Description
The Gurkha or Gorkha are a people from Nepal and the northern Indian state of West Bengal. They take their name from the ruling dynasty. The Gurkha are best known for their role as soldiers in the British army, the Brigade of Gurkhas. The Gurkha claim descent from the Rajputs of northern India. These Rajputs migrated into present-day Nepal from the west. In the early 16th century, they conquered the small state of Gorkha and adopted its name. By 1769, the Gorkha dynasty had extended its rule over the entire territory of present-day Nepal. They made Hinduism the state religion. In the Gurkha War (1814-1816), the Gurkhas fought against the army of the British East India Company. The Gurkha soldiers made a great impression on the British, and they began recruiting them regularly as mercenaries for Gurkha regiments in the East India Company army. Genetically, the Gurkhas are Tibeto-Mongols. They speak a dialect of Rajasthani. Their characteristic large, curved knife, the kukri, is also well-known. In the mid-1880s, Nepali-speaking communities in the Darjeeling district of the Indian state of West Bengal attempted to form their own Gurkha state, Gorkhaland. The Gurkhas are considered the great heroes of the Dutch who served in camps or prisons in the Dutch East Indies during World War II, protecting them from the Indonesian freedom fighters during the war of independence from August 17, 1945 (two days after the surrender to Japan) until 1949. The Gurkhas then entered camps or prisons, often protecting these Dutchmen with cannons. In 1988, they gained a greater degree of autonomy. The British Army still maintains several Gurkha units, collectively known as the Brigade of Gurkhas. Initially, there were obstacles to retiring these Gurkha soldiers, but British actress Joanna Lumley successfully campaigned for significant change, and as a result, many of these courageous soldiers now live in England. The Indian Army has also maintained several Gurkha regiments since independence in 1947. Six of these were taken over from the British Indian Army, and one was established after India gained independence. The Singapore Police Force also deploys Gurkhas. These have formed the Gurkha contingent since 1949. The Gurkhas have the advantage of being considered neutral in racial tensions, as they do not belong to any ethnic group in Singapore.
