Balo Kalyanchanddev’s capture of Gangoli was a great achievement for the Chand state. With the control over this state, the way was paved for a few rulers to take over the entire Kumaon. Chand kingdom in Kumaon gradually expanded over hundreds of years of Rajpath Yatra. The initial capital of the Chand state was in Champawat, the Chand kings preceding Balo Kalyanchanddev must have tried to take over the Gangoli state located just north of it. But only Balo Kalyanchanddev (1545-1568) succeeded in taking control of Gangoli.
Saryu was the border river among the early Chand state, Gangoli and Sor (present day Pithoragarh city). The tributary of this river was Eastern Ramganga, the border river of Gangoli and Sor state. Geographically, the area between Saryu and eastern Ramganga was the ancient Gangoli state. On the south-eastern part of this ancient state, there is the sacred shrine (the confluence of Saryu and East Ramganga river ), which is called Rameshwar Tirtha.
Contemporary Political Geography-
Balo Kalyanchanddev’s control over Gangoli was the most important step in the expansion of Chand state. To understand this state expansion, it is necessary to understand the political geography of Gangoli. The Saryu-Eastern Ramganga hinterland came into existence as an independent kingdom in the thirteenth century, where the Northern Katyuri and Mankoti dynasties flourished respectively. In the sixteenth century, this state was under the control of the Mankoti dynasty, who were the Karads (taxpayer of) of the Doti state.
In this century, there was Sira and Sor in the east of Gangoli and Chand state in the south. There was Katyuri kingdom in the western part. The impregnable fort of Sira (Sirakot) was the western capital of the Doti state. Hence Gangoli was surrounded by three powerful kingdoms. Whereas the snow peaks of the north acted as natural sentinels for this state. For these reasons, external attack on this riverine state was possible only from certain places/river valleys.
Expansion of Chand State-
Garuda Gyan Chand (1389-1422) had captured the northern bordering Sor state of Champawat, the capital of the Chand state, which is also confirmed by the Selauni copper plate of 1422. This copper plate was issued on October 6, 1422. This copper plate is a joint donation of Chand king Garuda Gyan Chand and Bam ruler Vijayabhram of Sor. Probably, Sor state had become Karad state of Chand state during the reign of Garuda Gyan Chand.
At the same time, the Mankoti rulers of Gangoli, another northern border state, were the Karads of Doti State, where a dynastic Mankoti rulers of Nepal ruled for about 200 years. In the beginning of the sixteenth century, Chand Raja Kirtichand expanded his kingdom and reached Almora and was successful in capturing the Western Katyuri kingdom. But he could not conquer Gangoli.
There were two reasons for Chand’s failure – first, the help of the Doti Malla kings who threatened Gangoli state and second, the rivers protecting the borders of Gangoli. Only after getting established in Almora, Chand Raja Balo Kalyanchand was successful in taking over Gangoli. Whereas Chand had captured the Sor state even before it was established in Almora. The Bheta and Gaunch copper plates of Balo Kalyanchand confirm this fact. At the same time, the Malla state, operating from Sirakot, located north of Sor, remained a challenge for chand rulers.
Challenge of Doti State-
After the fall of the Katyuri state, the Malla rulers of Doti came under the control of the ancient land-trade route Thal- Bageshwar. To provide stability to their kingdom, Doti Malla rulers introduced the practice of ‘Jaidev’ among the local Kshatriyas. Under the Jaidev tradition, the tradition of saying Jaidev (Jaideo) instead of palagan/pranam came into existence among the Kshatriyas of the area between Saryu-Kali river like Deupa, Chuphal, Basera, Rautela, Rawat, Rana, Koshyari, Shahi and Bathyal etc.
The villages of most of the Kshatriyas, entitled Jaidev, were situated on the ancient Bhot trade route. With the help of these Kshatriyas, the Malla rulers of Doti were successful in maintaining their rule in Kumaon till the latter part of the sixteenth century. The genealogy of Doti Malla rulers has been published in many books, according to which kings like Shalivahan, Asantidev, Basantidev, Katarmal were great kings of their dynasty. Mallavansh of Doti came into existence as a result of the partition of Katyuri kingdom in 1279 AD.
Chand king Bhishmachand’s authority over Almora-
In the early decades of the sixteenth century, the Western Katyuris of Kumaon had become powerless and were replaced by the Chands of Champawat. Chand king Kirtichand first conquered the areas ruled by Western Katyuris, Baramandal (area around Almora), Faldakot (area around Ranikhet) and Dhaniyakot (village located in Kosi valley of Nainital district), Pali area (western Ramganga river valley area) had taken over. After the death of this king (1505 AD), his son was Pratap Chand Raja, whose copper plate dated 1510 AD has been found. This king died in 1517, after which Tarachand, Manikchand, Kalyanchand, Purnachand and Bhishmachand became the kings respectively.
In the copper plate dated 1467 or 1545 AD obtained from Bheta, Pithoragarh, Bhishmachand was mentioned along with Kalyanchand holding the title of Maharajadhiraj. That is, Bhishmachand had died in 1545 AD. Five kings including Bhishmachand ruled for a total of 28 years between 1517 AD and 1545 AD, which proves the instability of the Chand kingdom during these years. The Western Katyuris took advantage of this instability and became independent. Therefore, Bhishmachand launched a successful military campaign against the Western Katyuris.
This Chand king had captured Almora in about 1545 AD. But soon he was murdered by Gajuwathinga, the Khas king of Ramgarh (a development block of Nainital district) during his night stay in Almora. Bhishmachand was childless, so he adopted Tarachand’s son Kalyan. The Bheta copper plate is of this Kalyanchand, who is also known as Balo Kalyanchand. According to the Bheta copper plate, Bhishmachand had been murdered in May 1545 AD and his adopted son Kalyanchanddev had ascended the throne of Champawat with the title of ‘Maharajadhiraj’.
Matrimonial relations with Mallas and revenge against Gajuwathinga-
After the murder of Bhishmachand, for some time Almora was under the control of Khas king Gajuwathinga, who was the representative ruler/feudal of the Western Katyuris. On the other hand, in Chand’s capital Champawat, Bhishmachand’s successor Kalyanchand was eager to take revenge for the murder of his father-like king. But attacks from Doti state disrupted his Almora campaign. Balo Kalyanchanddev’s position had become weak in the conflict with the Dotiyals and Khash Raja of Almora, as is evident from the Gaunch (Pithoragarh) copper plates of Shaka 1478 or 1556 AD. In this copper plate, only the title of this Chand king is engraved as ‘Rajadhiraj’.
To strengthen his position in Kumaon, this Chand king succeeded in establishing marital relations by making a treaty with the Dotiyals. Kalyanchanddev secured his kingdom on the eastern front by marrying the sister of Harimall, the last Doti ruler of the Kumaon region (Sira). After making a treaty with the Dotiyals of Doti, Kalyanchanddev soon succeeded in capturing Almora by defeating the Khas king Gajuwathinga. This incident happened between 1556 AD and 1560 AD.
In the Jakhpant, Pithoragarh copper plate of Shaka 1482 or 1560 AD, this king had again assumed the title of ‘Maharajadhiraj’. This great king of Chand dynasty captured Almora, but the Gangoli state situated between Doti state, Sira and Almora remained a question mark in front of him.
Victory on Gangoli-
Even after the victory over Almora, Balo Kalyan Chand was yet to include the North-Katuri states of Central Himalayas like Gangoli, Sira, Askot and Danpur in his Chand state. To fulfill his goal, he first attacked the Gangoli kingdom of Mankoti king Narayan Chand. At the time of this attack, there had been a change in the politics of Kumaon. Balo Kalyanchand had now become the brother-in-law of Malla king Harimall, who had helped the Mankotis.
The power of chand states had increased due to their control over Almora. Now chand kings could attack Gangoli from the western direction also. All these immediate changes proved helpful for Balo Kalyan Chand to attack Gangoli. Regarding the rights of Chands on Gangoli, there also seems to be a possibility that Chand king Balo Kalyanchanddev forced Mankoti king Narayan Chand to pay taxes. Pandit Badridatt Pandey gives a fact – “Narayan Chand, the last Mankoti king of Gangoli, created trouble in the state and gave the opportunity to Balo Kalyan Chand to attack Gangoli.”
That is, the last Mankoti king Narayan Chand had accepted the subordination of Chandas. But he was adopting a rebellious policy towards the Chand kingdom in Gangoli. Mankoti rulers used to pay annual tax to Doti-Malla state. After the middle period of the sixteenth century, when the regional balance of power shifted in favor of the Chand state, the Mankoti rulers started paying annual tribute to the Chand king in place of the Malla king. When Narayan Chand rebelled, it became necessary for Balo Kalyanchanddev to attack Gangoli.
The most suitable route to attack Gangoli was from Almora to Panuwanula, Panuwanaula to Jageshwar, Jageshwar to Naini and from Naini to Gangoli across Saryu. Apart from this, there was another route to attack Gangoli from Almora via Barichhina and Dhaulchhina-Seraghat.
After Chand state established direct control over Gangoli, Mankoti king Narayan Chand along with his descendants went to a place called Piuthana in Nepal. Even now their children are there.” Rudrachand, the successor of Kalyanchanddev, ascended the throne of Chand in 1568 AD. According to Jakhpant copper plate (1560 AD), Balo Kalyanchanddev ruled Gangoli between 1560 to 1568 AD or for about 8 years with the help of a state official named ‘Gangola’. In 1581 AD, Rudrachanddev succeeded in defeating King Harimall of Sirakot. Gangoli’s Purushottam Pant played an important role in this victory. After the victory of Sirkot, the feudal rule of Pala dynasty of Askot started in Gangoli, which is also confirmed by Kirauli, Berinag copper plate (Shake 1519). The Askot Pal dynasty originated from a branch of the Katyuris.