Himachal Pradesh was
established in 1948 as a Chief Commissioner's Province within the Union of India. The
province comprised the hill districts around Shimla and southern hill areas of the
former Punjab region.
Himachal became a part C state on 26 January 1950 with the implementation of
the Constitution of India. Himachal Pradesh became a Union Territory on 1
November 1956. On 18 December 1970 the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed
by Parliament and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Thus
Himachal emerged as the eighteenth state of the Indian Union.
In earlier
times, the area was variously divided among smaller kingdoms, such as those of Chamba, Bilaspur, Bhagal and Dhami. After the Gurkha War of
1815–1816, it became part of the British India.
Prehistory
Some evidences have been found that nearly 2
million years ago man lived in the foothills of Himachal Pradesh. Bangana valley of Kangra, Sirsa valley of Nalagarh and Markandavalley of Sirmour are found to be the places
where prehistoric man used to live. The foothills of the state were inhabited
by people from Indus
valley civilization which flourished between the time period of
2250 and 1750 BC.
Medieval history
In about 883 AD Shankar Verma, the ruler of Kashmir exercised his influence
over Himachal Pradesh. The region also witnessed the invasion of Mahmud Ghazni in 1009 AD, who during that
period looted the wealth from the temples in the North India. In 1043 AD the Rajputs ruled over the territory.
Sansar Chand
In 1773
AD the Rajputs under Katoch Maharaja Sansar Chand-II
possessed the region, until the attack by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1804 which
crushed the Rajput power.
The small kingdom enjoyed a large degree of independence till
the eve of the Muslim invasions in northern India. The
states of the foothills were devastated by Muslim invaders a number of times. Mahmud Ghaznavi conquered Kangra at
the beginning of the 10th century. Timurand Sikander Lodi also
marched through the lower hills of the state and captured a number of forts and
fought many battles.
The Gorkhas, a martial tribe came
to power in Nepal in 1768. They
consolidated their military power and began to expand
their territory.
The Gurkhas who migrated from Nepal captured
the area and devastated it. Gradually the Gorkhas annexed Sirmour and Shimla. With
the leadership of Amar Singh Thapa, Gorkhas laid siege to Kangra. They
managed to defeat Sansar Chand, the ruler of kangra, in
1806 with the help of many provincial chiefs.
However Gorkhas could not capture Kangra fort
which came under Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1809.
However,Raja Ram Singh, Raja of Siba State re-capture the Siba fort
after defeating the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After the defeat, theGorkhas also
began to expand towards the south of the state.
British period
This led to the Anglo-Gorkha war. They came into
direct conflict with the British along
the tarai belt after which the British expelled
them from the provinces of the Satluj. Thus British gradually
emerged as the paramount powers. In early 19th century the British annexed the
areas of Shimla after the Gurkha War of
1815–16. Himachal became a centrally administered territory in 1948 with the
integration of 31 hill provinces and received additional regions in 1966.
The revolt of 1857 or the first Indian war of independence resulted
due to the building up of political, social, economic, religious and military
grievances against the British government. People of the hill states were not
politically alive as the people in other parts of the country.They remained
more or less inactive and so did their rulers with the exception
of Bushahr.
Some of them even rendered help to the British government during
the revolt. Among them were the rulers of Chamba, Bilaspur,
Bhagal and Dhami. The rulers of Bushars rather acted in a manner hostile to the
interests of British.
The British territories in the hill
came under British Crown after Queen Victoria's proclamation of 1858. The
states of Chamba, Mandi and Bilaspur made
good progress in many fields during the British rule. During World War I,
virtually all rulers of the hill states remained loyal and contributed to the
British war effort both in the form of men and materials. Amongst these were
the states of Kangra, Nurpur, Chamba,
Suket, Mandi and Bilaspur.
Post independence
After independence the Chief Commissioner's province of
H.P. came into being on 15 April 1948. Himachal became a part C state on
26 January 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of India. Himachal
Pradesh became Union Territory on 1 November 1956. On 18
December 1970 the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by
Parliament and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Thus H.P.
emerged as the eighteenth state of Indian Union.
In 1773
AD the Rajputs under Katoch Maharaja Sansar Chand-II
possessed the region, until the attack by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1804 which
crushed the Rajput power.
The small kingdom enjoyed a large degree of independence till
the eve of the Muslim invasions in northern India. The
states of the foothills were devastated by Muslim invaders a number of times. Mahmud Ghaznavi conquered Kangra at
the beginning of the 10th century. Timurand Sikander Lodi also
marched through the lower hills of the state and captured a number of forts and
fought many battles.
The Gorkhas, a martial tribe came to power in Nepal in 1768. They consolidated their military power and began to expand their territory.
The Gorkhas, a martial tribe came to power in Nepal in 1768. They consolidated their military power and began to expand their territory.
The Gurkhas who migrated from Nepal captured
the area and devastated it. Gradually the Gorkhas annexed Sirmour and Shimla. With
the leadership of Amar Singh Thapa, Gorkhas laid siege to Kangra. They
managed to defeat Sansar Chand, the ruler of kangra, in
1806 with the help of many provincial chiefs.
However Gorkhas could not capture Kangra fort
which came under Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1809.
However,Raja Ram Singh, Raja of Siba State re-capture the Siba fort
after defeating the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After the defeat, theGorkhas also
began to expand towards the south of the state.
British period
This led to the Anglo-Gorkha war. They came into
direct conflict with the British along
the tarai belt after which the British expelled
them from the provinces of the Satluj. Thus British gradually
emerged as the paramount powers. In early 19th century the British annexed the
areas of Shimla after the Gurkha War of
1815–16. Himachal became a centrally administered territory in 1948 with the
integration of 31 hill provinces and received additional regions in 1966.
The revolt of 1857 or the first Indian war of independence resulted
due to the building up of political, social, economic, religious and military
grievances against the British government. People of the hill states were not
politically alive as the people in other parts of the country.They remained
more or less inactive and so did their rulers with the exception
of Bushahr.
Some of them even rendered help to the British government during
the revolt. Among them were the rulers of Chamba, Bilaspur,
Bhagal and Dhami. The rulers of Bushars rather acted in a manner hostile to the
interests of British.
The British territories in the hill
came under British Crown after Queen Victoria's proclamation of 1858. The
states of Chamba, Mandi and Bilaspur made
good progress in many fields during the British rule. During World War I,
virtually all rulers of the hill states remained loyal and contributed to the
British war effort both in the form of men and materials. Amongst these were
the states of Kangra, Nurpur, Chamba,
Suket, Mandi and Bilaspur.
Post independence
After independence the Chief Commissioner's province of
H.P. came into being on 15 April 1948. Himachal became a part C state on
26 January 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of India. Himachal
Pradesh became Union Territory on 1 November 1956. On 18
December 1970 the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by
Parliament and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Thus H.P.
emerged as the eighteenth state of Indian Union.
