Moon at Half Past Noon

The Garhwal region was a patchwork of smaller powers before King Ajai Pal unified it in the late 14th century. This area, known today as Garhwal-Kumaon in Uttarakhand, was not a single cohesive kingdom.

The earliest known rulers in the region were the Kunindas. They were an indigenous group who ruled between 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. Their rule stretched across the southern Himalayas, overlapping with modern Himachal Pradesh and even Doti in Nepal. The Kunindas practiced an early form of Shaivism. However, their presence in Garhwal-Kumaon specifically is more inferred than directly evidenced by local finds.

By the 7th century CE, the Katyuri dynasty emerged as the dominant power. They ruled a unified Uttarakhand from their base in the Katyur Valley (modern Baijnath, Bageshwar district). Founded by Vasu Dev, the Katyuris called their realm Kurmanchal, meaning “land of Kurma,” the tortoise avatar of Vishnu. Their kings, styled as Sri Basdeo Giriraj Chakara Churamani, held sway over a vast area. Their domain stretched from the Himalayan snows to the plains, including Rohilkhand. They started at Joshimath near Badrinath, later shifting to Kartikeyapura in Kumaon. The Katyuris were big on temple-building. Think Jageshwar and Katarmal Sun Temples. Their 500-year reign shaped the region’s Shaivite culture. They ruled until the 11th century, but their decline isn’t well-documented; some say internal feuds or invasions weakened them.

After the Katyuris fragmented around 1100 CE, Garhwal-Kumaon splintered into numerous small principalities. In Garhwal, this meant 52 independent chieftains. Each had their own garh (fort). They were often led by Khasa rajas. These rajas were Indo-Aryan tribes who’d been in the hills since at least 1500 BCE. In Kumaon, the fragmentation birthed eight principalities. These include Baijnath-Katyuri, Dwarahat, and Doti. They were often ruled by Katyuri descendants or local Rajput clans. For example, Faldakol and Dhaniyakot were under a Khati Rajput, while Gangolihat had a Mankoli king from Nepal’s lunar dynasty.

By the 12th century in Kumaon, the Chand dynasty began to rise. This started with Som Chand, who displaced the Katyuris around the 10th century. He ruled from Champawat. They wouldn’t unify Kumaon fully until later, but their early presence pushed out lingering Katyuri holdouts. In Garhwal, meanwhile, the Pala dynasty gained ground among the chieftains. They ruled parts of what’s now Uttarkashi. They also ruled Tehri, Chamoli, and Pauri districts. This was often under the protection of plains-based kings near Indraprastha (Delhi). Som Pal was a key figure here. He was a Pala ruler in the Bhilangana Valley. Som Pal controlled western Garhwal, including the Gangotri pilgrim route.

In the the 13th century, the Panwar dynasty made inroads into Garhwal. In 823 CE, Kanak Pal, a prince from Malwa (modern Madhya Pradesh), visited Badrinath. He married the daughter of Raja Bhanu Pratap of Chandpur Garhi. Chandpur Garhi was one of the 52 garhs. With no sons, Bhanu Pratap handed Chandpur to Kanak Pal, starting the Panwar line in Garhwal. Over centuries, Kanak Pal’s descendants chipped away at the other chieftains. Kadil Pal, a later Panwar, moved the capital to Devalgarh, setting the stage for Ajai Pal. By 1358, Ajai Pal—37th in the line—began his campaign to unify the 52 garhs. He completed this process by 1400. This achievement marked the founding of the Garhwal Kingdom.

From the 11th to 14th centuries, Garhwal was a mosaic of Khasa chieftains. They were under loose Pala influence. The Panwars were slowly rising. Kumaon had Katyuri remnants, then Chand upstarts, alongside petty Rajput kings. The Katyuris (7th-11th centuries) and Kunindas (2nd century BCE-3rd century CE) were the big unified powers before that. By Ajai Pal’s time, it was a fragmented hillscape. It was ripe for his sword to stitch together.

Key Kingdoms Through the Ages

• Kunindas (2nd c. BCE–3rd c. CE): Early Khasa rulers, coin-minting hill chiefs.
• Katyuris / Chands / Palas (7th – 11th c.): Katyuris held sway for nearly 500 years
• Panwars/Chands (13th–18th c.): Fragmented post-Katyuri, resilient against Mughals.
• Gorkhas (1790–1815): Brief Nepali rule, ousted by locals and British.
• British Era (1815–1947): Retained local rajas under colonial oversight.