Capital towns of kings cry for attention

Ajay Ramola

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, February 21

The British are credited with developing hill stations such as Mussoorie, Lansdowne, Shimla and Nainital but the royal kings of Garhwal also created hill stations in Tehri Garhwal district.

Following the treaty of Sugauli in 1815, Garhwal king Sudarshan Shah established his capital at Tehri town. Purana Durbar Hall, which functioned as the court of the king, was the first building to be constructed in Tehri. Later, the clock tower and other buildings came up in the town as it began to grow. 

Sudarshan Shah’s successors, namely Pratap Shah, Kirti Shah and Narendar Shah, shifted their capitals to Pratap Nagar, Kirtinagar and Narendar Nagar, respectively, for various reasons. 

Pratap Shah was coronated king of Tehri Garhwal in 1872 after the death of Bhavani Shah. He found old Tehri town to be too hot and humid as it was located at the confluence of the Bhilangana and the Bhagirathi at a height of 2,000 feet. The British by then had founded the new townships of Mussoorie, Almora and Nainital. King Pratap Shah following in the footsteps of the British founded Pratap Nagar town in 1877. This town was around 27 km from old Tehri town. It was densely forested and the most suitable to be the summer capital for the Tehri king. Pratap Shah built  palace, court and treasury buildings and houses for state employees. He also strengthened the bridge over the Bhilangana so that people do not face problems in reaching the capital. Pratap Shah’s successors, namely Kirti Shah and Narendra Shah, established their capitals at Kirtinagar and Narendra Nagar, respectively.

Kirtinagar has lost its charm and old glory while the old palace of King Narendar Shah at Narendar Nagar is the only memory left of Garhwal of yesteryears. At present, five star group run a spa and massage centre called ‘Ananda’ in the Himalayas from this palace.

According to the 2011 Census, Kirtinagar had a population of 1,517, including 41 per cent women and 10 per cent children up to six years of age. The average literacy rate of the area was  around 81 per cent, higher than the state average of 79 per cent. The male literacy was 79 per cent while the women literacy rate was 85 per cent. In 1981, Kirtinagar with a population of around 740 persons in an area of 0.81 sq km ranked 32 in size. Narendra Nagar came into existence in 1919 when King Narendar Shah moved his capital to the old town of Odathali. The village in the older days was considered the seat of Purasara, the founder of astrology who is known to have conducted several astronomical experiments on the movements of planets and stars here.

At present, a polytechnic exists at the site of his observatory. King Narendar Shah selected this town as his capital due to its scenic beauty and its close proximity to the plains of Rishikesh and Haridwar. According to a legend, sage Uddhava had performed penance at this spot.  

King Narendra Shah built a well-ordered civic building in the royal township of Srinagar. The bazaar building symmetrical in structure still stands to this day. The buildings of hospital and secretariat are in use even today.

The Viceregal Palace, built by the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal in 1910, is now a seat of yoga and meditation run by hotel conglomerate Ananda in the Himalayas. The place was a favourite of the Viceroy in early 1900s.