# Fateh Shah of Garhwal

**Fateh Shah** (फतेह शाह) was a king of Garhwal in the western [Himalayas](https://www.edgepedia.org/himalayas), who ascended the throne in 1684 and led his kingdom through wars with Sirmour and the Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.orientalnumismaticsociety.org/archive/IS_004.pdf)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup> His reign is remembered in Garhwali tradition as a golden age, and also for the settlement of Guru Ram Rai at Dehradun, the event from which that city grew.<sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup>

| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Accession | 1684<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.orientalnumismaticsociety.org/archive/IS_004.pdf)</sup> |
| Principal war | Battle of Bhangani against Guru Gobind Singh, 18 September 1688<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup> |
| Lasting institution | Patronage of Guru Ram Rai, leading to the founding of Dehradun<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup> |
| Reputation | Called the "Shivaji of Garhwal"; his reign called Garhwal's golden age<sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup> |

## Accession and family

Fateh Shah took the throne of Garhwal in 1684.<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.orientalnumismaticsociety.org/archive/IS_004.pdf)</sup>

The exact span of the reign is stated differently by different accounts. One account gives the dates 1684 to 1716,<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup> while a newspaper account of his coinage gives the dates 1667 to 1714.<sup>[5](https://www.rastradhwani.com/the-influence-of-chhatrapati-shivaji-maharaj-was-till-uttarakhand-the-mighty-king-fateshah-considered-chhatrapati-shivaji-as-his-ideal/)</sup>

## Reign: wars and policies

The best-remembered fight of the reign is the [Battle of Bhangani](https://www.edgepedia.org/battle-of-bhangani), fought on 18 September 1688 between Fateh Shah's forces and those of [Guru Gobind Singh](https://www.edgepedia.org/guru-gobind-singh), the tenth Sikh Guru, in which several hill kings joined against the Guru.<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup> The battle is described in the Guru's autobiography, the Bichitra Natak.<sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup> A Garhwal history account holds that it ended indecisively, with neither side winning.<sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup> The same account reports an earlier war with Sirmour, in which Fateh Shah captured Paonta and Jaunsar before Guru Gobind Singh mediated a treaty requiring the return of the conquered territory; at that stage, it says, the Guru and Fateh Shah were friends, and the later marriage of Fateh Shah's daughter to a son of Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur, the Guru's enemy, turned the two against each other.<sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup>

He invited Guru Ram Rai, the exiled eldest son of [Guru Har Rai](https://www.edgepedia.org/guru-har-rai), to his state with honor; the Guru's settlement there, made on the recommendation of the Mughal emperor [Aurangzeb](https://www.edgepedia.org/aurangzeb), led to the founding of Dehradun city.<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup> Fateh Shah permitted the building of a gurdwara at Dehradun and donated three villages for its income.<sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup>

His court patronized literature, music, and art. Garhwali tradition says he kept nine ratnas (navaratnas) at his court, as Akbar and [Vikramaditya](https://www.edgepedia.org/vikramaditya) were said to have done; figures named in the accounts include Haridatt Nautiyal, Haridatt Thapliyal, and Sahdev Chandola.<sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup> The historian Prof. Ajay Rawat also records a gesture toward Kumaon's king Baz Bahadur Chand, who asked Fateh Shah for a statue of the goddess Maa Nanda; after it was received and found broken in two pieces at the Kot Bhramari temple in Dangoli, the goddess came to be worshipped in Kumaon as Nanda Sunanda.<sup>[6](https://www.amarujala.com/uttarakhand/nainital/king-fateh-shah-of-garhwal-presented-the-statue-of-mother-nanda-to-the-king-of-kumaon-nainital-news-hld4379754117)</sup>

## Political influence

Fateh Shah's most durable institutional legacy was religious and urban rather than military: the honored settlement of Guru Ram Rai at Dehradun, with land granted for the Guru's gurdwara, began the growth of Dehradun into a city.<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup> His court model of nine patronized scholars and artists became part of the reign's remembered image.<sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup>

## End of the reign and succession

The succession immediately after him is reported in two ways. One account says his son Upendra Shah ascended in 1717 and died within a year, and Pradeep Shah became raja after him.<sup>[1](https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8)</sup> A numismatic chronicle, which names no ruler between Fateh Shah and his successor, states that Pradip Shah ascended the throne in 1717 and that early in his reign the [Garhwalis](https://www.edgepedia.org/garhwali-people) recaptured their capital, Srinagar, from Kumaon.<sup>[2](https://www.orientalnumismaticsociety.org/archive/IS_004.pdf)</sup>

## Historians' assessment

Garhwali historical writing treats the reign favorably: it is called the golden age of Garhwal, and the poet Matiram is cited describing it in those terms.<sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup> The Chhandasara Pingal calls Fateh Shah the "Shivaji of Garhwal," and he is also called the Akbar of Garhwal for the navaratnas of his court.<sup>[3](https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html)</sup> 

## References

1. गढ़वाल का इतिहास | गढ़वाली भाषा: https://www.garhwalilanguage.com/index.php/hi/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%9D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8
2. Indian Numismatic Chronicle (Oriental Numismatic Society archive): https://www.orientalnumismaticsociety.org/archive/IS_004.pdf
3. गढ़वाल का परमार वंश : उत्तराखंड का इतिहास (भाग-2): https://www.xn--i1bn3b5bmal0djx3c4gi4bye5e.com/2021/03/2.html
4. परमार शासक / Parmar Ruler: https://www.euttra.com/2022/03/parmar-ruler.html
5. छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज का प्रभाव उत्तराखंड तक था... (Rastradhwani): https://www.rastradhwani.com/the-influence-of-chhatrapati-shivaji-maharaj-was-till-uttarakhand-the-mighty-king-fateshah-considered-chhatrapati-shivaji-as-his-ideal/
6. गढ़वाल के राजा फतेह शाह ने भेंट की थी कुमाऊं के राजा को मां नंदा की प्रतिमा (Amar Ujala): https://www.amarujala.com/uttarakhand/nainital/king-fateh-shah-of-garhwal-presented-the-statue-of-mother-nanda-to-the-king-of-kumaon-nainital-news-hld4379754117

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › History and archaeology › Asian history › India and South Asia › Northeast India and the Himalayas (600 to 1826) › Kingdoms, dynasties, and rulers › Himalayan kingdoms and dynasties*

*Initially written Sep 23, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Sep 30, 2026*

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