Balabhadra Kunwar ( 1 of the heroes of Anglo-Nepal War )

Amasing Thapa had given the responsibility of defending Deharadun to 20 year-old Captain Balabhadra Kunwar. About 5 miles nothwest of Deharadun of Uttaranchal ( India ) on the war to Mussoorie there is a place known as Nalapani, which belonged to Nepal before the Anglo-Nepal War (1814-1816 A.D). Balabhadra Kunwar built a fort at Nalapani on raised land of about 600 feet. That fort was known as the fort of Khalanga. Balabhadra Kunwar had about 600 people including men, women and children. Major General Gillespie and his assistant Colonel Maubi were commanding about 3500 well-equipped soldiers and eleven cannons. They attacked the fort from four sides on 30th October 1814 A.D. On the night before attacking the fort, Sir Robert Rolls Gillespie sent a letter to Balabhadra Kunwar asking him to surrender. Balabhadra Kunwar boldly replied, " I am not in the habit of reading letters at midnight. I will meet Gillespie soon." He, then, tore the letter apart. The next day, the East India Company troops fired cannon balls at the fort and attacked it from all the sides. The Nepalese troops responded with guns, arrows, stones, logs and bricks. The bullets fired by the Nepalese troops hit Lieutenant Ellis, who was leading the attack, and he died. Furious Major-General Gillespie himself advanced towards the fort with a sword in his hand. In an attempt to climb the wall of the fort, Gillespie was shot dead by the Nepalese troops. The British troops were forced to retreat. After having defended the fort, Balabhadra sent letter to Kathmandu requesting additional reinforcement of soldiers, equipment and food supplies. But there was no response from Kathmandu. A troop from Nahan, which had come to assist Balabhadra Kunwar and defend the Khalanga fort, was blocked on the way by the English troops.

After much preparation, the English troops attacked the fort for the second time under the command of Colonel Maubi in November 1814. They also cut the supply of water to the fort. As a result of thirst, many people died in the fort. The foul smell of dead bodies, and lack of food and water supply, compelled the Nepalese troops to desert the fort. At last, finding no alternatives, Balabhadra Kunwar left Nalapani with 70 men and women on 30 November 1814. Without caring about the bullets and cannons, they went to the nearby stream and quenched their thirst. British army remained standing in surprise. Before proceeding to Jitgarh, Balabhadra boldy remarked to the British troops, " It was impossible for you to conquer the fort but now I am leaving it on my own will. Go, occupy and declare your victory." Impressed by the bravery and patriotism of the Nepali people, the British erected an inscription in which the following lines were inscribed, "This is inscribed as a Tribute of Respect for our Gallant Adversary Bulbudder ( Balabhadra) Commander of the fort and his Brave Gorkhas". Captain Vansittart and Princep, in their books, praised the bravery shown by the Nepalese women in the war.