Kumaon chieftaincy कुमाऊं राज्य(Kumaoni) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600–1791 | |||||||||
| Status |
| ||||||||
| Capital | |||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||
| Ethnic groups | |||||||||
| Religion | State religion: Hinduism Other: Buddhism Islam | ||||||||
| Demonym | Kumaoni | ||||||||
| Government | FederalAristocracy under anAbsolute monarchy influenced byPolitical Factions or Occasionally anOligarchy with aMonarchial Figurehead | ||||||||
| Maharajadhiraja | |||||||||
• 600 | Vasu Dev(First {Katyuri dynasty} | ||||||||
• 1064–1065 | Bir Dev(Last {Katyuri dynasty} | ||||||||
• 700–721 | Som Chand(First {Chand dynasty} as Feudatory) | ||||||||
• 1450–1488 | Ratna Chand(36th {Chand dynasty}, First of united Kumaon) | ||||||||
• 1638–1678 | Baz Bahadur Chand | ||||||||
• 1788–1791 | Mahendra Chand(Last) | ||||||||
| Diwan | |||||||||
• 700–721 | Joshi Sudhanidhi Chaube(First {Chand dynasty}) | ||||||||
• 1788–1791 | Lal Singh(Last) | ||||||||
| Legislature | Panchayat of Kumaon (PowerfulPrivy council) | ||||||||
| Malladhara (Mahar Faction) | |||||||||
| Talladhara (Phartyal Faction) | |||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 600 | ||||||||
• Fall ofKatyuri dynasty | 11th Century | ||||||||
• Period of fragmentation | 12th century–15th century | ||||||||
• Reunification of Kumaon byChand dynasty | 1450 | ||||||||
• Invaded byKingdom of Nepal | 1791 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• Total | 72,000 km2 (28,000 sq mi)(Approx. area during peak of Chand dynasty) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• Estimate | 500,000[1][2] | ||||||||
| Currency | Rupee,Paisa | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Uttarakhand,India Sudurpashchim Province,Nepal | ||||||||
29°35′50″N79°39′33″E / 29.5971°N 79.6591°E /29.5971; 79.6591 TheKumaon chieftaincy[3][4] (English:/kuˈmaʊn/koo-MAUWN;Kumaoni: कुमाऊं राज्य;Tibetan: ཀུ་མའོ་རྒྱལ་ཕྲན།;HT:Kumāū̃;[kʊˈmä.ʊ̃], also anglicised asKemaon), also known asKurmanchal (कूर्मांचल),[5] was a chieftaincy in the Himalayas.[5] The principality was established by Vasu Dev of theKatyuri dynasty in the 7th century after he unified many small principalities. After the fall of the Katyuris in the 11th century and about three centuries offragmentation, theChand dynasty managed to reunifyKumaon in the middle of the 15th century. They shifted the capital from Kartikeyapura (Baijnath) toChampawat in the 12th century, and finally toAlmora in 1563. During their rule, Kumaon was spread sovereign from the riverTons to the riverKarnali.[5][6][7] The Kumaon chieftaincy had also accepted thesuzerainty of theMughal Empire and paid tribute to them[8] as the writings ofAbul Fazl state that from the reign of Rudra Chand onwards, Kumaon began to send gifts and was obedient to the Emperor inDelhi.[9]
During the five-hundred-yearKatyuri rule, Kumaoni culture began to form, withShaivism as the dominant belief. Notable temples like those inJageshwar andKatarmal were built, andSanskrit andPali were widely used. The administration was efficient, with well-built roads and bridges. After the Katyuris' decline, Kurmanchal fragmented into petty kingdoms.[5][6] TheChand dynasty, present in Kumaon since the 8th century, unified the region, includingDoti, in the 15th century. During their seven-hundred-year rule (four hundred years over united Kumaon),folk Hinduism flourished, andKumaoni gained prominence whileSanskrit was reserved for religion and education. A party system government existed, and for a century, Kumaon thrived as a hub for trade, religion, and learning. Culture bloomed and Kumaon saw a century ofGolden Age. However, political instability and financial crises weakened the principality by the 18th century, leading to its annexation by the newly unifiedKingdom of Nepal in 1791. After twenty-four years of Nepalese rule, theBritish East Indian Company and later theBritish Crown took control.[5][6]
TheKatyuris and theChands left a substantial legacy to modern-dayUttarakhand. Much of theKumaoni culture, societal norms, and folk traditions, along with theKumaoni language, derive from the practices and traditions of theKatyuris and theChands.
Kumaon is believed to have been derived fromKurmanchal, meaning land of theKurmaAvatar (thetortoise incarnation of LordVishnu, the preserver according to Hinduism). The region of Kumaon is named after as such.[10]
During the time of the British control of the region, between 1815 and 1857 it was also anglicised asKemaon.[11][12][13]
Around 700 CE, the Katyuri dynasty was established by Vasu Dev in the region. They called their stateKurmanchal, the land of Kurma, the second avatar of Vishnu, from which the present name is derived. Their capital wasKartikeyapura (modern day-Baijnath)[7][14] and the Gomati Valley came to be known as the Katyur Valley after the ruling dynasty.[7]During their reign they dominated lands of varying extent from the Katyur Valley (modern-day Baijnath) in Kumaon, between the 7th and 11th centuries C.E., and established their capital at Baijnath inBageshwar district; which was then known asKartikeyapura and lies in the centre of Katyur Valley.Brahmadev Mandi (a trading and business centre in a flat area of the then Katyuri dynasty) in theKanchanpur District of Nepal was established by Katyuri king Brahma Dev. Brahmadev Mandi still exists by this name.
During the peak of theKatyuri dynasty, the sovereigns were bestowed the title ofGiriraj Chakrachudamani, and the 16 monarchs who ruled during that time were known asChakravarti or Emperors.[15]
It is believed that from King Dhan Dev and Vir Dev, the downfall of this powerful dynasty began. Vir Dev used to collect heavy taxes and forced his people to work as his slaves. King Vir Dev teased his subjects and also he forcibly married his own maternal aunt Tila (Tilottama Devi). It is said that the Kumaoni folk song 'Mami Tile Dharo Bola' became popular from that very day.[7]
After the death of tyrant Vir Dev, there ensued acivil war among his sons. A fierce fight took place among them. The entirekingdom was ruined. The people of this very family divided the whole kingdom among themselves. At the places where they were formerly placed as provincial governors or faujdars, they declared themselves as independent kings. OutsideKumaun the feudatory kings ofGarhwal, who were till then under the jurisdiction of the Katyuris, stopped paying revenue and also became independent kings.[16]
The same condition prevailed inKumaun when theChand kings came there. Petty feudatory kings ruled here and there and attacking one another showed their power. King Brahmdeo of this very family (after whose name Brahmdeo Mandi was founded) established his kingdom inKali Kumaun. His first fort lay in Sui and theRawat king of Dumkot was under him. The second branch started ruling atDoti. The third established itself atAskot. Fourth settled down at Baramandal. The fifth maintained its sovereignty over Katyur and Danpur. The sixth branch ruled here and there in Pali whose main places then wereDwarahat and Lakhanpur. In this way, this extensive empire was divided into small parts.[16]
Besides these petty kings of theKatyuri family, during the time between the fall of the Katyuris and the arrival of theChands, the region ofKumaun lay divided into petty kingdoms. Faldakol and Dhaniyakot lay under the authority of aKhati Rajput who regarded him as belonging to theSolar dynasty. Chaugarkha was ruled by a Padiyar king whose capital was Padyarkot. In theparagana ofGangolihat ruled a Mankoli king. He had come fromPiuthan in modern-dayNepal and regarded himself as a Rajput of theLunar dynasty. After ruling for seven to eight generations they were defeated by the Chands and returned to the place where their descendants still exist. Kota, Chhakhata and Kutauli came under the jurisdiction of theKhas kings. Sor, Sira,Darma,Askot, and Johar all were annexed to thekingdom of Doti. The firstChand king Som Chand also established a petty kingdom inKali Kumaon after subjugating the powerful social groups there.[5][6]
When the sun of the fortune of the Emperors of theSolar dynasty (Katyuris) in Kumaun set and at places, small feudatory kings began to rule, the people said that the sun of Kumaun had set and there was night and darkness all over Kumaun. But on the arrival of theChands, people started saying that there was night in Kumaun as the sun had set, but one thing good now is that now moonlight has appeared i.e. kings of theLunar dynasty (Chands) have come. That there is again light in the earth sunk in darkness.[5]
Sometime in the 8th century, theChand dynasty was established by King Som Chand, He continued to call his stateKurmanchal, and established its capital inChampawat or Kali Kumaon. At that time Kumaon was going through a period offragmentation, and theChands ruled as petty kings. They slowly developed into a major power of theHimalayas and near after 1450 had unified Kumaon under King Ratna Chand.
TheBaleshwar and Nagnath temples were built in this city during the 11th and 12th centuries.[16] During this period, learning and new forms of painting (thepahari school of art) developed.[15]
Many pilgrims came to the court ofBaz Bahadur Chand to complain about the Huniyas (the area from northwesternTibet till the borders ofLadakh at that time was known as Hundesh, and Tibetans there were called Huniyas) robbing them on their pilgrimage toKailashManasarovar, and committing atrocities. Being quite religious, he could not stand it, and decided to bring an end to this problem.Baz Bahadur Chand himself led his army throughJuhar pass and entered Tibetan territory, which was then underKhoshut Khanate. He captured thefort of Taklakot in 1670. This was the first time in history that an Indian king had captured this stronghold ofTibet.[17][page needed]
King Gyan Chand, the King of Kumaon, ascended the throne in 1698. In 1699 he invaded Garhwal, which was under the KingFateh Shah . He crossedRamganga River and plundered Sabli, Khatli, and Sainchar. In 1701, Fateh Shah entered in Chaukot (now Syalde region with 3 part, Talla Chaukot (lower), Malla Chaukot (Upper) and Bichla Chaukot (middle)) and Gewar Valley (region ofChaukhutia, Masi, andDwarahat) as reply. The Kumaonis defeated the Garhwalis in the Battle of Duduli (near Melchauri in Garhwal). In 1707, the Kumaoni forces annexed Juniyagarh in Bichla Chaukot (Syalde), and razed the old fort at Chandpur Garhi, the capital of Garhwal kingdom. On 13 July 1715, Kumaoni troops clashed with Garhwali troops that were moving to Moradabad and Bareilly.[18] An ally of theMughal Empire, Kumaon was encouraged to continue fighting Garwhal until they submitted to the Mughal Empire. The Mughal Empire was against Garwhal because of their funding of rebels in Punjab. Twice in the second year of Farrukh Siyar's reign (between 25 July and 19 December 1713) the Kumaon chief sent him booty obtained in the battles against the combined forces of the Srinagar-Garhwal chief and his Jat and Gujar allies. In early 1715, Kumaon finally captured Srinagar from Garwhal, sending Garwhali chiefs into Mughal courts. In 1742 Ali Mohammed Khan of Rohilkhand invaded Kumaon and annexed Kashipur, Rudrapur, and two other Kumaoni parganas.[18][failed verification]
In the latter half of the 18th century, the power of Kumaon was on decline, as the prince Mahendra Chand was unable to properly administer the country and conflicts with other neighbouring kingdoms, natural calamities, intrigues and dissensions further weakened the kingdom.
Seeing this opportunity, in 1791 theKingdom of Nepal invaded Kumaon.Gorkha army led by the Gorkha commandersBahadur shah, Kazi Jagjit Pande,Amar Singh Thapa and Sur Singh Thapa set to attack Kumaon from Doti. One regiment went from Kali Kumaon toSor, another set out to capture Visung. When the news of the sudden invasion reachedAlmora, Mahendra Chand summoned his troops and taking a contingent with him moved towardsGangolihat.
Amar Singh Thapa with his troops attacked the Kumaoni contingent but he was defeated and he escaped. However, a few hours later he came back with a larger army and better preparation, and totally surrounded Kumaon from the west. Mahendra Chand hearing about the defeat and death of his uncle,Diwan (Prime Minister) Lal Singh, became nervous and fled, thus Gorkhas finding their path clear reached and captured Almora and Kumaon was annexed to theKingdom of Nepal.[7]kingdom of Garhwal was also annexed by the Gorkhas in 1804, after they accepted the suzerainty of theQing dynasty and could optimise their resources on expansion again.
The Gorkha rule over Kumaon lasted for 24 years and has been termed as "cruel and oppressive"[5][6] in a number of texts.Kumaon andGarhwal were made intogovernorates within theKingdom of Nepal.Kumaonis were not given political representation and all offices were occupied byNepali administrators.Kumaonis andGarhwalis alike were mistreated. The Gorkhas were not keen on integratingKumaon andGarhwal fully into theKingdom of Nepal, or providing for the people there, rather they only though of the conquered territories as frontier states, to maintain distance from theEast India Company.[5][6]
The Gorkhas were also involved in slave trade consisting ofKumaonis andGarhwalis, who were captured and sold in the markets.[5] Excessive taxation, slavery and mistreatment made the Gorkhas unpopular inKumaon andGarhwal, whose cruel treatment towards the natives is still bitterly remembered today. The justice system of the Gorkhas was based on superstitions, which failed to provide justice to those who needed it.
The only architectural advancements during the period was a road connectingKali River toSrinagar viaAlmora.[5]
The Gorkhas were defeated by theEast India Company inAnglo-Nepalese War and were forced to cede Kumaon to the British as part of theTreaty of Sugauli in 1816. The Kumaon region was joined with the eastern half of the Garhwal region and was governed as a chief-commissionership, also known as the Kumaon province, on the non-regulation system.[19] In seventy years it was governed by three successive administrators: Mr. Traill, Mr J. H. Batten andSir Henry Ramsay. The British set up a small administrative unit to govern the region, known as Patwari Halka.[20]
TheSeal of the Maharaja was necessary to issue any order on paper or copper plates. But the Maharaja could only authorise the orders if the Diwan found it just and fair. The Maharaja couldn't give out official orders by himself.[5][6][failed verification] Officers and managers were appointed by the monarch in hisDurbar by the recommendation of the Diwan. The posts of deputy-diwan and the other ministers were handed out to the most influential and able people. These posts were not usually hereditary but sometimes were occupied by one family or clan for a long time.[5][failed verification]
Since the rulers were mostly religious,rajgurus andpurohits were appointed to give the Maharaja spiritual and administrative advice. These posts were usually occupied by a single family. They conducted all religious ceremonies related to the Maharaja, the Diwan or the factions.[5][failed verification]
The copper-plates of Chand kings were calledkatardar (कटारदार) as the kings instead of putting their signatures made the mark of their dagger on them. Their names used to be engraved in the beginning of the copper-plate or the paper document.[5][failed verification]
The leader who commanded majority within the Mahar faction and Fartyal faction was appointed thediwan (prime minister, दीवान; دیوان).[5]
The royal court (शाही दरबार) was the centre of command for the entire kingdom. It was situated in the Malla Mahal (मल्ला महाल) inAlmora, the capital of Kumaon. The officials that sat there were
The copper-plate issued in the time of theChand kings was signed by all the officers, which indicates the sense of responsibility of the officers.
When the 50th king of Kumaon Raja Baz Bahadur Chand reinstatedKumaoni authority overTerai after meeting EmperorAurangzeb and came back toAlmora, he introduced those customs which he had seen inMuslim courts and also in those of other kings.Naubat (kettle drums, نوبت) andnaqqāra-khāna (place where drummers sit to beat the drums, نقارهخانه) were built. Bearers ofasa (a staff covered with golden silver plate, عصا) andballam (a mace so prepared, बलम), thechopdars (ceremonial guards, چوبدار) were also appointed. The king had brought with him a few mace-bearers, drummers, mirasis, clowns and mimes from the plains. Abrahmin confectioner was also engaged to prepare sweets for the palace.[5]
The Kumaoni economy for most of the time was prosperous and mainly based on minerals and weapons exports as well as tax revenue.[21] The kingdom had trade relations with theMughal Empire, neighbouring himalayan states andTibet.[5][21] Kumaon had a very elaborate taxing system and within it majority of the revenue came for agricultaral taxes. TheAin-i-Akbari byAbul Fazl mentions the annual revenue of Kumaon at the time of EmperorAkbar to be about 2,000,000 Rupees.[22] Abul Fazl has stated many times that the kingdom of Kumaon was a wealthy state.
Mughal coins were used for trading as well as collecting or distributing revenue.[5] Kumaon also issued coins of various units.[5] Its value was kept equal to that of Mughal coins. The unit for currency was theRupee and its subunit was thePaisa.[5]
The type of taxes implemented during the Chand rule were[5][6]
The rules regarding the collection of taxes were very strict. Exemptions from taxes were rare. Land and agricultaral revenue was exempted only during famines.[5][6] Written records for revenue collection were rarely kept.[5]
Taxes were also levied on traders and there products during trade withTibet. Merchants and traders coming from Tibet were supposed to paySirati to theBhotiyas.[5] The Kumaoni government itself levied taxes on products like gold dust,deer musk andsalt.[5]
Kumaon was one of the largest exporters of minerals and resources to theMughal Empire.[22] Mining was a major source of revenue for the kingdom of Kumaon. Many natural resources were traded withTibet as well.
The minerals found in Kumaon were
The Ain-i-Akbari records the production of silk in Kumaon.[22]
Raja Indra Chand opened silk-industry in his kingdom. In the seventh century the queen of Tibetan kingSongtsen Gampo broughtsilk-worms toTibet fromChina and hisNepali queenBhrikuti Devi popularised it inKathmadu valley inNepal. From there silk was brought to Kumaun. This industry continued upto the Gorkha rule. During the reign of the Gorkhyalis this prosperous industry was ruined. For fodder of the silk-worms a large number ofmulberry trees were planted. Weavers from the plains were summoned to weave silk.[5]
A large building was built to serve as a silk factory. Inside, silkworms were kept, and branches of mulberry trees were placed as their fodder. The worms fed on mulberry leaves and spun cobweb-like structures, similar to spiders. Once these cobwebs matured, the weavers collected and purified them to produce silk. Some silk was kept white, while the rest was dyed in various colours. During thedyeing process, the weavers spread rumours calledpatarangyal (पतरंग्याल) in the town, believing that this practice enhanced the quality of the silk fabric.[5]
Kumaon is very rich innatural resources. The major resources exported were
Agriculture was the main occupation of theKumaoni people. TheTerai region under Kumaon was highly fertile, and through the efforts of MaharajaBaz Bahadur Chand, agriculture was popularised in that area, creating abundance of food source.[5] The mountainous regions were also highly fertile, and many types of crops were grown there.[5]
Dairy products likecurd,khoya andghee were very popular in Kumaon and still are.[5]
Beekeeping was done in abundance in Kumaon.[5] It was also popular during the British era.[5][6]
In summers and rains blackbees came over to the hilly regions and built their hives in the inaccessible caves and caverns of the mountains. People from Danpur used to collect honey from these beehives. Honey produced from the pollens of various wild flowers was highly fragrant and tasteful.[5]
One of the major occupation of theKumaoni people has beenmercenarism. Men left their families and went to other states and kingdoms looking to fight wars on their behalf in return for money. They mostly went to muslim states likeMughal Empire, and itssubahs like theHyderabad State. Many Kumaonis served theNizam of Hyderabad during the end of the 18th century.
The kingdom of Kumaon itself was state that fought wars for other larger empires in return for wealth and resources. Kumaon fought wars and battles on behalf of the Mughal Empire on many occasions.
Kumaun had a good reputation for its swords and daggers.[22] Weapons made in Kumaon were also a favoured gift to give to theMughal Emperors.[23]Muskets andflintlocks were probably also produced locally, but were mostly imported from theMughal Empire.
Since Kumaon was rich in iron and other metals, materials to manufacture weapons were easily secured.[5]
Kumaon mostly remained independent and sovereign but maintained a tributary relationship with larger and powerful empires like theDelhi Sultanate and theMughal Empire, despite minor conflicts occasionally.[5][6][23][22][21] Kumaon maintained diplomatic representatives at the imperial Mughal court.[22] Trade relations also flourished with the Mughal Empire as well as other Himalayan kingdoms.Tibet was also one of the major trade partners of Kumaon.[5] The major passes between Kumaon and Tibet came under Kumaoni authority, and petty Tibetan chieftains near these passes paid tribute to the Kumaoni monarch.[5][6] Kumaoni monarchs also engaged in matrimonial alliances with petty kingdoms of the plains as well as other Himalayan kingdoms.[5] Kumaon also sent diplomatic missions to various rajput kingdoms from time to time.[5]
The kingdom of Kumaon had tributary relations with theDelhi Sultanate. TheSultans of Delhi used to tour the region nearTerai on hunting expeditions, and sometimes the Kumaoni monarchs used to accompany them.[5]
Upon ascending the throne in 1374, one of the first actions taken byMaharaja Gyan Chand was to seek recognition from the Sultan of Delhi.[5] During the reign of his grandfather, the Nawabs ofRohilkhand had seized control of theTerai region. Aware of this, Gyan Chand sent a formal letter to the Sultan of Delhi,Muhammad bin Tughlaq, asserting that the Terai Bhavar region had long been an integral part of the kingdom of Kumaon. He emphasised that the territory had once been under the rule of theKatyuri dynasty, and now it should now rightfully be governed by theChand kings. At that time,Muhammad bin Tughlaq was on a hunting expedition. Gyan Chand travelled to meet him and, during the expedition, demonstrated his remarkable archery skills by shooting down an eagle that was carrying a serpent in its beak. Impressed by his expertise, Sultan Tughlaq immediately issued afirman (royal decree), granting Maharaja Gyan Chand dominion over the Terai Bhavar region, extending up to theBhagirathi Ganga. As a mark of honour, the Sultan bestowed upon him the title of "Garud," symbolising the mythical eagle-like bird known for its power and precision. From that moment on, Maharaja Gyan Chand came to be known as Garud Gyan Chand.[5][6]
Kumaon did not establish any close diplomatic ties with the short-livedSur empire. In 1541,Khavas Khan, a famed general ofSher Shah Suri, who had chasedHumayun out of India and had been againstIslam Shah Suri's accession to the throne, sought refuge in the kingdom of Kumaon after a failed revolt, pleading for shelter from Maharaja Manik Chand of Kumaon.[26] In response,Islam Shah Suri sent a formal letter to the Maharaja, demanding the surrender of Khavas Khan. Alongside this, the imperial commander was given orders to devastateKumaon if the Maharaja refused to comply.[26]
Undeterred by the threat, Maharaja Manik Chand sent a reply to the Sultan, stating:
"How can one imprison the man who has begged for my shelter? Till my last breath, I would not be guilty of such a mean act."[26]
E.T. Atkinson, citing Abdullah'sTarikh-i-Dawudi, highlights that even contemporary Muslim historians acknowledged and praised the bravery of the Chand rulers. Atkinson remarks:
"The magnanimity shown by the Kumaoni Raja is a bright spot in the annals of the Chands and is recognised even by Mussalman historians."[6]
Khavas Khan later surrendered himself to the Imperial forces and was beheaded on the order ofIslam Shah Suri.[5][26]
Thecow was theroyal emblem of theChand dynasty ofKumaon.Cows are considered sacred inHinduism, the religion of the Chand kings and theKumaoni people. The cow was used in theemblem,seal,flag and coinage of the Chand dynasty. It was also used to symboliseKumaon itself, like saying "Victory to the cow" would mean "Victory to Kumaon (the land whose banner is adorned with the cow)".[5]
Slaughtering of cows was strictly prohibited in the kingdom of Kumaon, and waspunishable by death.[5][6]
Kiladars, Sayanas and Budhas had their personalstandards andinsignias. TheDiwan used the seal of the monarch to issue orders.
The copper-plates of Chand kings were calledkatardar (कटारदार) as the kings instead of putting their signatures made the mark of their dagger on them. Their names used to be engraved in the beginning of the copper-plate. The name of chief officers as well were engraved in the copper plates. This very rule was followed while putting signatures on papers also.[5]This can be seen in the official papers from the reign of Baz Bahadur Chand and Udyot Chand.
Kumaon was somewhat famous for its high quality swords and daggers, which were in demand in theMughal Empire.[24] This could be a reason as to why dagger was chosen as the seal.
The Kumaoni language is one of theCentral Pahari languages. For a number of reasons, Kumaoni usage is shrinking rapidly. UNESCO's Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger designates Kumaoni as a language in theunsafe category which requires consistent conservation efforts.[27]
Kumaoni cuisine is the food of theKumaon region ofUttarakhand,India. Kumaoni food is simple and nutritious, suited to the harsh environment of theHimalayas.
On 26 August 1710, presumably on receiving the intelligence of the Sikh leader's ties with hill chiefs, the emperor sent his envoys, Abu Muhammad Khan and Brij Raj, to the chief (zamindar) of Kumaon, an important chieftaincy in the hills on the eastern borders of the Punjab in the Suba of Delhi.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain: 'History of Kumaon' by Badri Dutt Pandey, published by Shree Almora Book Depot in 1993. (Link:https://pahar.in/pahar/Books%20and%20Articles/Indian%20Subcontinent/1993%20History%20of%20Kumaun%20(English%20version%20of%20Kumaun%20Ka%20Itihas)%20Vol%201%20by%20Pande%20s.pdf )
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