In Episode 266, we leave behind the palaces of Kathmandu and the battlefields of the Gurkha regiments to explore a quieter, more shadowy conflict that defined Nepal’s modern borders. While the British Empire was busy conquering India, they were terrified of one thing: Russian expansion southward through Central Asia. This episode traces the 'Great Game,' focusing on two specific figures who changed the course of South Asian history—Brian Houghton Hodgson, the eccentric British Resident in Kathmandu who became a renowned ornithologist and linguist, and Jang Bahadur Rana, the Prime Minister who masterfully played both empires against each other. We examine how Hodgson’s detailed reports on Nepali culture and military strength influenced London’s policy, and how Jang Bahadur’s dramatic visit to Queen Victoria in 1850 secured Nepal’s independence not through swords, but through diplomatic theatre. You will hear about the Treaty of Sugauli’s lingering effects, the role of the East India Company’s intelligence network, and how a small Himalayan kingdom managed to remain sovereign while its neighbors fell under colonial rule.
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör
Fexingo. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Fexingo och inte av,
eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.
