Gurkha Soldiers (1896)

Gurkha (or Gorkha) are people from Nepal who take their name from the eighth century Hindu warrior-saint Guru Gorkhnath. His disciple Bappa Rawal (real name Kalbhoj) founded the house of Mewar. Later Bappa Rawal's descendants went further east to found the house of Gorkha, which in turn founded the Kingdom of Nepal. Gurkhas are most well-known for their history of service as foreign soldiers in the British Army. Old Photo with Gurkha Soldiers This photo is from the The Navy and Army Illustrated, July 24th, 1896, and therefore the copyrights have expired. ... Old Photo with Gurkha Soldiers This photo is from the The Navy and Army Illustrated, July 24th, 1896, and therefore the copyrights have expired. ... The Kingdom of Nepal, situated in the Himalayas, is the worlds only Hindu kingdom. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... Gurkha Soldiers (1896) Wives and children of Gurkha Soldiers (1896) Gurkha (or Gorkha) are a people from Nepal who take their name from the former city-state of Gorkha, which went on to found the Kingdom of Nepal later on. ... The Kingdom of Nepal, situated in the Himalayas, is the worlds only Hindu kingdom. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... The British Army is the land armed forces of the United Kingdom. ...

History

Gurkhas claim descent from the Rajputs of Northern India who entered modern-day Nepal from the west. They take their name from the warrior Hindu saint Guru Gorkhanath of the eighth century A.D.. Guru Gorkhanath had a Rajput prince-disciple, the legendary Bappa Rawal (real name Kalbhoj), founder of the house of Mewar, who became the first Gurkha and is the ancestor of the present Royal family of Nepal. A Rajput (possibly from Sanskrit rāja-putra, son of a king) is a member of a prominent caste who live throughout northern and central India, primarily in the northwestern state of Rajasthan. ... The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ...

Bappa Rawal was a teenage prince in hiding when he came upon the warrior saint while hunting with friends in the jungles of Rajasthan. Legend has it that he chose to stay behind and care for the warrior saint who was in deep meditation. When the Guru Gorkhanath awoke he was pleased with the devotion of Bappa Rawal, gave him the Kukri sword (the famous curved dagger of the present day Gurkha), and told him that he and his people would henceforth be called Gurkhas (the disciples of the Guru Gorkhanath) and their bravery would be world-famous. He then told Bappa Rawal and his Gorkhas to stop the spread of ideas of the Muslim invaders who were invading Afghanistan,converting the masses by the beauty of their religion, and deconstructing many hindu temples. Bappa Rawal took his Gurkhas and attempted to subjugate Afghanistan (originally named Ghandhar) and stopped the benevolent Islamic advance for the time being.[Reference: Dr. Sumerendra S. Chauhan, M.D.- Direct descendant of Maharana Jung Bahadur and Prithvi Narayan Shahdev][Dr. Joseph T. O'Connell, Prof. Emeritus, South Asian Studies Dept. University of Toronto]

It is a misconception that the Gurkhas took their name from the provinicial state of Gorkha, located in Nepal. Parallel reasoning would argue that everyone with the name Singh would come from Singapore, which is actually pronounced Singh-a-pur, which translates to "City of Lions", and was an old Indian city outpost. [Reference: Dr. Sumerendra S. Chauhan, M.D.- Direct descendant of Maharana Jung Bahadur and Prithvi Narayan Shahdev]

Wives and children of Gurkha Soldiers (1896)

In the early 1500s some of Bappa Rawal's descendants went further east and conquered a small state in present-day Nepal, which they named Gorkha in honour of their patron saint. By 1769, through the leadership of Maharaj Dhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shahdev, the Gorkha dynasty had taken over the area of modern Nepal. They made Hinduism the state religion, although with distinct Rajput warrior and Gorkhanath influences. [Reference: Dr. Sumerendra S. Chauhan, M.D.- Direct descendant of Maharana Jung Bahadur and Prithvi Narayan Shahdev][Dr. Joseph T. O'Connell, Prof. Emeritus, South Asian Studies Dept. University of Toronto] Download high resolution version (450x606, 19 KB)Wives of Gurkhas This photo is from the The Navy and Army Illustrated, July 24th, 1896, and therefore the copyrights have expired. ... Download high resolution version (450x606, 19 KB)Wives of Gurkhas This photo is from the The Navy and Army Illustrated, July 24th, 1896, and therefore the copyrights have expired. ... Centuries: 15th century - 16th century - 17th century Decades: 1450s 1460s 1470s 1480s 1490s - 1500s - 1510s 1520s 1530s 1540s 1550s Years: 1500 1501 1502 1503 1504 1505 1506 1507 1508 1509 1510 Events and Trends Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa External links 1500-1524 Events 1500-1509 Events Categories... Events Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen exhibits the Mechanical Turk, a chess-playing machine May 14 - Charles III of Spain sends Spanish missionaries, who found California missions in San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Monterey and begin the settlement of California. ... This article is about the Hindu religion OM, the most sacred syllable and quintessential symbol of Hinduism, represents the first manifestation of the unmanifest Brahman. ...

In the Gurkha War (1814–1816) they waged war with the British East India Company army. The British were impressed by the Gurkha soldiers and began to regularly hire them as mercenaries organised into Gurkha regiments in the East India Company army, with the permission of then prime minister, Shree Thin (3)Maharja Jung Bahadur Rana, the dictator prime-minster of Nepal. The Gurkha War (1814-1816), also known as the Anglo-Nepalese War, was fought between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Nepal. ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company of investors, which was granted a Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favor trade privileges in India. ... Mercenary (disambiguation). ...

The original Gurkhas who were descended from the Rajputs refused to enter as mere soldiers and were instead given positions as officers in the British-Indian armed forces. The Tibeto-Mongolian Gurkhas entered as soldiers. The Thakur/Rajput breed of Gurkhas were entered as officers, one of whom, retired. Gen. Narendra Bir Singh, Gurkha Rifles, rose to become aide-de-camp to Lord Mountbatten. After the British left India, the Thakur/Rajput Gurkhas refused to serve the British, but allowed the Tibeto-Mongolians to continue seeking employment in British forces.[Reference: Dr. Sumerendra S. Chauhan, M.D.- Direct descendant of Maharana Jung Bahadur and Prithvi Narayan Shahdev][Dr. Joseph T. O'Connell, Prof. Emeritus, South Asian Studies Dept. University of Toronto]

Under international law present-day British Gurkhas are not mercenaries. They are fully integrated soldiers of the British Army, operate in formed units of the Brigade of Gurkhas, and abide by the rules and regulations under which all British soldiers serve. Similar rules apply for Gurkhas serving in the Indian Army. The British Army is the land armed forces of the United Kingdom. ... The Indian Army is the army of the Republic of India. ...

East India Company army

Gurkhas served as troops under contract to the East India Company in the Pindaree War of 1817, in Bhurtbore in 1826 and the First and Second Sikh Wars in 1846 and 1848. During the Indian Mutiny in 1857, Gurkhas fought on the British side, and became part of the British Indian Army on its formation. The 2nd Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) defended Hindu Rao's house for over three months, losing 327 out of 490 men. The 60th Rifles (later the Royal Green Jackets) fought alongside the Sirmoor Rifles and were so impressed that following the mutiny they insisted 2nd Gurkhas be awarded the honours of adopting their distinctive rifle green uniforms with scarlet edgings and rifle regiment traditions and that they should hold the title of riflemen rather than sepoys. Twelve Nepalese regiments also took part in the relief of Lucknow. The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817 - 1818) was a final and decisive conflict between Britain and the Maratha empire in India, which left Britain in control of most of India. ... 1817 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1826 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846), resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom by the British East India Company. ... The Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849), resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh kingdom and absorption of the Punjab into lands controlled by the British East India Company. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... An engraving titled Sepoy Indian troops dividing the spoils after their mutiny against British rule gives a contemporary view of events from the British perspective. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Indian Army in the time of the British Raj (1857–1947) See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post-partition) army of the Republic of India. ... The 2nd Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) was a British Indian Army then British Army regiment. ... Cap badge of the Royal Green Jackets The Royal Green Jackets is an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two within the Light Division (the other being The Light Infantry). ... Lucknow is the capital city of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. ...

British Indian Army

From the end of the Indian Mutiny until the start of the First World War the Gurkha Regiments saw active service in Burma, Afghanistan, the North-East and the North-West Frontiers of India, Malta (the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78), Cyprus, Malaya, China (the Boxer Rebellion of 1900) and Tibet (Younghusband's Expedition of 1903). The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 had its origins in the Russian goal of gaining access to the Mediterranean Sea and dominating Constantinople (Istanbul) and the adjacent Turkish Straits. ... Boxer forces in Tianjin The Boxer Rebellion ( Traditional Chinese: 義和團起義; Simplified Chinese: 义和团起义; pinyin: ) was an uprising against Western commercial and political influence in China during the final years of the 19th century. ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ...

Between 1901 and 1906, the Gurkha regiments were renumbered from the 1st to the 11th and redesignated as Gurkha Rifles. One hundred thousand Gurkhas fought in the First World War. They served in the battlefields of France in the Loos, Givenchy, Neuve Chapelle and Ypres; in Mesopotamia, Persia, Suez Canal and Palestine against Turkish advance, Gallipoli and Salonika. One detachment served with Lawrence of Arabia. 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1906 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. The battle was the British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois. ... The Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. ... Ypres (French, generally used in English1; Ieper official name in the local Dutch/Flemish) is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. ... Mesopotamia ( Greek: Μεσοποταμία, translated from Old Persian Miyanrudan the Land between the Rivers or the Aramaic name Beth-Nahrin two rivers) is a region of Southwest Asia. ... Persian art is conscious of a great past, and monumental in many respects. ... 1881 drawing of the Suez Canal The Suez Canal ( Arabic, Qanā al-Suways), west of the Sinai Peninsula, forms a 163  km (118 miles) ship canal in Egypt between Port Said (Būr Saīd) on the Mediterranean Sea and Suez (al-Suways) on the Red Sea. ... The term Palestine may refer to: Palestine: A geographical region in the Middle East, centered on Jerusalem. ... Battle of Gallipoli Conflict First World War Date 19 February 1915 - 9 January 1916 Place Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey Result Ottoman victory The Battle of Gallipoli took place on the Turkish peninsula of Gallipoli in 1915 during the First World War. ... The White Tower The Arch of Galerius Map showing the Thessaloníki prefecture Thessaloníki (Θεσσαλονίκη) is the second-largest city of Greece and is the principal city and the capital of the Greek region of Macedonia. ... Thomas Edward Lawrence (August 16, 1888 – May 19, 1935), also known as Lawrence of Arabia, and (apparently, among his Arab allies) Aurens or El Aurens, became famous for his role as a British liaison officer during the Arab Revolt of 1916–1918. ...

During the Battle of Loos the 8th Gurkhas fought to the last, and in the words of the Indian Corps Commander, "found its Valhalla". During the Gallipoli Campaign the 6th Gurkhas captured a feature later known as "Gurkha Bluff". At Sari Bair they were the only troops in the whole campaign to reach and hold the crest line and look down on the Straits which was the ultimate objective. Second Battalion of the 3rd Gurkha Rifles was involved in the conquest of Baghdad. A street map of Baghdad Average temperature (red) and precipitations (blue) in Baghdad Baghdad (بغداد) is the capital of Iraq and the Baghdad Province. ...

In the interwar years, Gurkhas fought in the Third Afghan War in 1919 followed by numerous campaigns on the North-West Frontier, particularly in Waziristan. The Rise of Dost Mohammad It was not until 1826 that the energetic Dost Mohammad was able to exert sufficient control over his brothers to take over the throne in Kabul, where he proclaimed himself amir. ... 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Waziristan is a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² (4,473 mi²). ...

During World War II, the Nepalese crown let the British recruit 20 extra battalions — 40 in total — and let them serve everywhere in the world. In addition to keeping peace in India, Gurkhas fought in Syria, North Africa, Italy, Greece and against the Japanese in Singapore and in the jungles of Burma. The 4th battalion of the 10th Gurkha Rifles became a nucleus for the Chindits. They fought in the Battle of Imphal. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... The Syrian Arab Republic or Syria is a country in the Middle East, bordering (from south to north) on Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. ... North Africa is a region generally considered to include: Algeria Egypt Libya Mauritania Morocco Sudan Tunisia Western Sahara The Canary Islands, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Madeira are sometimes considered to be a part of North Africa. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... National motto: Majulah Singapura (English: Onward, Singapore) National anthem: Majulah Singapura Capital Singapore1 Largest city Singapore1 Official languages English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, Tamil Government President Prime minister Westminster system (de jure) Dominant-party system (de facto) Sellapan Rama Nathan Lee Hsien Loong Independence - From Malaysia August 9, 1965 Area  - Total... The Burma Campaign was a campaign in the South_East Asian Theatre of World War II. Command Structure Initially command problems beset the Burma campaign. ... The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 3rd Indian Infantry Division) were a British jungle Special Forces unit that served in Burma from 1943 until 1945 as part of the Fourteenth Army during the Burma Campaign in World War II. They were formed into long... The Battle of Imphal took place in Manipur district of North East India from April until June 1944. ...

Post independence

After Indian independence – and partition – in 1947 and under the Tripartite Agreement, seven Gurkha regiments joined the post-independence India Army. Four Gurkha regiments joined the British Army 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Tripartite Agreement between the United Kingdom, India and Nepal was a treaty signed in 1947 concerning the rights of Gurkhas in military service. ...

British Army Gurkhas

Four Gurkha regiments joined the British Army on January 1 1948: 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

• 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
• 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles
• 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles
• 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles

They formed the Brigade of Gurkhas and were initially stationed in Malaya. See the Brigade of Gurkhas for details of British Gurkha activities since 1948. The 2nd King Edward VIIs Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) was a regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army on Indias independence. ... The 7th Duke of Edinburghs Own Gurkha Rifles started as a regiment of the British Indian Army, before being transferred to the British Army following Indias independence. ... The 10th Princess Marys Own Gurkha Rifles was originally a regiment of the British Indian Army. ... The Federation of Malaya, or in Malay Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, was formed in 1948 from the British settlements of Penang and Malacca and the nine Malay states and replaced the Malayan Union. ... Gurkha Soldiers (1896) The Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective term for British Army units that are composed of Nepalese soldiers. ...

Indian Army Gorkhas

Following Indian independence in 1947, six Gurkha regiments remained with the Indian Army: 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Indian Army is the army of the Republic of India. ...

• 1st King George V's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
• 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles
• 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles
• 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
• 8th Gurkha Rifles
• 9th Gurkha Rifles

Upon independence, the spelling was changed to Gorkha. In addition, a further regiment, 11th Gorkha Rifles, was raised. Upon India becoming a republic in 1950, all royal titles were dropped. The 1st King George Vs Own Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment) was a Regiment of the British Indian Army and was tranferred to the Indian Army upon Indias independence. ... The 3rd Queen Alexandras Own Gurkha Rifles, first raised in 1815, was a regiment of the British Indian Army. ... The 4th Prince of Waless Own Gurkha Rifles was originally a Gurkha regiment of the British Indian Army. ... The 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. ... The 11th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The 1st Battalion of the 11th Gorkha Regiment fought in the 1999 Kargil conflict for India. In 1999 5/8 Gorkha Rifles were sent as part of the Indian Army UN contingent to Sierra Leone to secure the diamond fields against the Revolutionary United Front. 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Republic of Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. ... The Revolutionary United Front, or RUF, was a rebel army that fought a failed ten-year insurrection in Sierra Leone starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. ...

Other

Kukri knife

Gurkha soldiers have won 13 Victoria Crosses, all but one (Rambahadur Limbu) were won when all Gurkha regiments were still part of the Indian Army. An additional 13 VCs have been awarded to British Officers in Gurkha regiments. Since Indian independence, Gurkhas have also won 3 Param Vir Chakras. Greater London and the Regions of England. ... Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The Queen, is the Queen regnant and Head of State of the United Kingdom, as well as the Queen of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea... December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Reef. ... A kukri photographed by Securiger on 11 Jan 2004. ... Victoria Cross, Source: Veterans Affairs Canada The Victoria Cross (official post-nominal letters VC) is the highest award for valour that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces of any rank in any service and civilians under military command. ... Rambahadur Limbu (VC, MVO) is a Nepalese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... The Param Vir Chakra is an Indian military decoration given for valour in combat operations. ...

Genetically Gurkhas who are presently serving in the British armed forces are Tibeto-Mongolians. Gurkhas serving in the Indian Armed Forces are of both groups, Tibeto-Mongolian and Rajput stock. Since the original Gurkhas were Rajput warriors from Rajasthan, all gurkhas regardless of genetic makeup speak a Rajasthani dialect. They are also famous for their large knife called the kukri. The Rajasthani languages are a group of related languages spoken in India and Pakistan . ... Categories: Weapon stubs | Knives ...

In the mid 1980s some Nepali speaking groups in West Bengal began to organize under the Gorkhaland National Liberation Front, calling for their own Gurkha state. In 1988 they were given broader autonomy as the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... West Bengal (পশ্চিম বঙ্গ, Pôščim Bôngô) is a state in the northeast of India. ... 1988 is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) is an autonomous body that looks after the District of Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal, India. ...

The treatment of Gurkhas and their families has been the subject of controversy in the United Kingdom following revelations that Gurkhas receive smaller pensions than their British equivalents.

The nationality status of Gurkhas and their families has also been in dispute, with claims that some ex-army Nepalese families are being denied residency and forced to leave Britain.

See also: History of Nepal Ancient History Main article: Licchavi Between about 400 and 750 AD, Nepals present capital Kathmandu was ruled by the Licchavi kingdom. ...

External links

• Brigade of Gurkhas website (http://www.army.mod.uk/brigade_of_gurkhas/)
• Gurkha Museum (http://www.thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/)
• The Tripartite Agreement (TPA) 1947 (http://www.army.mod.uk/brigade_of_gurkhas/gurkha_employment/tpa)
• Twenty-Six Victoria Crosses have been won by Gurkha Regiments (http://www.nepalesekhukuri.com/vcs.html)