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OverView of Kangra

Kangra was capital of Katoch dynysty since time unknown and famous for Kangra fort which was supposed to be built by Bhumi Chand Katoch founder of Katoch dynsty It was known as Nagarkot or Kot kangra earlier and history of town is also linked with hisotry of Kangra fort it was always seen as the center of power and every now and then rulers from Delhi and adjoining states like Jamu kashmir Punjab and Gorkhas from Nepal tried to capture it. Kangra fort remain under many diffrent rulers It was taken by Muhamad Tuglaq and then by Jahangir and then Gorkha invaded it laid sieged but at last Sansar Chand the most brave and powerful king of Katoch history was able to drive gorkhas away with the help of Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh but he had to surrender Kangra fort to Maharaja Ranjit Singh and at last it fell to British after defeat of Sikh during Anglo Sikh war. and later it become district of Punjab after independence and in 1966 it become most populated district of Himachal Pradesh. It is famous for Mata Brajeshveri Devi temple and beautiful valley. The Kangra district derives its name from Kangra town which was called Nagarkot in the ancient times. Kangra proper originally was a part of Trigarta(Jullundar), which comprises of the areas lying between Sutlul and Ravi . Trigarta had two provinces one in plains with its headquarter at Jullundur while one in hills with headquarter at Nagarkot(the present Kangra). From the history of Kashmir given in Rajtrangani raja Shankar Verman of Kashmir had suzerainty over Raja Prithi Chand of Kangra during 883 to 903. In the ancient times a number of petty chiefs rules in hills within their domains owing alliegience to a powerful raja at centre. However Katoch Princes ruled over Kangra from the ancient times.A the time of invasion of Punjab by Alexender in 326 Trigartha was under the rule of Katoch King. In the beginning of 11th century Mehmood of Gazani invaded Kangra after defeating hindu king of Lahore and he took over the wealth from fort and temples. But after storm passed Katoch prince continue to rule territory. However one Ibrahim of Gazni conqured this territory from Katoch king Jagdeo Chand in 1070 AD. In 1337 Muhamad Tuglaq an Afghan King of Delhi captured the fort of Kangra in reign of raja Priti Chand. In 1351 Raja Rurab Chand recovered Kangra fort from Muslims. On of his successsors namely Raja Roop Chand become so ambitious that he invaded areas rigght upto outerskirts of Delhi. Angred with this Delhi Sultan Firoz Shah tuglaqe invaded Kangra for in 1366 to punish raja and fort was surrendered after a long sieze. Sher Shah Suri Afghan king who turned out jahangir from India also capture Kangra in 1540. By 1555 muslim rule declined. Akbar however subjugated all hill chiefs. Ocassionaly hill rajas rebelled against imperial authorities but after a few skirmishes with Mughal generals they submitted. Jahangir also become intrested in the kingdome of Trigartha of Kangara. He wanted to annex the terrotory of state and capture the fort of Kangra, because lot of prestige was attached to the fort of Kangra. It was said that who-so-ever held the fort rules over hill states. The invasion took place in 1615 under the command of Sheikh Farid Murtaza Khan and Surazmal of Nurmal who was in the confidence of Jahangir. The fort could not be captured and after one year sieze had to be given up. Next year an expedition was sent under the command of Quili khan, Muhammad Taqi and Suraj Mal but Suraj Mal proved unfaaithfuly. The empeor had to sent anothr strong force under Sunder Dass against Suraj Mal and raja of Kangra. After one year and two months siege Sunderdass captured Kangra fort in 1620. The Katoch rulers lost fort at least for 160 years. The entire state was annexed to the Mughal Kingdom and a strong garrison was left incharge of the fort. In 1752 Punjab was transfered to Ahamad Shah Durani king of Afghanistan by the weak mughal rulers of Delhi. Afghans could not ccontorl these far flung area successfully so local governer was appointed to administer this territory on behalf  of Afghans. In 1758 Ghamand Chand was appinted as nazim or governer of Jullundhar Doab under the Afghans. Ghamand Chand was a brave and strong man who restored the prestige and glory of Kangra. As he was unable to capture the Kangra fort he built another fort at Tira Sujanpur on the left bank of Beas. This brave rruler died in 1774. and was succeeded by his son teg Chand who also died in 1775. Kangra then saw rise of great ruler of Kangra Sansar Chand(II). Though the punjab had been given to Duranis old mughal officer had proclaimed independence in some outlying part of country. Nawaw Saif Ali Khan at Kangra was one of such officer. Sansar Chand had the ambition to capture Kangra fort. so he called to his aid Sarda Kanahai Jai Singh in 1781 and fort had to be surrended by the Mughal officer in 1783 but it fell into the hands of sikhs. Sansar Chand got the fort after sosme years in exchange of feew areas he had won in plains of Punjab. After getting the f the fort Sansar Chand laid the claim over all principalities and  hill states. He made the hill cheifs tributory to himself. However rechless bravery and unlimited ambition of this great raja ruined him. His dream was to regain all the far reachin dominions of his ancestors and to establish the Katoch rule in entire punjab. In 1803 and 04 he invaded plains of Punjab twice but was defeated by the Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In 1805 he annexed a part of Bilaspur state thus coming in conflict with the Gurkhas, who in the later half of 18th century moved south to establish their dominion in entire hill states from Nepal to Kashmit and reched upto Sutluj. They got angry at then anexation of part of Bilaspur which was under their suzerainty. They invaded Kangra butwere defeated. the hill rajas of Kangra were feeling sore against Sansar chand they invited Amar Singh Thapa through raja of Bilaspur to invade Kangra again. In 1806 with the help of hill chiefs Gurkhas defeated Sansar Chand who had to take refuge inside the fort. The country was laid waist and was plundred by the enemies.During the siege of fort anarchy prevailed throughout the Kangra valley. The siege last for four years. after Sansar Chand managed to get out of fort and fled to Tira Sujanpur. In 1809 Maharaj Ranjit Singh visited Jawalamukhi and Sansar Chand met with him in the temple and entered into treaty with him. It was agreed that Maharaj should help Sansar Chand in expelling Gurkhas from the state and that in return Mahraja would get the Kangra fort alongwith 66 nearby villages. Gurkhas were defeated by the comb ined forces of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Sansar Chand. The fort alongwith 66 villages was made over to Mharaja Ranjit Singh. Desa Singh Majithia was appointed the nazim or governer of the fort and and kangra hills and from that time all the hil states of Jullundur circle become tributory to the sikhs. Sansar Chand returned to Tira and died their in 1823.After the death of Sansar Chand his son Anirudh Chand Katoch become king but he was not destined to ruleHe was attacked by Mahraja Ranjit Singh and had to fled and entire state came in the control of sikhs. After the first battle of sikhs in 1846 entire territory of punjab lying between sutluj and ravi rivers including proper Kangra and Kullu were ceded to British Government. The entire aeas of Kangra Kullu Seraj and tract of Lahau Spiti were not consituted in to Kangra district with its headquater at Kangra which was then transfered to Dharmasala because atmosphere and climate of Dharamsal suited to British Officers. The present distirct of Kangra come into existence on 1st sept 1972 after reorganisation of districts by Himachal Pradesh Govt. It was largest district of composite Punjab in terms of area till it was trnasfered to Himachal Pradesh in 1 nov 1966 and had 6 tehsils namely Nurpur Kangra, Palampur, Dehragopipur and Hamirpur and Kullu was also tehsil of Kangra district upto 1962 and Lahaul and spiti which also fromed a part of Kangra distirct was created into seperate district in 1960.


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