Havildar Damar Singh Rana & Mapping of Nanda Devi Sanctuary

 “The ‘discovery’ of Peak XV and the fixing of its height at 29,002 feet above sea level was the work of many hands— (Radhanath) Sikdhar’s certainly among them—over many years, both in the field and in the office. “- Fallen Giants - A History of Himalayan Mountineering by Maurice Isserman, Stewart Weaver

The above comment on the discovery of Everest,  not only describes our tendency towards associating names/faces with achievements but also points out the folly in deleting all those unsung numbers which apart from being necessary are often instrumental in the success of gargantuan efforts like that of surveying and mapping British empire’s Jewel in the Crown, India, by the Great Trigonometrical Survey that included the difficult mountain ranges towards the north, which held the strategic key to Central Asia and thus the empire and its ambitions. The process began in 1802 and continued well beyond hundred years.  

An 1870 map showing the triangles and transects of survey
(Image: Wikipedia)

As years passed, the survey helped in mapping peak and passes, gorges and river systems which gradually reflected on the map as simple ^ mountain symbols got replaced with accurate topographical features. All these had to be surveyed by someone which should mean, by a party consisting of instrument experts and plane-table-ers accompanied by a chief surveyor, the bandobast of which depended on the location of the setup/survey. 

Indian survey porters carry the equipment needed for the massive task of mapping India. 

Image © Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

It is with this immense awe and respect I have for these cartographers that a name stood out while appreciating the 1908 Garhwal (part) map, posted in an earlier blog. But this seemed no unsung hero for his name HAVILDAR DAMAR SINGH RANA was written in bold, capital letters, preceding mention of his employer’s contribution, a rarity in the colonial times.

Search for Havildar Damar Singh Rana and his contribution, yielded disappointing results. Apart from Longstaff’s report in The Geographic Journal, V.31 with the map, a single mention of him with Longstaff’s mapping party in a study ‘Glacier mapping: a review with special reference to the Indian Himalayas’ by Rakesh Bhambri and Tobias Bolch was not informative enough. Further shuffling and sniffing around led to their companion A. L. Mumm’s fine account of his travels in Garhwal and Kashmir titled Five months in the Himalaya, published in 1909 from where a short (and somewhat somber) sketch of Damar Singh can be extracted alongwith comparative illustrations of his contribution in accurate mapping of Nanda Devi sanctuary. There is a (group) photograph of him too!

Before getting into the details serially, here is a chronology of the 5^th Gurkha Rifles where Damar Singh Rana served as a Havildar.

5th Gurkha Logo

1858 raised as 25^th Punjab Infantry or Hazara Gurkha Battalion

1861 renamed the 5^th Gurhka Regiment

1891 became 5^th Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment

1901 name shortened to 5^th Gurkha Rifles

1921 became 5^th Royal Gurkha Rifles

1947 became part of the Indian Army

1950 renamed the 5^th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)

In page 364 of his report in The Geographic Journal, V.31, Longstaff mentions their contribution thus:

'The others, though accustomed to run about quite regardless of the accepted laws of gravity, were as yet ignorant of the higher mysteries of mountaineering. But to men trained in such a regiment this was of no consequence. They never failed us, they never complained, and they never lost their cheerfulness. Without them we could have done very little. They were superior to the best Garhwalis I have met, and even to the Bhotias, so I need hardly add that they bore no resemblance whatever to the Kumaoni or the down-country native.'

The Geographic Journal 1908 (V-31, T. G. Longstaff )

Longstaff in his report titled A Mountaineering Expedition to The Himalaya of Garhwal, describes Damar Singh’s presence and activities with economy, perhaps as he should in a journal. The parts concerning him are as follows.

Owing to the great kindness of Colonel A. H. Q. Kemball, of the 5th Gurkha Rifles, Bruce was able to bring from this regiment Subhadar Karbir Burathoki, Havildar Damar Sing Rana, and seven riflemen, mostly Magars and Gurungs. Damar Sing was a trained plane-tabler, had charge of the stores, and kept the accounts. ⁽¹⁾

 On June 4 Damar Sing climbed up the steep crags on the right bank of the stream with the plane-table, while I went up the opposite slopes to get a look up the (Trishuli) nala. ⁽²⁾

 It did not seem worth while to carry our base camp any higher, so we decided to leave Damar Sing in charge to carry on the plane-table survey, and to wait for Bruce with the shikari and the three coolies who had elected to remain with us. ⁽³⁾

 And finally where he mentions of Singh’s further observation:

We could see no sign of a glacier filling the head of the Rishi valley, such as is shown on the G.T.S. maps, and Damar Sing reported from his observations from the ridge which forms the eastern boundary of the Trisuli Nala, that the glaciers from the north and south of Nanda Devi do not join each other at the western base of that peak.  ⁽⁴⁾

Glacier mapping: a review with special reference to the Indian Himalayas (Bhambri/Bolch)

Below is the concerning extract from the study.

Longstaff (1908) - Garhwal Himalayas

 Surveyors: Subhadar Karbir Burathoki, Havildar Damar Singh Rana, and seven riflemen from 5th Gurkha Rifles

Instruments used: Plane table, Hypsometers and Watkins mountain aneroid for metrological data collection.

Brief description: This study mapped more than a dozen glaciers, such as Bagini, Trisuli, Betatoli, Kamet, Dunagiri, Juma, Ravikana, Banke, Bhyunder, Khaiam, Bidum, Abijurun, Sukeram, and Maiktoli, using plane-table and trigonometrical points from Survey of India at 1:250,000 scale. 

Map inset showing the survey routes

Five Months in The Himalaya (A. L.Mumm)

Though not much can be inferred from the earlier sources, it was A. L. Mumm’s 1909 account, Five months in the Himalaya, which gives us a short sketch of a reserved, plane-table specialist, Damar Singh Rana. Mumm in his book takes great care in providing us with comparative illustrations highlighting Rana’s contribution alongwith a group-photograph (of him in it) thus satiating our associative tendencies as mentioned in the beginning. It should be remembered that these were the heydays of search to map and penetrate the Nanda Devi Basin from all sides, Rishi Ganga being the primary. It was not until 1934 that a party led by Eric Shipton forced its way to the inner sanctuary and thus the base of the mountain.

Mumm introduces the Gurkhas in Chapter four, Almora to Dhauli Valley, by recounting his meeting with them at Ramni Village.

We descended from Kanol to the Nandakganga just below the junction of its two branches, and had a glorious view of Trisul swathed in morning mists at the head of the main glen ; a long pull up-hill, and a hot trudge down the valley, high above the now invisible river, brought us to Ramni village. Here we found awaiting us the rest of the Gurkhas, and a large quantity of stores. ⁽⁵⁾

The others, too, soon began to take shape as distinct personalities. First I must name Damar Sing,* also older and more sedate than the rest, who came as a surveyor and plane-tabler, and gave Longstaff invaluable assistance in that capacity. He was a man of high skill and intelligence, and his map of the mountains surrounding the Rishi and Bagini valleys was a beautiful piece of draughtsmanship. I was advised to choose him as the best subject on whom to practise myself in conversational Hindustani, but, unfortunately, he was a taciturn person, and not very responsive. This was certainly in part due to ill-health ; he was very unwell when we first met him at Almora, and though he picked up later, and worked as hard and as willingly as any one, the disease to which he succumbed must have had hold of him throughout the journey, and it was with sincere regret that I heard of his death soon after my return to England (in 1907). ⁽⁶⁾

He goes on to describe the others:

Then, there was a delightful trio, whom I always mentally bracketed together as the Three Musketeers: Kul Bahadur, tall and slight, with straight well-cut features, that might have belonged to a European, and an interesting rather melancholy face-a youthful Athos; he lacked the sturdy toughness of the other two, but was a neat and nimble rock-climber. An Aramis was lacking, but either Buddhi hand or Dhan Lal would have made an admirable Porthos. Burly and muscular, great weight - carriers, and good steady goers over any sort of ground, they did yeoman service later in the passage of the Bagini pass. ⁽⁷⁾

Buddhi Chand's large impassive countenance always reminded me of a Chinaman ; Dhan Lal, heavy jowled, and rather sleepy-loolung, one discovered by degrees to be a heaven-born clown. It was first borne in upon me when I saw him dance. They would all, Kharbir and Damar Sing included, take a turn at dancing, of an evening, to some queer melody crooned by the rest in chorus-dancing of the Oriental type, with very little leg movement, and much play with the arms and hands; it was regarded in all cases as more or less of a joke, but Dhan Lal's lumbering motions were subtly instinct with the genius of caricature, and accompanied by grimaces that would have made his fortune on the music-hall stage.

These five, and a bright little person called Ranbir, who took charge of the base camp, when occasion required, were the most prominent during our stay in Garhwal. ⁽⁸⁾

The group at Timorshim, June25th with Damar Singh circled out. (Photo by A. L. Mumm)

Front row, on the lft (standing) : Dina, Inderbinen 

(seated) : Major Bruce, Kharbir, Dr. LongstafF, Dhan Lal, A. Brocherel 

Second row: Jeman Sing, Kul Bahadur, Pahal Sing, Buddhi Chand, Damar Sing, H. Brocherel, 

three coolies, 

and on the extreme right Seban Sing.

In Chapter seven, The Bagini Pass, Mumm while describing his own observations provides us with the comparative maps and a declaratory note which follows the sketches.

01 THE RISHI VALLEY As shown on G.T.S. Map

02 THE RISHI VALLEY -
(The part enclosed in black lines altered in accordance with Dr. Longstaff's Map

Note (included in the list of illustrations) on the Maps of the Rishi valley. 

The lower map is based on that prepared by Dr. Longstaff, which will be found at the end, and has no independent authority. I had it done in the same style as the other, which is an accurate copy of the G.T.S. map, simply to facilitate a comparison between them. I forgot, till too late, to have the ice cleared out of the Rishi cleft, in which, as Graham pointed out, there is no glacier at all. Damar Sing, who ascended with his plane-table to a great height above the cleft from the camp in the Trisuli nala, said that the glaciers enclosing Nanda Devi do not even meet at the upper entrance of the cleft. A recession of the ice may have taken place here, as it has in some other places.

A comparison with Longstaff’s map

Longstaff’s map with the same areas boxed

Other mentions: Chapter nine, First Attempt on Trisul

We found the Three Musketeers ready for us, and Damar Sing well advanced with his plane-table sheets; but there was still no news of Bruce ; and I think it was the consequent uncertainty as to when our store of provisions would be replenished which caused a certain parsimony to prevail in the use of biscuits, etc. ⁽⁹⁾

Various factors including poor weather, General Bruce’s troubled knee, had stopped them from reaching the summit.

Finally in Chapter twelve, The Raikana Glacier and Kamet

They started next morning (June 80) for the Kamet glacier with the Brocherels, six Gurkhas, and ten coolies to carry up tents, etc.; at a height of 16,800 feet a grassy slope, mirabile dictu, was found to camp on, and the coolies returned. Bruce was unwell that night and unable to go farther, but the others, including Damar Sing with hi plane-table, reached the desired point, something over 20,000 feet. Their exertions were very ill rewarded, for clouds and an icy wind rendered plane-tabling impossible, and hid the great south-east face of Kamet, but the upper portion of the Kamet glacier, winding from its foot, was duly inspected; it is a mere death-trap, lying in so narrow a gorge that it would be impossible to avoid the avalanches which constantly fall into it. ⁽¹⁰⁾

And just because we can, here are the contributors.

(L-R) Hav. Damar Singh Rana, A. L. Mumm & T. G. Longstaff

Before conclusion it is necessary to admit that there may well be other documents/books mentioning him which has been overlooked by limitation in search and access. Any further information would be a welcome.

by Ashish Chanda, April 2017

Notes:

* A.L.Mumm uses ‘Sing’ instead of ‘Singh’ in his book

The first use of supplementary oxygen in the Himalayas was apparently in 1907 when A. L. Mumm, T. G. Longstaff, and Charles Bruce went to the Garhwal and made the first ascent of Trisul (7,127 m), which remained the highest summit to be climbed for 21 years. Small oxygen generators were taken along on this expedition, which was partly done to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Alpine Club. However, no serious assessment of the value of oxygen was possible. (source)

 mirabile dictu - Borrowing from Latin mīrābile dictū (literally “wonderful to say”).

“The wind suddenly shifted to the northeast, and the remnant of the sea fog melted in the blast. And then, mirabile dictu, between the piers, leaping from wave to wave as it rushed at headlong speed, swept the strange schooner before the blast, with all sail set, and gained the safety of the harbour. The searchlight followed her, and a shudder ran through all who saw her, for lashed to the helm was a corpse, with drooping head, which swung horribly to and fro at each motion of the ship.” - Bram Stoker's Dracula

  

References:

Glacier mapping: a review with special reference to the Indian Himalayas by Rakesh Bhambri and Tobias Bolch

The Geographic Journal 1908 (Vol-31,)

 A Mountaineering Expedition to The Himalaya of Garhwal by T. G. Longstaff (p.361-395)

1-p.364; 2-p.371; 3-p.371; 4-p.376

Five Months in the Himalaya by A. L.Mumm

5-p.51; 6,7-p.53; 8-p.54; 9-p.124; 10-p.163