'24 principalities'), were sovereign and intermittently allied petty kingdoms ruled by the Thakuri kings located at the intersection of Himalayas and the Indian subcontinent.
[1] A parallel group of 22 small kingdoms, Baisse Rajya (Nepali: बाइस्से राज्य), existed to the west of the Gandaki Basin.
Prithvi Narayan Shah commanded Kaji Biraj Thapa Magar of Gorkha to attack but he delayed his invasion.
[citation needed] Shah sent another force led by Maheshwar Panta to attack but they were badly defeated.
[citation needed] For preparation, the king obtained new weapons from Banaras, increased military strength, and made Kalu Pande his chief minister who helped him with planning.