Unification of Nepal: Prithvi Narayan Shah and the Making of Modern Nepal

🎬 Video explanationनेपालको एकीकरण: पृथ्वीनारायण शाह

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Modern Nepal was created in the 18th century when the small hill kingdom of Gorkha, under King Prithvi Narayan Shah, brought many separate states together into one nation. This campaign is called the unification of Nepal. It is one of the most important topics of Nepal’s history for Lok Sewa exams.

1. Nepal before unification

Before unification, the land of present-day Nepal was divided into many small states:

• Baise rajya: a group of 22 small principalities in the Karnali region of the west.
• Chaubise rajya: a group of 24 small principalities in the Gandaki region, to which Gorkha belonged.
• Three Malla kingdoms in the Kathmandu valley: Kathmandu (Kantipur), Lalitpur (Patan) and Bhaktapur. They were rich in trade and art but often fought each other.
• Sen kingdoms such as Makwanpur and Bijayapur, and the Kirat areas in the east.

2. The Gorkha kingdom

• The Shah kingdom of Gorkha was founded by Dravya Shah in 1616 BS (1559 AD).
• King Ram Shah of Gorkha was famous for fair laws and justice. A popular saying of that time was that if you do not find justice elsewhere, go to Gorkha.

3. Early life of Prithvi Narayan Shah

• Born: 1779 BS (1723 AD) in Gorkha.
• Father: King Nara Bhupal Shah. Mother: Queen Kaushalyavati. He was also raised with care by Chandraprabhavati, a queen of Nara Bhupal Shah.
• Became king of Gorkha: 1799 BS (1743 AD), after the death of his father.

As a young king he understood that Gorkha was small and poor. Before starting his campaign he made careful preparations: he visited Banaras (Varanasi) to buy weapons, made treaties with neighbouring states such as Lamjung to keep them quiet, and trained a loyal army.

4. The unification campaign

Some important points about the campaign:

• Nuwakot was important because it controlled the trade route between Kathmandu and Tibet. After taking it, Gorkha could put an economic blockade on the Kathmandu valley.
• At Kirtipur, Gorkha failed twice before succeeding. The loss of Kalu Pande in the first attack was a heavy blow.
• Kathmandu was captured while its people were celebrating Indra Jatra. Jaya Prakash Malla, the last Malla king of Kathmandu, fled.
• After the valley, the campaign moved east into the Kirat areas and the Sen kingdoms.
• Prithvi Narayan Shah moved his capital from Gorkha to Kathmandu.

5. Divya Upadesh (divine counsel)

Near the end of his life, Prithvi Narayan Shah gave advice to his courtiers. It is known as the Divya Upadesh. Its main ideas are:

• Foreign policy: He described Nepal as a yam between two stones, meaning it lies between two big powers, China to the north and the British East India Company in India to the south. Nepal should keep friendly relations with both while staying alert.
• National unity: He called Nepal a common garden of four castes and thirty-six sub-castes (char jat chhattis varna), showing that all people of the country belong together.
• Economy: Use local products, discourage foreign goods and foreign traders, and keep wealth inside the country.
• Administration: Appoint honest people, punish bribery, and give justice fairly.
• Defence: Build forts in strategic places and keep a strong army.

6. Death of Prithvi Narayan Shah

Prithvi Narayan Shah died in 1831 BS (1775 AD) at Devighat in Nuwakot. His birth anniversary, Poush 27, is marked in Nepal as National Unity Day (Rastriya Ekata Diwas).

7. After Prithvi Narayan Shah

• His successors, especially Bahadur Shah (as regent) and the Gorkhali army leaders, continued the campaign. At its greatest extent, Nepal stretched from the Tista river in the east to the Sutlej river in the west.
• Nepal fought a war with Tibet and China that ended with the Treaty of Betrawati in 1849 BS (1792 AD).
• The Anglo-Nepal War (1814 to 1816 AD) with the British East India Company saw brave defences such as Balbhadra Kunwar at Nalapani. The war ended with the Sugauli Treaty (1816 AD), by which Nepal lost large areas and its borders were reduced to the Mechi in the east and the Mahakali in the west.
• In 1917 BS (1860 AD), after Jung Bahadur Rana helped the British during the Indian revolt of 1857, the British returned part of the western Tarai, now Banke, Bardiya, Kailali and Kanchanpur. This area is called the Naya Muluk (new territory).