2022
Great Explorer Kishan Singh Rawat (1850-1921)
Kishan Singh Rawat also known as “Krishna” code name, was among the great explorer of 19th Century, who explore the forbidden regions of Tibet & Central Asia in the disguise of a merchant & Buddhist Lama. He was famous for last & greatest survey expedition of Darjeeling to Mongolia via Lhasa.
Kishan Singh was born in the village Millam, Pithoragah district of Uttarakhand State of India in the year 1850. His Father Sri. Dev Singh Rawat was a wealthy trader of that time. His brother Man Singh Rawat & Cousin Nain Singh Rawat acompained him in the survey expeditions of Tibet & Central Asia's region.
In 1862 he joined as a assistant in Dharchula Government School & keep his studies side by side. later he passed certificate examination from Normal School, Almora & become a teacher in Girls School, Milam & Dharchula Government School for 3 years & got the title of "Pundit".
In 1867 Kishan Singh was recruited as a trainee surveyer by Survey of India, Dehradun & trained by G.B. Hensey with his cousin Nain Singh Rawat. During the two year rigrious training at Survey of India, he learned sevral skills of surveying & use of various scintific instruments.
Survey Expeditions:
Kailash Mansarover Expedition (1869)
After the training at the Trigonometrical Survey Kishan Singh Rawat went on his first survey of Tibet & explored 400 miles long route from Katai Ghat to Mayapur, of Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh starting from Kailash Mansarover lake in Tibet.
Shigache to Lhasa Expedition (1871-72)
On July 1871, Kishan Singh Rawat reached Chunta via Shigatse & went Petinchucha in Tibet. On 13th January 1872 he explore the landscape around Tengri Nor Lake on 14th Febuary he reached Nambdo & explored the region near Bulccho Lake, which was famous for the abundance of Bauxite in the lake.
On 18th Febuary he was robbed by the group of 60 armed bandits & there was hardly anything left with him. On 9th April he manages to reach Lahsa in hope of getting some help. By mortgaging his survey instruments, he got some rupees & manages to reach Dehradun sucessfully after all the adverse & diffcult circumstances faced by him.
During this expeditions he surveyed 320 miles long route from Tengri Nor Lake to Lahsa.
Douglas Forsyth's second Yarkand to Kashgar Expedition (1873-74)
On July 1873 Sir Douglas Forsyth joined Kishan Singh Rawat on his Yarkand-Kashgar expedition but he was asked to return on the way via Khotan to survey travel routes of Ladakh. After survey of this route Yarkand to Khotan & Noh, Kishan Singh planned to go further to Rudok, but stopped by the officials of border posts.
In this expedition Kishan Singh surved 1250 Miles long travel route from Tankse to Yarkand-Kashgar-Khotan-Tibet & then towards Leh via Noh & Pongong Lake.
Darjeeling-Lhasa-Mongolia Expedition (1878-82)
Darjeeling-Lhasa-Mongolia expedition was the most famous, adventurous & historic expedition of Kishan Singh Rawat. On 24th April 1878 he started his fourth & last & expedition with Chhumbel & Gangaram of Darjeeling.
On 5th September 1878 he reached Lhasa after a long journey & stayed a year in the disguise of a trader. Kishan Singh surved the geography of the region & learned Mongolian language & made friendship with Mongolian traders of Lhasa.
On 17th September 1879 joined the group of Mongolian traders for his journey to Mongolia. After a week, they reached the Changthang plateau.
When Kishan Singh was preparing for his further journey to Sachu, a border post in Chinese kingdom, Gangaram some of his money along with two horses & a binocular and ran away.
On 8th January 1881 with the help of some Lamas Kishan Singh finally reached Sachu, which was dominated by the Han Chinese population. Due to suspicious nature of these locals he found it impossible to travel further to north & secretly surved the chinese town for about 7 months. In August he travelled to Thoden Gompa, A Buddhist monastery & stayed for 2 months.
On his return journey Kishan Singh used his intelligence & skills to befriend many locals traders & piligrims in order to reach India. On 12th November 1882, Darjeeling after more than 4 years & 6 months since start of his expeditions & travelled about 2800 miles of distance on foot & explored such vast & unknown regions of central Asia, which were never mapped by any geographer.
For his distinguished service & extraordinary achivements the British Indian Government granted him a Jagir in Sitapur district.
Kishan Singh Rawat was a great explorer, geographer & cartographer of 19th century, who made his significaint contribution to the geography of Asia.