Raja Sansar Chand
Encyclopedia
Sansar Chand was a famous ruler of the state of Kangra in what is now the India
n state of Himachal Pradesh
. He is remembered as a patron of the arts, and the Kangra paintings
.
dynasty which had ruled Kangra for some centuries until they were ousted by the Mughals
in the early 17th century. In 1758, Sansar Chand's grandfather, Ghamand Chand, had been appointed then deja mash governor of Jalandhar
by Ahmed Shah Abdali. Building upon this background, Sansar Chand rallied an army, ousted the then ruler of Kangra, Saif Ali Khan, and regained possession of his patrimony. This happened in 1783, and Sansar Chand was aided by the Kanhaiya misl, one of several informal but well-armed Sikh
militias that roamed the Punjab
in that era.
Sansar Chand have done a lot of work for the welfare of people mainly residing in places like Palampur
, Hamirpur
, Kangra.
Many water distributaries were made in the name of king himself, this water was used to fed animals and for cultivation.
s ruling the then nascent state of Nepal
. The Gorkhas and the recently humbled hill-states allied to invade Kangra in 1806. Sansar Chand was defeated and left with no territory beyond the immediate vicinity of the fortress of Kangra, which he managed to retain with the help of a small Sikh force sent to his aid by Ranjit Singh
.
In this despair, Sansar Chand treated with Ranjit Singh at Jawalamukhi in 1809. By that treaty, he surrendered his (now largely notional) state to Ranjit Singh, in return for a fief to be held under the suzerainty of the latter. Ranjit Singh duly established his rule over the land; Sansar Chand received in appenage the estate of Lambagraon. This estate, spread over an area of 324 km2., consisted of 438 villages, yielding a revenue of Rs. 1,76,000/- in 1947.
.
Apart from Anirudh Chand, Sansar Chand had two daughters by his wife, Prasanna Devi. Both of them were wed to the Raja Sudarshan Shah of Tehri Garhwal. Sansar Chand also had issue by a concubine, Gulab Dasi; two daughters borne by her were wed, in 1829, to Ranjit Singh
.
A museum to honour Maharaja Sansar Chand has been set up the members of the Katoch
Dynasty. The museum is locadeted near the Kangra Fort
and houses the private collection of the Royal Family of Kangra.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
. He is remembered as a patron of the arts, and the Kangra paintings
Kangra paintings
Kangra painting is the pictorial art of Kangra, named after Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, a former princely state, which patronized the art. It became prevalent with the fading of Basohli school of painting in mid-18th century , and soon produced such a magnitude in paintings both in content as well as...
.
Ascendency
Sansar Chand was a scion of the KatochKatoch
Katoch is the name of a Rajput clan belonging to the Chandervanshi kshatriya lineage. Their traditional areas of residence was Trigarta Kingdom, Jalandhar, Multan i.e...
dynasty which had ruled Kangra for some centuries until they were ousted by the Mughals
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in the early 17th century. In 1758, Sansar Chand's grandfather, Ghamand Chand, had been appointed then deja mash governor of Jalandhar
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
by Ahmed Shah Abdali. Building upon this background, Sansar Chand rallied an army, ousted the then ruler of Kangra, Saif Ali Khan, and regained possession of his patrimony. This happened in 1783, and Sansar Chand was aided by the Kanhaiya misl, one of several informal but well-armed Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
militias that roamed the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
in that era.
Sansar Chand have done a lot of work for the welfare of people mainly residing in places like Palampur
Palampur
Palampur is a green hill station and a municipal council in the Kangra Valley in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, surrounded on all sides by tea gardens and pine forests before they merge with the Dhauladhar ranges. Palampur is the tea capital of northwest India but tea is just one aspect that...
, Hamirpur
Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh
Hamirpur is a town and the district headquarters of Hamirpur district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Hamirpur is located in a relatively colder region in western Himachal Pradesh with a lower altitude as compared to the other districts of the state...
, Kangra.
Many water distributaries were made in the name of king himself, this water was used to fed animals and for cultivation.
Decline
During the campaign, Sansar Chand and his mercenary force overran other nearby principalities and compelled the submission of their rulers. He reigned over a relatively large part of present-day Himachal Pradesh for some two decades, but his ambitions brought him into conflict with the GorkhaGurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
s ruling the then nascent state of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. The Gorkhas and the recently humbled hill-states allied to invade Kangra in 1806. Sansar Chand was defeated and left with no territory beyond the immediate vicinity of the fortress of Kangra, which he managed to retain with the help of a small Sikh force sent to his aid by Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
.
In this despair, Sansar Chand treated with Ranjit Singh at Jawalamukhi in 1809. By that treaty, he surrendered his (now largely notional) state to Ranjit Singh, in return for a fief to be held under the suzerainty of the latter. Ranjit Singh duly established his rule over the land; Sansar Chand received in appenage the estate of Lambagraon. This estate, spread over an area of 324 km2., consisted of 438 villages, yielding a revenue of Rs. 1,76,000/- in 1947.
Later years
Sansar Chand retired to the estates thus conferred upon him by Ranjit Singh and devoted his remaining years to cultural pursuits. He died in 1823, and was succeeded in his estates and titles by his son Anirudh Chand. The estate, which came under British suzerainty in 1846, was held by the progeny of Anirudh Chand until 1947, when it acceded unto the Dominion of IndiaDominion of India
The Dominion of India, also known as the Union of India or the Indian Union , was a predecessor to modern-day India and an independent state that existed between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950...
.
Apart from Anirudh Chand, Sansar Chand had two daughters by his wife, Prasanna Devi. Both of them were wed to the Raja Sudarshan Shah of Tehri Garhwal. Sansar Chand also had issue by a concubine, Gulab Dasi; two daughters borne by her were wed, in 1829, to Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
.
A museum to honour Maharaja Sansar Chand has been set up the members of the Katoch
Katoch
Katoch is the name of a Rajput clan belonging to the Chandervanshi kshatriya lineage. Their traditional areas of residence was Trigarta Kingdom, Jalandhar, Multan i.e...
Dynasty. The museum is locadeted near the Kangra Fort
Kangra Fort
The Kangra Fort , , is located 20 kilometers from the town of Dharamsala on the outskirts of the town of Kangra, India. The fort was first mentioned in Alexander the Great's war records, referring to the 4th century BC.-History:...
and houses the private collection of the Royal Family of Kangra.