Sansar Chand recovers Kangra fort

Sansar Chand II, who succeeded in 1775 at the age of ten, recovered Kangra fort from Jai Singh Kanhaiya in 1786. Over the next twenty years he reduced Chamba, Mandi, Suket, Kullu, Kahlur, Nurpur, Guler, Jaswan, Siba and Kutlehr to tribute — the greatest extent of Katoch power.

At Sujanpur Tira and Alampur his court became the centre of the Kangra school of painting. His ambition to build a Katoch kingdom in the plains brought him into collision first with Ranjit Singh and then with the Gorkhas.