Gurkha

Gurkha Soldiers (1896)

Gurkha (or Gorkha) are a people from Nepal who take their name from that of the ruling dynasty. They are most famous as mercenary soldiers serving the British Army.

Wives and children of Gurkha Soldiers (1896)

Gurkhas claim descent from the Rajputs of Northern India who entered modern-day Nepal from the west. In the early 1500s they conquered the small state of Gorkha and adopted its name. By the 1769 the Gorkha dynasty had taken over the area of modern Nepal. They made Hinduism the state religion.

In 1814-1816 they waged war with the British East India Company army. The British were impressed by the Gurkha soldiers and began to regularly hire them as mercenaries to the Gurkha Brigade. This continues to this day with Gurkhas serving in both the British and Indian armies.

In the mid 1980s some Nepali speaking groups in West Bengal began to organize their own Gurkha state. In 1988 they were given broader autonomy.

Genetically Gurkhas are Tibeto-mongolians. They speak a Rajasthani dialect. They are also famous for their large knife called the kukri.