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{{Original research|date=July 2025|reason=}}{{Short description|1809 conflict in South Asia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Nepal-Sikh war
| date = March 1809 – August 1809
| place = [[Kangra Fort]]
| result = Sikh victory
*Gurkhas retreat
| combatant1 = [[File:Sikh Empire flag.jpg|25px]] [[Sikh Empire]] [[File:Flag of the Princely State of Kangra.svg|25px]] [[Kangra State]] 
[[File:Bilaspur_flag.svg|25px]] [[Bilaspur State (princely state)|Bilaspur State]] '''Supported by:''' [[File:Patiala flag.svg|25px]] [[Patiala State]] [[File:Flag_of_the_Princely_State_of_Tehri_Garhwal.svg|25px]] [[Garhwal Kingdom|Garhwal Kingdom]] 
| combatant2 = [[File:Flag of Nepal (1775–1962).svg|18px]] [[Kingdom of Nepal]]
| commander1 = [[File:Sikh Empire flag.jpg|25px]] [[Ranjit Singh]] [[File:Sikh Empire flag.jpg|25px]] [[Dewan Mokham Chand|Mokham Chand]]
| commander2 = [[File:Flag of Nepal (1775–1962).svg|18px]] [[Amar Singh Thapa]]
| units1 =
| units2 =
| strength1 = Unknown
| strength2 = Unknown
| casualties1 = Unconfirmed
| casualties2 = Unconfirmed
| image = Palace of erstwhile Arki Princely State, Himachal Prades, India.jpg
| caption = Arki Fort in [[Himachal Pradesh, India]]
| territory = [[Kangra State]] annexed by the Sikh Empire
}}

The '''Nepal–Sikh war''' was a small conflict in 1809 between the forces of the [[Kingdom of Nepal]] under [[Amar Singh Thapa]] and the [[Sikh Empire]] under [[Maharaja Ranjit Singh]].<ref name=":1">{{cite book|title= The Sikhs: Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years|author= Raj Pal Singh|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ra19YSPDliQC&pg=PA140|publisher= Pentagon Press|year= 2004|isbn= 9788186505465|page=139 & 140}}</ref><ref name=Pradhan>K. L. Pradhan, ''Thapa Politics in Nepal: With Special Reference to Bhim Sen Thapa, 1806–1839'' (New Delhi, 2012), pp. 42–43.</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Northey |first=W. Brook |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zMIZYF38ss0C&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PA56 |title=The land of the Gurkhas, or, The Himalayan kingdom of Nepal |date=1998 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-1329-4 |language=en}}</ref>

== Background ==
The confrontation between Nepal and the [[Sikhs]] had its genesis in the expansionist policy of the Nepalese ''[[mukhtiyar]]'' (head of government) [[Bhimsen Thapa]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Company |first=Indus Publishing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8tCfhaVcul4C&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PA40 |title=Gazetteer of the Kangra District: 1883-84. Kangra |date=1994 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-024-8 |language=en}}</ref> He endeavored to add [[Kumaon Kingdom]], having been incorporated into Nepal in 1791, to its west as far as the river [[Sutlej]]. This expedition was entrusted to the ''[[Kaji (Nepal)|Kaji]]'' [[Amar Singh Thapa]], who was later reinforced by the ''Kaji'' [[Nain Singh Thapa]]. In 1807, [[Kangra Fort]], on the west bank of the Sutlej, was put under siege. By early 1809, most of the land of [[Kangra State|Kangra]] ''[[jagir]]'' had been incorporated into Nepal, although the fort still held out. ''[[Raja]] [[Sansar Chand]]'' of [[Kangra State|Kangra]] took refuge among the [[Sikhs]] in the [[Punjab]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sijapati|first=Alisha|date=October 2, 2021|title=The Gorkhali defeat at Kangra|url=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-gorkhali-defeat-at-kangra/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120070210/https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-gorkhali-defeat-at-kangra/|archive-date=November 20, 2021|access-date=2021-11-21|website=Nepali Times|language=en-US}}</ref>

At first, the [[Sikh Empire|Sikh]] ''[[Maharaja]]'' [[Ranjit Singh]] was reluctant to assist the ruler of Kangra,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Abram |first1=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kAMik_6LbwUC&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PA459 |title=The Rough Guide to India |last2=Guides (Firm) |first2=Rough |date=2003 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=978-1-84353-089-3 |language=en}}</ref> but a Nepalese push towards the [[Kashmir Valley]] changed his mind.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ahluwalia |first=Manjit Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tG0fnF0VRk0C&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PA28 |title=Social, Cultural, and Economic History of Himachal Pradesh |date=1998 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-089-7 |language=en}}</ref> Kashmir was effectively an independent territory, riven by [[Durrani Empire|Afghan]] factions and coveted by both Sikhs and Gurkhas. The Sikh ruler dispatched a force which raised the siege of Kangra on 24 August 1809.

== War ==
The Maharaja recalled [[Dewan Mokham Chand|Diwan Mohkam Chand]] from the Kangra expedition in March 1809 and directed him to reach Phillaur. After the settlement of affairs with the British government, Maharaja Ranjit Singh again turned his attention towards Kangra. The Gurkha general [[Amar Singh Thapa]] had been at war for quite some time with Raja Sansar Chand in the Kangra valley and had besieged the fort of Kangra. Sansar Chand lost hope for life. Therefore, he sent his brother Fateh Singh to the Maharaja to seek help. The Maharaja demanded the possession of the fort of Kangra in return for help; to which Sansar Chand agreed. The Maharaja set-out with full preparations and reached Kangra accompanied his army<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brentnall |first=Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ayYbAvECXQwC&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PA315 |title=The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire: Himachal Pradesh |date=2004 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-163-4 |language=en}}</ref> by the end of May. All the feudal chiefs were present with their respective militias. The hill Chiefs who were well- acquainted with the routes of the hilly terrain were ordered to block all passages so as to stop all means of procurement of provisions and equipment for the Gorkha army.

Amar Singh Thapa sent a letter to Maharaja Ranjit Singh asking him to surrender and let them keep the fort from his forces and let the Gurkhas capture Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Parry |first=Jonathan P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QUnaAAAAQBAJ&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PT30 |title=Caste and Kinship in Kangra |date=2013-09-13 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-54592-4 |language=en}}</ref> Ranjit Singh did not accept.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite book |last=Broadcasting |first=India Ministry of Information and |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T5GpmoJ3BBIC&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PA79 |title=Himachal Pradesh |date=1956 |publisher=Bright Publications |isbn=978-81-7199-465-6 |language=en}}</ref> The next morning supply routes of the Gurkha army had been closed by the Sikhs.<ref name="auto3"/> They waited for ammunition and food of the Gurkhas to run out and after a few weeks the Gurkhas started eating their horses and camels,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Baker |first=J. Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DIkVCgAAQBAJ&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PA103 |title=The Kuhls of Kangra: Community-Managed Irrigation in the Western Himalaya |date=2011-06-01 |publisher=University of Washington Press |isbn=978-0-295-80091-2 |language=en}}</ref> diseases like Cholera started rising and many died due to lack of medical supplies.<ref name="auto">{{Cite book |last=Alka |first=Grover B. L. & Mehta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bkRxDwAAQBAJ&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PA140 |title=A New Look at Modern Indian History (From 1707 to The Modern Times), 32e |date=2018 |publisher=S. Chand Publishing |isbn=978-93-5253-434-0 |language=en}}</ref>

The Gurkhas in their mad frenzies of their 'last fight' before death madly ran into the muzzles of the Sikh forces, unplanned.<ref name="auto"/> After a month of starvation and bad conditions the Gurkhas made a charge onto the Ganesh Valley,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kumar |first1=Niraj |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f-TzDwAAQBAJ&dq=gurkha+sikh+kangra&pg=PT36 |title=Himalayan Bridge |last2=Driem |first2=George van |last3=Stobdan |first3=Phunchok |date=2020-11-18 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-21551-9 |language=en}}</ref> Sikhs conquered the Kangra Fort and fired their superior artillery onto the Gurkhas.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite book |last=Chaudhry |first=Minakshi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GlRuAAAAMAAJ&q=gurkha+sikh+kangra |title=Himachal, a Complete Guide to the Land of Gods |date=2006 |publisher=Rupa & Company |isbn=978-81-291-1000-8 |language=en}}</ref> Their bow and arrows could not match to the Sikh cannons, after the gunpowder had finished 1,000 Sikh cavalrymen attacked the Gurkhas killing almost all of them. <ref name="auto2"/>The remaining forces of Nain Singh Thapa arrived at Guler Fort. The violence ended after some time.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book |last=Johar |first=Surinder Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=04MeAAAAMAAJ&q=gurkha+sikh+kangra |title=The Secular Maharaja: A Biography of Maharaja Ranjit Singh |date=1985 |publisher=Manas |isbn=978-0-8364-1543-8 |language=en}}</ref>

The Maharaja finding an opportune time to drive them out of Guler<ref name="auto1"/> launched an attack and occupied their positions about a mile (1.06 km.) in front of the fort. A pitched battle ensued. The Gurkhas fought dauntlessly but the had to make a tactical retreat. Thereafter, they gave a pitched battle near the Sutlej where many Gurkhas died in the river, or drowned while holding off the attackers.<ref name="auto1"/>

==Aftermath==
After the Gurkhas suffered heavy losses, a monthly tribute was offered to Maharaja Ranjit Singh by the Kingdom of Nepal, in exchange for the Sikhs to end eastward expansion past [[Sangla, India|Sangla]], which had been where the Gurkhas had retreated past due to Sikh borders encompassing the town of Sangla.<ref name="auto12">{{Cite book |last=Johar |first=Surinder Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=04MeAAAAMAAJ&q=gurkha+sikh+kangra |title=The Secular Maharaja: A Biography of Maharaja Ranjit Singh |date=1985 |publisher=Manas |isbn=978-0-8364-1543-8 |language=en}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=March 2026}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Sikh Empire|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nepal-Sikh War}}

[[Category:Wars involving the Sikhs]]
[[category:conflicts in 1809]]
[[category:Wars involving Nepal]]
[[Category:1809 in Nepal]]
[[Category:1809 in India]]

Nepal–Sikh war - Revision history

Vinod6176: stub