Contribution of Nepalese Warriors in Anglo-Nepal War

Six miles from Dehradun of India in the northeast on the way to Mussoorie, there is a place, called Nalapani. It had been the territory of Nepal long before Anglo-Nepal War. Balabhadra Kunwar had built a fort on a height of 500 feet at Nalapani, which was known by the name of Khalanga fort.

At the time of Anglo-Nepal War, Gillespie, the general and Maubi, the Colonel had gone to the khalanga fort with 3500 soldiers and 15 guns in their arms. They were divided into four groups for the attack on khalanga fort, Sir Robert Rolls Gillespie wrote a letter to Balbhadra, asking him to surrender. But Balbhadra tore the letter without going through it and said, "We don't read a letter at night, I will meet with Gillespie shortly." In the next morning, the English side attacked the fort with guns, arrows and bricks. Mr. Allis, lieutenant, was advancing to the battlefield to encourage the English force, was killed in the gun firing of Nepalese soldiers.

At this, Gillespie, the Major General went straight to the fort with his cap in one hand and sword in the other. He was also killed in the same way as Allis at the hand of Nepalese soldiers. The number of wounded and killed on the English side reached a figure of 266. At the escape of the English force at the defeat, Balbhadra Kunwar sent a letter to Kathmandu with a request for more army help, but no help was made available from Kathmandu. The route of Nahan, through which Nepalese soldiers were advancing to Khalanga for its security, was blocked by the English force.

The well-equipped force led by, Colonel Mauvi made the second attack on the Khalanga fort. The Nepalese army force was responding with bricks and stones, thrown at their enemies. The Nepalese women were highly appreciated for their bravery shown in the battlefield. After the war, many of the wounded women and the dead bodies were taken out from the ruined walls of the fort. The furious English soldiers had blocked the source of water to the fort. The men and women left behind in the fort, came out, opening the doors by themselves to get rid of their thirst of water and of the foul smell of the dead bodies.

The brave Nepalese women quenched their thirst with the water of the nearby river even amidst the dreadful situations of the gun firing.

Turning to the English before leaving the place, Balbhadra said to them in a loud voice, "it was impossible for you to have victory over the fort, but I leave it on my own accord."

The Englishmen had, in honour of the bravery of the Nepalese people, written in a memorial stone the words like " a tribute of respect for our gallant adversary BULBUDDER, commander of the fort and HIS BRAVE GOORKAS....."