Why in news?

Annual Khalanga Mela was held at the Khalanga War Memorial in remembrance of the Gorkha warriors who fought bravely against the British in the battle of Nalapani on the outskirts of Dehradun

Highlights

• Cultural events like Kukhri dance, parade, and band show by Gorkhas were the highlights

Battle of Nalapani

• First battle of the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814–1816, fought between the forces of the British East India Company and Nepal, then ruled by the House of Gorkha.
• The battle in which the British 3^rd Infantry division comprising 3,500 soldiers with heavy artillery under the command of major General Robert Gillespie faced stiff resistance from Gorkha general Balbhadra singh Thapa and his band of 600 soldiers
• They defended the Khalanga fort for over six weeks without food or water was an important landmark in Gorkha history which community celebrates through the mela
• As a result, they were later recruited by the British to serve in their army.

Khalanga War Memorial

• It is a heritage monument in Dehradun, India, dedicated to the memory of Gorkha soldiersfought the British in 1814 in the Battle of Nalapani, the first battle of the Anglo-Nepalese War.
• It has been described as the only monument in the history of warfare to have been erected by a victorious army for its adversaries, as the British were reportedly impressed with the valour of the Gorkhas.
• Preservation : Archaeological Survey of India.
• Every year, a fair is held at the site to commemorate the soldiers and to celebrate Gorkha culture and history.