Amar Singh Thapa
| Shree Bada Kaaji Amar Singh Thapa | |
|---|---|
| श्री बडाकाजी अमरसिँह थापा | |
 Portrait of Amar Singh Thapa | |
| Western Commander of Nepali Army | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1808 B.S. Gorkha District |
| Died | Gosain Kunda, Rasuwa District |
| Children | Ranajor Singh Thapa, Ramdas Singh Thapa |
| Father | Bagh Bhim Singh Thapa |
| Military service | |
| Nickname(s) | The Living Lion, Bada Kaaji |
| Battles/wars | Anglo-Nepalese war |
Amar Singh Thapa (नेपाली: अमरसिँह थापा) (Bada)[note 1]son of Bagh Bhim Thapa, got the title of Bada Kaji after the death of his father in the battle of Palanchowk. He should not be confused with Bhimsen Thapa's father of the same name. Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa played an important role at the time of the victory of Baise, Chaubise states and expanded the western boundary up to Satlaj. Bada Kaji Amar Singh is also known as "Living lion of Nepal". He was the Bada Kaji General of the Nepalese forces of the western front in the Anglo–Nepalese War. Sir David Ochterloney was given the responsibility of operation of war from the English side. Bada Kaji Ambar Singh Thapa is regarded as one of the National heroes of Nepal and one of the most fearsome warriors of Asia.
His major achievement was the attack on several western states of Nepal like Jumla, Doti, Kumaon, Garhwal, Dehradun, Srinagar and Kangra, as well as Palpa. He served as the Nepalese care taker of the areas, until ousted by the British.
He carried out small wars with the King of Punjab, Ranjit Singh. He also engaged in defending the western fronts of Nahan, Chamba, Almora, Kangra, Saharanpur, Dehradun against his British counterpart, General David Ochterlony. Although he lost these areas to British, he was praised for his bravery by both Nepalese and British personalities. He fought against many small kingdoms to make a big Nepal and unite the country Thapa also built a temple of the goddess Ganga in the early 19th century. The town of Gangotri in Uttarakhand, India is centred on this temple. To this day, it is one of the four sites in the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, the most important Hindu pilgrimage circuit in the Indian Himalayas.
As Anglo-Nepal War went against Nepal, Nepal had to Sign the Sugauli Treaty with the English. Grieved with this incident, Amar Singh Thapa went to Gosainkunda for ascetism, voluntarily retired and died
References
Footnotes
- ↑ Not to be confused with the better known commander of Gorkhali forces in the Gurkha War with the same name. The two Amar Singhs are differentiated by the qualifier Bada (greater) and Sanu (lesser).