kumaon (English: /kuˈmn/ KOO-maown; Kumaoni: कुमाऊं राज्य; Persian: پادشاهی کوماون; Tibetan: ཀུ་མའོ་རྒྱལ་ཕྲན།; HT: Kumāū̃; [kʊˈmä.ʊ̃], also anglicized as Kemaon), also known as Kurmanchal (कूर्मांचल),[8] was a Himalayan kingdom that existed for nearly 1200 years.[8] The kingdom was established by Vasu Dev of the Katyuri Dynasty in the 7th Century after he unified many small principalities. After the fall of the Katyuris in the 11th Centry and about three centuries of fragmentation, the Chand Dynasty managed to reunify Kumaon in the middle of the 15th Century. They shifted the capital from Kartikeyapura (Baijnath) to Champawat in the 12th Century, and finally to Almora in 1563. During their rule Kumaon was spread sovereign from river Tons to river Karnali.[8][9][10]

During the 500-year Katyuri rule, Kumaoni culture began forming, with Shaivism as the dominant belief. Notable temples like those in Jageshwar and Katarmal were built, and Sanskrit and Pali were widely used. The administration was efficient, with well-built roads and bridges. After the Katyuris' decline, Kurmanchal fragmented into petty kingdoms.[8][9] The Chand Dynasty, present in Kumaon since the 8th century, unified the region, including Doti, in the 15th century. During their 700-year rule (400 years over united Kumaon), folk Hinduism flourished, and Kumaoni gained prominence while Sanskrit was reserved for religion and education. A party system government existed, and for a century, Kumaon thrived as a hub for trade, religion, and learning. Culture bloomed and Kumaon saw a century of Golden Age. However, political instability and financial crises weakened the kingdom by the 18th century, leading to its annexation by the newly unified Kingdom of Nepal in 1791. After 24 years of oppressive Nepalese rule, the British East Indian Company and later the British Crown took control.[8][9]

The Katyuris and the Chands left a substantial legacy to modern - day Uttarakhand. Much of the Kumaoni culture, societal norms, and folk traditions, along with the Kumaoni language, derive from the practices and traditions of the Katyuris and the Chands.

  1. ^ Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 37, 147. ISBN 0226742210.
  2. ^ Pandey, Badri Dutt (1993). History of Kumaon. Almora Book Depot. ISBN 81-900 209-4-3.
  3. ^ Pandey, Badri Dutt (1993). History of Kumaon. Almora Book Depot. ISBN 81-900 209-4-3.
  4. ^ Pandey, Badri Dutt (1993). History of Kumaon. Almora Book Depot. ISBN 81-900 209-4-3.
  5. ^ Atkinson, E.T. (1882). The Himalayan Gazetteer.
  6. ^ Pandey, Badri Dutt (1993). History of Kumaon. Almora Book Depot. ISBN 81-900 209-4-3.
  7. ^ Atkinson, E.T. (1882). The Himalayan Gazetteer.
  8. ^ a b c d e Dutt Pandey, Badri (1937). Kumaon Ka Itihas [History Of Kumaon] (in Hindi) (1st Volume ed.). Almora, Uttarakhand, India: Almora Book Depot (published January 1993). ISBN 978-8190008655.
  9. ^ a b c Atkinson, Edwin T. (Edwin Thomas), 1840-1890. (1990). Himalayan Gazetter. Cosmo. OCLC 183008777.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hāṇḍā2002 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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