Kalu Pande

Kalu Pande was born in 1713 A.D in Gorkha. He was the commander in chief of the gorkhali forces during the unification campaign of Nepal. He died in the first battle of kirtipur in 1757 A.D. His real name was Bansidhar Pande. He was a son of Kaji Bhimraj Pande who was minister during reign of King Prithivipati Shah of Gorkha.



Battle of Kirtipur
The Gorkhalis had set up a base on Dahachok, a hill on the valley's western rim, from where they mounted their assaults on Kirtipur. They were armed with swords, bows and arrows and muskets.

During the first assault in 1757, the Gorkhali army under the command of Kaji Kalu Pande was badly beaten. As they advanced towards Kirtipur, the Newars went to meet them under the command of Kaji Danuvanta. The two forces fought on the plain of Tyangla Phant in the northwest of Kirtipur. The Newars defended their town ferociously. The Gorkhali commander Kaji Kalu Pande was killed, and the Gorkhali king himself barely escaped with his life into the surrounding hills disguised as a saint.