Before the Borders: The story of Gorkhas before Nations were born

SHWETA RAJ KANWAR

Long before national borders were drawn and passports became symbols of identity, the Nepali speaking people of the Himalayan belt lived lives interwoven across regions that would later be called India and Nepal. Their connections—familial, cultural, religious, and linguistic—form the civilisational bedrock that makes the Indian Gorkha community's story more than a tale of migration; it is one of continuity.

Today, Indian Gorkhas are frequently viewed through the narrow lens of military service or as recent immigrants. But this perception ignores the deeper civilisational and historical bonds that predate colonial conquest and political borders. This article attempts to trace these older linkages and seeks to establish the rightful place of Indian Gorkhas as contributors and inheritors of a shared past.

Before the emergence of Nepal as a unified kingdom under Prithvi Narayan Shah in the 18th century, the region comprised a cluster of Himalayan polities like the Malla, Licchavi, and Sen dynasties, among others. The Licchavis, in particular, are widely believed to have originated from Vaishali in Bihar, India, with Sanskrit inscriptions and Indian administrative systems shaping their polity. This reveals a continuity of Indic civilization across what is now divided by an international boundary.

Religious belief systems like Hinduism and Buddhism were not confined by borders. These faiths evolved simultaneously on both sides of the Indo-Nepal region. The Buddha was born in Lumbini (now in Nepal) and attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya (now in India). Pilgrimage routes crisscrossed territories, as did spiritual teachers, texts, and devotees. Civilisationally, these were not separate spaces, but nodes in a larger sacred geography.

The Gorkha Ethnoscape–Mobility Before Modern Borders

The ethnic communities that later came to be known as Gorkhas—including the Khas, Magar, Gurung, Rai, and Limbu people—were never static populations. Their lives were structured around seasonal migration, trade, agriculture, and service. These groups moved freely between what we now call eastern Nepal, Sikkim, Darjeeling, Bhutan, and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Khas language, which evolved into modern Nepali, was spoken across this belt. Kinship networks, shared customs, and oral traditions bound them together, not passports. By the time the Gorkha kingdom was formed in 1769, many of these communities had already established themselves in present-day Indian territories. Migration was a norm, not an exception—and it was not seen as crossing a border but as moving within one extended civilisational space.

Colonial Redefinitions–War, Treaties, and Reordering Identities

As discussed in my last column titled- ‘300+ Years of Gorkha Presence in India: A Chronicle of Migration, Settlement, and Identity’, the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816) and the subsequent Treaty of Sugauli redrew political boundaries. The British annexed regions like Garhwal, Kumaon, and parts of Sikkim—territories historically inhabited by Gorkha communities. These people began to be labelled as "migrants" or "foreigners" in lands they had always called home.

British administrators, while exploiting the martial prowess of Gorkhas for their selfish colonial campaigns, failed to understand their civilian depth. The creation of military settlements and tea plantations in Darjeeling, Assam, and Dooars attracted even more Gorkha families, many of whom had already been living there. The army was not their only identity—they became farmers, muleteers, traders, and later on, public servants, educators, artists, creating spaces for themselves in the annals of India’s nation building process. .

Beyond their martial legacy, Gorkhas helped build the economic and civic infrastructure of many Indian regions. In Darjeeling, they worked as labourers and supervisors in the tea estates; in Assam and Meghalaya, they contributed to timber, agriculture, and transport; in Sikkim and Arunachal, they cleared land and built roads.

They were also cultural carriers. Gorkha settlers brought their language, oral traditions, food habits, and festivals like Dasain, Tihar, and Maghe Sankranti to the local fabric. Over time, these blended with regional traditions, enriching the cultural diversity of Northeast India.

Reframing Belonging: Indian Gorkhas as Stakeholders

The Indian Gorkha identity today is often questioned because of linguistic and cultural similarities with Nepalis across the border. However, to view them as outsiders is historically inaccurate. Indian Gorkhas have been part of the Indian subcontinent’s history for centuries. They fought in Indian wars, contributed to local economies, and helped shape the unique multiculturalism of the hills.

Many settled in Tura, Haflong, Bomdila, and even remote corners of Nagaland long before India gained independence. They intermarried, adapted, and contributed—but have often had to prove their Indianness repeatedly, particularly in times of political uncertainty.

Recognising the deep civilisational roots of Indian Gorkhas is more than a historical correction—it is a necessary act of justice. The Indo-Nepal relationship, shaped by centuries of cultural osmosis, cannot be reduced to geopolitical anxieties or border formalities.

Indian Gorkhas are not immigrants; they are inheritors of a shared civilisation that existed long before modern maps came into being. We must start by reframing the narrative—not as one of migration but of rooted continuity. In acknowledging this history, we affirm a collective identity: one people, two nations, and a legacy that predates and outlives borders.

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This article was originally published onwww.indiangorkha.com and has been republished with permission from the author. All rights remain with the original author.

About the Author

Shweta Raj Kanwar is a development communication & media specialist, and founder ofwww.indiangorkha.com, a platform that documents the culture, history, and identity of Indian Gorkhas in simple language. Her writing explores identity, marginalization, and the power of storytelling to reclaim space in public consciousness. She is based out of Meghalaya and Darjeeling. She can be reached at shwetarajkanwar@gmail.com