Post By – Shwetambari Satpute (Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur)
The Region Where Lansdowne is Located in Once part of the Ancient Garhwal Kingdom in Western Himalaya. The Panwar (Parmara) dynasty ruled the kingdom, which had established itself in the region around the 9th century. The Garhwal Kingdom was known for its Warrior Culture and its capital Srinagar. Before the British renamed Landsome, the area was known as “Kaludanda” in the Garhwali language, where “kalu” means “Black” and “Danda” means “Hill” or “ridge”. The name “Kaludanda” likely Originated from the local Garhwali communities, referring to the dark, forested ridge on which the town is located.
At the beginning of the 16th century, King Manipal Shah ruled the Garhwal Kingdom, followed by Rudra Shah. In the 17th century, the kingdom came under the rule of King Pradyumna Shah and his successors.
In the early 18th Century (1803-1815), the Gurkhas of Nepal invasion the Garhwal region, including the area that become Lansdowne. The Gurkhas were known for their superior fighting skills and successfully took control of the region and ruled for about 12 years.
The Gurkhas’ expansion into the Garhwal region led to conflict with the British East India Company, resulting the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816). The War ended with the Treaty of Saugauli in 1815, which saw the Gurkhas defeated. Under the treaty, the British gained control of the eastern part of Garhwal, While the Western part was restored to the Garhwal king, Sudarshan Shah. However; the British maintained control over a significant portion of the region, including the area around Lansdowne. This division created the princely state of Tehri Garhwal and the British-controlled Garhwal Region.
In 1886 on the recommendation of Field Marshal Sir FS Roberts, Commander in Chief of India, it was decided to raise a separate Regiment of the Garhwalias. Consequently, the Garhwal Rifles was established in 1887 at Almora in Kumaon Hills and was moved to Kaludanda later that same year.
From 1888 to 1894, Lord Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marques of Lansdowne the Viceroy of India, was Influential in the formal establishment of the cantonment. Then in 1890, the town was named after him, marking its transition from Kaludanda to Lansdowne. The many roads of Lansdowne are named after people who have played a historical role in the country or for the town. Individuals like Griffith, Wheatle, Kitchener, Mainwaring, Channer, Cassgrain, Ramsay and Hutchison have roads in their names, and all played a historical role in the Indian Army and civil administration.
During the British Raj (1857-1947), Lansdowne was managed as a part of the military administration, serving as a hill station and retreat for British officers and their families. It was also used for training and administrative purposes. In 1947, after India gained independence from British rule, Lansdowne became the part of newly formed Indian State of Uttarakhand.
Lansdowne is home to the training centre of the Garhwal Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army and is located in the heart of Pauri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand. It is famous for the War Memorial, established in 1923 to honour the bravery of Garhwal Rifles soldiers, as well as its colonial architecture, including quaint bungalows, churches, and military buildings. The town is also known for the ancient Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple, Bhulla Lake, and breathtaking views of the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas, all surrounded by thick oak and pine forests.
Reference
- Lansdowne Cantonment Board
- By Devendra Kumar Budakoti: Lansdowne: Glimpses of British India
- Digital Asia South Library
- Treaty of Sagauli: British-Nepalese history [1816]
- Historical records of Garhwal Rifles: LANSDOWNE CANTONMENT. Page no.212 (BOOK)
- Premi, M.K. (2007). The History and Culture of the Garhwal Region. Garhwal Publishing House.
- Oakley, E.S. (1905). Holy Himalaya: The Religion, Traditions, and Scenery of Himalayan Districts of the North-Western Provinces of India. Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier.
- Rawat, A.S. (1989). History of Garhwal (1358-1947): An Erstwhile Kingdom in the Himalayas. Indus Publishing.
