The Battle of Nalapani: Gurkhas' Last Stand 1814

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into the 1814 Battle of Nalapani, the opening clash of the Anglo-Nepal War that turned a small hill fort into a legend. They trace how a few hundred Gurkha soldiers under Captain Balbhadra Kunwar held off a British East India Company army of over 3,500, despite having no water and little ammunition. The episode covers the fort's construction, the British artillery bombardment, the first assault on the western breach, and the desperate final sortie when the Gurkhas ran out of food. Lucas explains how the British commander, Major-General Robert Rollo Gillespie, was killed during the first attack, a blow that stunned the British public. They also look at the aftermath: how the Gurkhas' resistance shaped British respect for Nepali fighters, influenced the Treaty of Sugauli, and led to the recruitment of Gurkha soldiers into the British Indian Army. Along the way, they touch on the strategic context of the war, the role of Bhimsen Thapa, and the symbolism of the abandoned fort. Listeners will come away with a vivid picture of a battle that defined an era and a people's martial reputation.

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