Consider the geopolitical developments in medieval Uttarakhand leading to the Gorkha invasion: 1. The Garhwal Kingdom under Pradyumna Shah faced severe internal rebellions, famine, and financial exhaustion prior to the Gorkha onslaught. 2. The Gorkhas under Amar Singh Thapa established firm control over Kumaon in 1790 and subsequently annexed Garhwal following the decisive Battle of Khurbura in 1804. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The late 18th and early 19th centuries witnessed severe political turmoil in Uttarakhand, marked by devastating famines and internal rebellions in Garhwal while Kumaon fell to the Gorkhas in 1790. King Pradyumna Shah heroically lost his life defending Garhwal at the Battle of Khurbura in Dehradun in 1804, sealing Gorkha rule over both hill provinces until British intervention in 1815. This era of Gorkha administration, known locally as Gorkhyani, was characterized by rigorous military rule and heavy taxation. British forces eventually expelled the Gorkhas following the Anglo-Nepali War.