Nepal's Lion of Gorkha: Amar Singh Thapa's Epic Defense

Amar Singh Thapa, the elderly Gorkhali commander who masterminded Nepal's resistance against the British East India Company during the Anglo-Nepal War (1814–1816), is the focus of this episode. Lucas and Luna explore his early campaigns in the west, his construction of the formidable fort at Malaun, and his tactical brilliance at the Battle of Nalapani (Khalanga), where a handful of Gorkhalis held off thousands of British troops under General Robert Gillespie. They discuss the legend of the 'Lion of Gorkha' and his refusal to surrender even as the war turned against Nepal. The conversation delves into Amar Singh's relationship with his rival Bhimsen Thapa, his famous last words to his son Ranajor Singh, and how his legacy shaped the Gurkha mystique. Lucas also reveals the striking similarities between the Gorkhali defense of Khalanga and the Battle of Thermopylae, drawing a parallel between Amar Singh and Leonidas. The episode ends on the poignant note of his death in 1816, just as the Treaty of Sugauli was signed, and how his memory endures in Nepal's national consciousness.

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