Doti (), also known as Dotigarh (डोटीगढ़) or the Far-Western Development Region was a development region of Nepal situated between River Kali bordering Kumaon division of Uttarakhand, India in the west and the Karnali river on the east. Doti was one of eight different princely states of the Katyuri Kingdom.

Districts

Doti covered the nine districts of modern Sudurpashchim Province combined into two zones. They are: * Darchula District * Baitadi District * Dadeldhura District * Kanchanpur District * Doti District * Kailali District * Bajhang District * Bajura District * Achham District Kailali and Kanchanpur District are in the Terai area and the rest are mountainous.

Etymology

The name Doti is believed to have originated from the word Doab which means the land area between the confluence of two rivers. Other view is that the original name of Doti was = + or ( meaning Hindu God and meaning the place of re-creation or the place of attaining a meditation in Sanskrit).

History

Doti was an ancient kingdom in far western region of

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

which was formed after the disintegration of the Katyuri Kingdom of Kumaon around the 13th century. Doti was one of eight different princely states Katyuri Kingdom was divided into Eight for their eight Prince and became different independent Kingdom. * Baijnath-Katyur * Dwarahat *Doti *Baramandal * Askot * Sira *Sora *Sui (Kali kumaon) Later on, the whole land between Ramganga on the west ( Kumaon) and the Karnali on the east came under the Raikas after the origin of Raikas of Katyuris in Doti. "Brahma Dev Mandi" at Kanchanpur District of Mahakali Zone was established by Katyuri king Brahma Dev.

Raikas of Doti

Niranjan Malla Dev was the founder of Doti Kingdom around the 13th century after the fall of the Katyuri Kingdom. He was the son of Last Katyuris of united Katyuris kingdom. Kings of Doti were called Raikas (also Rainka Maharaj). Later on Raikas, after defeating the Khas Malla of Karnali Zone, were able to establish a strong Raika Kingdom in Far Western Region of Nepal (Doti) . So far, the historical evidences of following Raikas have been discovered: *Niranjan Malla Dev (Founder of Doti Kingdom) *Nagi Malla (1238) *Ripu Malla (1279) *Nirai Pal (1353): maybe of Askot his historical evidence of 1354 A.D has been found in Almora too *Nag Malla (1384) *Dhir Malla (1400) *Ripu Malla (1410) *Anand Malla (1430) *Balinarayan Malla: not known *Sansar Malla (1442) *Kalyan Malla (1443) *Suratan Malla (1478) *Kriti Malla (1482) *Prithivi Malla (1488) *Medini Jay Malla (1512) *Ashok Malla (1517) *Raj Malla (1539) *Arjun Malla/Shahi: not known but he was ruling Sira as Malla and Doti as ShahiDr. Ram Singh; A New History of Uttarakhand(2006).Mall Raikas of Sira.. *Bhupati Malla/Shahi (1558) *Sagaram Shahi (1567) *Hari Malla/Shahi (1581): last Raikas King of Sira *Rudra Shahi (1630) *Vikram Shahi (1642) *Mandhata Shahi (1671) *Raghunath Shahi (1690) *Hari Shahi (1720) *Hrishna Shahi (1760) *Deep Shahi (1785), *Prithivi pati Shahi (1790): he had fought against Nepali Ruler (Gorkhali Ruler) with British in 1814 A.D.

Mogul invasion on Far-Western Nepal

During the period of Akbar's rule in the 16th century, the Moguls had attacked the Raikas of Doti. They invaded Ajemeru, capital of the Raika Kingdom. Ajemeru is now in Dadeldhura District of far western region of

. Hussain Khan, army chief of Akbar residing in

Lucknow Lucknow () is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the largest city of the List of state and union territory capitals in India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is the administrative headquarters of the epon ...

had led the attack. According to `Abd al-Qadir Bada'uni (c. 1540 - 1615), Indo-Persian historian during

Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...

, Mughal Army chief of

, Hussain Khan, lured by the wealth and treasures of the kingdom of the Raikas, wanted to plunder the state, this being the motive behind the assault; he managed to capture some cities and after his successful campaign he returned to

Gorkha Invasion

The historic place of war between the Doti Kingdom and Nepal ( Gorkha Kingdom) during the period of Gorkha Expansion in 1790, according to the history of Nepal, is ''Nari-Dang'' which lies on the bank of the Seti River and Dumrakot was the base of the Doti Kingdom during the fighting against the Gorkhalis. In the war with the Gorkhalis, the Doti kingdom was defeated and Doteli King fled to Pilibhit.

Khairgarh-Singhai State

Raja Deep Shah of Surajbanshi clan was expelled from Nepal in 1790 A.D and on arriving to Terai of Oudh (now Lakhimpur Kheri District of Uttar Pradesh of India) he established Khairgarh-Singhai State in Khairigarh under British India.http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/k/khairigarh. Kanchanpur Praganna (now the District of Kaillali and Kanchanpur of Nepal) was also the parts of his State or ''Zamindari''. He succeeded in defeating the Banjaras rulers of Khairigarh and establishing himself not only in that Pargana but also in parts of Bhur

Geography

The Far-Western Development Region has Karnali province to the east,

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

(

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

) to the south, Uttarakhand (

) to the west and the Tibet Autonomous Region (

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

) to the north. The highest

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...

in the region is the Api Peak, with high; it is in the Darchula district. Other high mountain is Saipal, high, in the Bajhang district. The most important rivers in the Far-Western Development Region are the Seti and the Mahakali rivers; both rivers are tributaries of the Karnali river.

Demographics

It is the smallest Development Region of Nepal with an area of and also with the lowest population with 2,552,517 people living there; its population density is the second lowest of all the regions, with 130.6 persons/km². Main ethnic group are Khas/ Chhetri making total population of 76%.

Language and culture

The major local languages are Dotiyali and Nepali each spoken respectively by and people according to the 2011 census. Inhabitants of two terai districts Kailali District and Kanchanpur District speak different languages. Rana-tharu and Dangaura-tharu speaks their own language. Language spoken by Rana-tharus and Dangaura-tharu speak various Tharu Languages. Traditional dance and songs Chholiya, Bhada, Jhora Chhapeli, Rung Culture of Rung people (Sauka), Baira song, Deuda, Chait and Jagar are part of the culture. Jagar and Chait tales of bravery is most important culture in Doti since Katyuri period. Chait tales about bravery of Senapati Piri Bohara (Doti) is singing in Gaura Parva . Jhusia Damai of Baskot of Baitadi District was famous Jagar singer. The major festivals of Doti are mainly Gora (Gamra), Holi, Bishpati, Harela, Raksha Bandhan, Dasain, Makar Sankranti, and others.

References

{{Uttarakhand Regions of Nepal Geography of Nepal Sudurpashchim Province Former monarchies of Nepal