IN DEFENCE OF NEPAL’S SOVREIGNTY ROLE OF BHAKTI THAPA
Mrs. Laxmi Thapa
Nepal was in the avant-garde 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.
Nepal was Attacked
It was early 1810s. Great Britain was the most powerful country in the whole world. Its vast empire had already stretched across all five continents. Britain finally decided to implement its plan to make Nepal also one of its colonies. 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. Many patriotic Nepali laid down their life in the battles fought against the British. Our enemy was forced to abandon its grand design to enslave Nepal.
Cause of War
At a time when almost the whole South Asian region was being swiftly converted into the colony of the European countries, Nepal was able to rise from a scratch to be a formidable Himalayan power within a very short time. Nepal had gathered enough strength to move forward to protect the peoples dwelling in this vast region from external threats. However, the build up of Nepalese strength brought her on a collision course with the colonial power of that time. Colonial power Great Britain had good reason to fear that if the Nepalese build up continued for some time, the colonial rule of Britain could soon come to an end in South Asia much the same way as in the North America a short time before.
Bhakti Thapa and Unification Campaign
Bhakti Thapa was known in the past mainly as a patriot who laid down his life at the age of 74 defending the country. The newly discovered letters from the King to Bhakti Thapa have revealed the facts that in 1790s when the western boarder of the Great Nepal had almost hit the Sutlej river, Bhakti Thapa stationed at Kumaun ( now India) was the governor and supreme commander of the whole region to the west of the Chepe-Marshyangdi Bhakti Thapa had played a crucial role in the expansion of Nepal from the Bheri River to Punjab.
Bravest of the Braves
Bhakti Thapa at the age of 74 years had led the most daring counterattack on April 16, 1815 against the British force at Deothal. Bhakti Thapa and his followers in the counterattack had vowed to fight to the death. Defiant Bhakti Thapa with a small force of just 400 marched to the battlefield to fight against the entrenched British force armed to the teeth and numbering about 3500. Bhakti Thapa laid down his life in the battlefield. Every one who fought from the Nepalese side was either killed or wounded.
Bhakti Thapa became a legend even in the eyes of British historians. One of the historians 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 Gurkhas 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."
The great sacrifice of Bhakti Thapa and his followers who laid down their life in Deothal Battle field paid off. British were forced to abandon their grand design to make Nepal one of their colonies.
Hami Gorkhali Hom-Views of Historian CB Khanduri
Why Gorkhas won and their enemies, the Kumaonis, Garhwalis or Himanchalis lost is the question that should haunt every historian. After all, the armies of those states were large; reasonably equipped; and their men material and their armies were not inferior to the Gorkhas'. And they fought in their own territories with the advantage of intelligence, resources and no dearth of brave population. The conclusion one draws from the analysis of strategies followed, battle field tactics and techniques adopted, is just one: there was total lack of leadership among the vanquished. The Gorkhas, on the other hand, had been spurred by their overzealous new concepts of nationalism ( Hami Gorkhali hom). It had leadership that grew stronger as it moved from Kumaon to the Kashmir border. Leadership and character were the hallmarks of the Gorkhas that got them victorious against a people who lacked both these essential ingredients for the life of a state.
Bhakti Thapa had impressed the Gorkha commanders during the War of Consolidation and joined those who were to be the eventual rulers of Nepal. Kaji Amar Singh Thapa had treaded in the footsteps of Bhakti Thapa.
New Generation Unaware
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.
It is unfortunate that our historians and educationists have not cared to explain younger generations how our ancestors made great sacrifices so that our country could remain free whereas almost all other countries in Asia and Africa were enslaved by colonial powers. As a result, our new generation virtually knows nothing about our glorious past. Thus, they are denied opportunity to draw moral lessons from the great sacrifices of our ancestors. It is hoped that in near future our country’s attention would be drawn to end this shocking state of affairs.
