sirmaur history

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Naming of Sirmaur

  • Kulind Origin: The ancient residents were the Kulind people. Their kingdom was situated at the apex of the Maurya Empire, leading to the name “Shirmaurya,” which later evolved into Sirmaur.
  • Legend of King Rasalu: Other legends suggest the state was named after Sirmaur, an ancestor of King Rasalu.
  • Deity Worship: The region was named Sirmaur due to the worship of the deity Sirmauriya.
  • Capital Name: The capital of the princely state was also named Sirmaur.

Establishment of the Princely State

  • Tarikh-e-Riyasat Sirmaur: According to Ranjour Singh’s book, the state was anciently known as Sulokina. It was founded in 1139 AD by King Rasalu, son of King Salvahana of Jaisalmer, with Sirmauri Tal as its capital.
  • Legend of the Curse: Raja Madan Singh betrayed a woman who practiced witchcraft and had her killed in the Giri River. Following her curse, the state was destroyed by a flood in the Giri River, and no heirs survived. Subsequently, King Salvahana II of Jaisalmer sent his third son, Hansu, and his pregnant queen to Sirmaur. After Hansu died on the way, the queen gave birth to a prince under a Palash tree at Poka in Sirmauri Tal; he was named Palasu, and the dynasty became known as the Palasia dynasty.
  • Gazetteer of Sirmaur (1934): King Ugrasen (Salvahana II) of Jaisalmer, while on a pilgrimage to Haridwar, found the throne of Sirmaur empty and sent his son, Shobha Rawal (Shubhansh Prakash), to establish the state. In 1195 AD, Shobha Rawal established Rajban as the capital.

Rulers of Sirmaur

  • Mahe Prakash (1199–1217 AD):
    • He expanded the state’s borders to include Garhwal, Bhagirathi, Srinagar, and Naraingarh.
    • He also captured ‘Malda Fort’ near the Bhagirathi river and renamed it ‘Mahe Deval’.
  • Udit Prakash (1217–1227 AD):
    • He moved the capital from Rajban to Kaalsi in 1217 AD.
  • Kaul Prakash (1227–1239 AD):
    • He subjugated Jubbal, Balasan, and Tharoch, turning them into fiefdoms (Jagirs).
    • In 1235 AD, he provided asylum to Nizam-ul-Mulk, an opponent of Razia Sultan.
  • Sumer Prakash (1239–1248 AD):
    • He brought the Ratesh Jagir of Keonthal under his control and established it as the capital.
  • Suraj Prakash (1374–1386 AD):
    • He recovered taxes by bringing Jubbal, Balasan, Kumarsen, Ghand, Sarai, Theog, Rawin, and Kotgarh under his control.
    • He shifted the capital back to Kaalsi from Ratesh.
  • Bhakta Prakash (1374–1386 AD):
    • A contemporary of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, Bhakta Prakash saw his state become a fiefdom of Firoz Shah Tughlaq in 1379 AD.
    • During this time, Firoz Shah Tughlaq’s son, Muhammad Shah, took refuge in the Sirmaur hills.
  • Jagat Prakash (1386–1388 AD):
    • During his reign, Jubbal, Balsan, Ravingarh, and Kumharsen revolted and gained independence from the Sirmaur state.
  • Veer Prakash (1388–1398 AD):
    • He established Hatkoti as his capital.
    • He constructed the Bhagwati Durga temple on the banks of the Pabbar River and built the ‘Ravingarh Fort’.
    • During the invasion by Timur Lung, Ratnasen ruled over Kiarda Doon.
  • Nekat Prakash (1398–1414 AD):
    • He set the capital of the princely state in ‘Neri Village’ on the banks of the Giri River.
  • Garva prakash (1414–1432 AD):
    • He relocated the capital from ‘Neri’ to the Jogri Fort.
  • Brahma Prakash (1432–1446 AD):
    • He founded the capital in ‘Devathal’ of Pachad.

mughal period

  • Dharm Prakash (1538–1570 AD):
    • He moved the capital from ‘Devathal’ and re-established it in Kaalsi.
  • Deep Prakash (1570–1585 AD): In 1573 AD, he built the temple of Bala Sundari in Trilokpur, Sirmaur.
  • Buddhi Prakash (1605–1615 AD):
    • He shifted the capital from Kaalsi to Rajpur.
  • Karma Prakash (1616–1630 AD): In 1621 AD, following consultations with Baba Banwari Das, he moved the capital from Rajpur to Nahan. He also laid the foundations for Nahan city and the Nahan fort.
  • Mandhata Prakash (1630–1654 AD): A contemporary of Shah Jahan, he assisted Najawat Khan of Kangawada and Iraj Khan in the Garhwal campaign.
  • Sobhag Prakash (1654–1664 AD): He was a contemporary ruler of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb.
  • Buddha Prakash (1664–1678 AD): Originally named Mahichand, the elder son of Sobhag Prakash was conferred the title of Buddha Prakash by Aurangzeb and recognized as the King of Sirmaur. He maintained close ties with the Mughal court and corresponded with Begum Jahanara, often sending her gifts such as musk, snow, and pomegranates. His army suffered a defeat by the army of Keonthal at ‘Deshu Ki Dhar’.
  • Medni Prakash (1678–1704 AD): Also known as Mat Prakash, he built the Jagannath Temple at Nahan in 1681 AD. During his reign, Guru Gobind Singh visited Nahan and Paonta, staying in Paonta Sahib from 1684 to 1688 and fighting the war of Bhagani Sahib.

sikhs and gorkhas

  • Hari Prakash (1704–1712 AD): Banda Bahadur visited Sirmaur during his reign.
  • Bhup Prakash (1712 AD): Mughal ruler Shah Muhammad Muazim bin Alamvir bestowed the title of Bhima Prakash and a Khilat upon him. His queen commissioned a temple in ‘Kalistan’.
  • Kirat Prakash (1757–1773 AD): He defeated the Raja of Srinagar (Garhwal) and captured Rampur, Narayangarh, Ramgarh, Pinjore, Morni, and Jagatgarh. He entered into a treaty with Gorkha Commander Amar Singh Thapa that established the Ganga River as the border between the Gorkha and Sirmaur states.
  • Jagat Prakash (1773–1792 AD): In 1781 AD, George Foster visited Nahan. In 1785 AD, King Jagat Prakash defeated Gulam Kadir Rohilla at Katasan and constructed the Katasan Devi (Durga Temple) as a victory memorial.
  • Dharma Prakash (1792–1796 AD): A contemporary of King Sansar Chand of Kangra, King Mahan Chand of Kahlur, and King Ramsharan Singh of Hindur, he died fighting against the army of Sansar Chand. He was succeeded by his brother, Karma Prakash-II.
  • Karma Prakash-II (1796–1815 AD): His reign saw domestic revolts following the death of Wazir Mehta Prem Singh. By 1803 AD, his family lived in the ‘Kangra Fort’ of Kyarda Doon. He invited the Gorkhas to suppress internal rebellions; subsequently, Ranjore Singh (son of Amar Singh Thapa) subjugated Sirmaur and constructed the ‘Jataka Durg’. Karma Prakash died while taking refuge in the Bhuris of Ambala.

british rule

  • Fateh Prakash (1815–1850 AD): The Governor General placed him on the throne in September 1815, with Mata Guleri Rani overseeing the state during his childhood, assisted by Captain G. Birch. In 1815, the British retained the Morni, Jaunsar Babar, and Kyarda Doon areas, though Kyarda Doon was returned to the Raja on September 5, 1833, for 50,000 rupees. He attended the 1827 Shimla Durbar for Lord Amherst and built the ‘Motimahal’, ‘Shishmahal’, and the Nahan Kothi in Panchkula.
  • Shamsher Prakash (1856–1898 AD):
    • Ascended the throne at age 10; a committee led by Mehta Devi Dutt and Motiram Bhandari was formed in 1857 AD to manage state administration.
    • Assisted the British during the Revolt of 1857.
    • Following the rebellion, the government granted him a seven-gun salute, which was increased to 11 in 1867.
    • He organized the state administration based on the English system, dividing it into four tehsils with appointed tehsildars.
    • In 1888 AD, he created a military contingent called ‘Imperial Service to the Pops’.
    • He conducted the first land settlement in 1878 under Munshi Nandlal of Lahore, which faced opposition from Nambardar Uchbu and Pritam Singh of Sangdah, who were subsequently captured. A second land settlement took place in 1887 AD under Parameshwari Sahai.
    • Founded the Nahan Foundry in 1867 and the District Board headquarters in 1884 AD.
    • Established the Nahan National Bank in 1893 AD (renamed ‘Bank of Sirmaur’ in 1944).
    • Official business was switched to English in 1890 AD.
    • Established Ranital Bagh (1867 AD) and the Nahan Municipal Committee (1868 AD).
    • Hosted Lord Dufferin (1885 AD) and Lord Ripon (1898 AD).
    • Constructed Shamsher Villa (1880 AD) and the Lytton Memorial (Delhi Gate, 1878) to mark Lord Lytton’s visit.
    • Ruled for 42 years, the longest period for any king of Sirmaur.
  • Surendra Vikram Prakash (1898–1911 AD):
    • Appointed as a member of the Imperial Legislative Council in 1902 AD for five years.
    • Awarded the KCSI title in 1901 by the British Government.
  • Amar Prakash (1911–1933 AD):
    • Awarded the KCSI title in 1915 and the title of ‘Maharaja’ in 1918 for his contributions to the First World War.
    • Established the ‘Mahima Library’ in Nahan, named for his daughter, which remains the oldest library in Himachal Pradesh.
    • Paved the Nahan-Kala Amb road in 1927.
    • Died in Vienna, Austria, in 1933 AD.
  • Rajendra Prakash (1933–1948 AD):
    • The final ruler of the Sirmaur princely state.
    • The Sirmaur Praja Mandal was established during his reign in 1937 AD.
    • The Pajota movement occurred in 1942 AD, during which a ‘Kisan Sabha’ was formed with Lakshmi Singh as Chairman and Surat Singh as Secretary.
    • Signed the merger letter on March 13, 1948.
    • Sirmaur officially became a district of Himachal Pradesh on April 15, 1948.

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