The Chand dynasty ruled Kumaon for roughly seven centuries — from a traditional founding by Som Chand (accounts differ on whether he came from Jhusi near Prayag or Kannauj, and on the dynasty’s early dating) through its zenith under Rudra Chand (r. 1568–1597), to its end at Gorkha hands in 1790–91.
Milestones
- Champawat — the dynasty’s first capital, still dotted with Chand-era temples.
- The 1560s: the capital moved to the new fortress town of Alamnagar — Almora.
- Rudra Chand built the Malla Mahal and met Akbar at Lahore as a peer.
- Later Chands expanded into the Terai and fought the Rohillas; the bazaar culture, Aipan art and court cuisine of Almora are the dynasty’s living legacy.
The dynasty fell to the Gorkha conquest of 1790–91; Almora’s Chand-era core survives as one of the state’s finest heritage walks (Almora guide).
