Skip to main content

ANGLO BRUSHO WAR

 


Nagar and Hunza, situated in the northern territories of Pakistan, were originally one principality known as Buroshall, with its central government based at Capal Dongs. After the reign of Miyor Khan, his sons divided Buroshall into two regions: Nagar and Hunza. The Hunza River was declared the borderline between the two territories. Muglot became the king of Nagar, while Kirkis took the throne of Hunza. Both regions remained rivals for many years.

In 1891, the Anglo-Brusho War was fought, which brought the two rulers together as allies to resist the British Army. The Anglo-Brusho War was between the principalities of Hunza and Nagar and the troops of British India, fought in Nilt (a village in Nagar). The campaign was largely a result of the aggressive attitude of the Hunza and Nagar chiefs towards the British agent in Gilgit, as these regions had been ruled by monarchs for generations and followed their own set of rules.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the royal troops of Hunza and Nagar began consolidating territory in tribal areas. These tribes had started acquiring rifles and ammunition from the Russians. The British, suspecting Russian involvement with the rulers of Hunza and Nagar, devised a plan to subdue them.

The British forces, comprising approximately a thousand rifles and two guns, launched a nighttime attack on the region. Some local inhabitants from Mayoon (a village on the opposite side of the river between Hunza and Nagar), armed with a single Urssi/Tumak (a weapon resembling a rifle mounted on a wooden stand and using a Russian bullet), climbed a nearby peak called Sheekar. They took aim and attacked the British Army. This unexpected attack from across the river created panic among the British forces, prompting them to consider retreating.


However, there were also local collaborators who sided with the British and informed them that the people of Mayoon had only one bullet.

The British awarded three Victoria Crosses during this campaign. The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest military decoration awarded for valor "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries and former British Empire territories.

The King ("Thum" in Brushaski and "Ra" in Shina), Azur Khan, was exiled to Kashmir, and the people ultimately lost the war.

Today, it is not just the Nilt Fort that has disappeared; there was also a fort (Kot) in Maiun (Mayoon). It was not destroyed by the British, but by the local people and the Central Government of Hunza at the time. The fort had been built by the ruler of Hunza on land forcibly taken from the people of Mayoon. Later, the Mir of Hunza sold that land back to the locals, and to this day, a room from the fort still exists and is used as a hay storage room for cattle by the current owner.

A similar fate befell other historical sites:

Chaprote Fort
Thol Fort
Pissan Fort

The importance of these assets has not been recognized by locals or by successive governments, which has deprived the region’s tourism sector of significant potential. Due to the negligence of both the local population and the ruling authorities, many historical sites have been lost, while the world remains largely unaware of the untapped tourism potential of Gilgit-Baltistan
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Legend of Seko Saparo

  Narrated By Late Dadu Khan in July 2014, in Maiun. I grew up listening to folk stories from my grandparents and elder people in my family, and I was always fascinated by those stories. Among the many tales they told, the legend of Seko Saparo is one such tale you won’t find in any book. In the summer of 2014, during my vacation, I had the pleasure of spending time with my grandfather’s youngest brother, Late Dadu Khan. I would often sit with him and ask him to tell me stories, and he would gladly share them. He served in the army and worked as a teacher in the village. He was in his late seventies when he narrated the story of Seko Saparo. The story unfolds as: Saparo was a resident of Seko, one of the oldest settlements of lower Hunza, currently known as Hussainabad. Saparo lived with his wife Makhagal in Seko. Makhagal was from Chalt, a nearby village in Nagar. He was a Daruoch (means hunter) and spent his summers in Maiun Bar, hunting for their livelihood. One day, he to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shari Badat - The Cannibal King of Gilgit Baltistan

Long ago, in the rugged mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan, there ruled a powerful Sheen king named  Shari Badat . He was no ordinary king — his presence commanded fear, and his word was law. The people dared not disobey him, no matter how unreasonable his demands were. Every day, Shari Badat’s subjects were required to bring him a lamb for his meal. It didn’t matter how rich or poor a family was; everyone had to take their turn. The people followed this rule without question — after all, their king’s wrath was far more terrifying than any hardship they faced. A Mother's Sacrifice In a small village, there lived a poor woman who had only one sheep. That sheep was her only source of hope. One day, the sheep gave birth to a fragile lamb, but tragedy followed — the mother sheep died soon after. With no way to feed the newborn, the woman did something extraordinary — she nursed the lamb herself, feeding it with her own milk. Time passed, and the lamb grew strong under her care. But soon, th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mulberries and the tradition of Maroch Tick

Mulberries hold a special place in the heart of the GB communities, carrying deep historical significance. Every mountain person cherishes childhood memories connected to these luscious fruits. Before the introduction of cherries, mulberries were the first to ripen, typically in May/June. The ancient connection between Mulberries and the Harvest season has endured, and to this day, GBians joyfully celebrates the Maroch Tick festival, signifying the start of the mulberry harvest. In times gone by, when food was scarce in Hunza and other mountain regions until the 1980s, mulberries, along with other seasonal fruits, were vital sustenance for the people. Their longevity and strength can be attributed, in part, to the nourishing power of these fruits. Imagine the sight of hardworking individuals relishing mulberries or other seasonal delights during their midday meals, fueling them for their daily endeavors. The memories of childhood in Hunza are colored with the sweetness of mulberries, a...
Post a Comment
Read more