The history of nepal ijhss pp-1-28

Indian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Volume 1, Number 1 (2013), pp. 1-28
© GBS Publishers & Distributors (I)
http://www.gbspublisher.com
The History of Nepal
Dr. Prem Chandra Thakur
Deoram, Darbhanga, Bihar–847233., India.
E-mail: dr.premchandrathakur@yahoo.com
The history of Nepal is a landlocked Federal Democratic Republic sovereign state
located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the
China and to the south, east, and west by the India. With an area of 147,181 square
kilometers and population of approximately 31 million, Nepal is the world's 93rd
largest country by land mass.[1]
(Shaha,Rishikesh. Ancient and Medieval Nepal (1992),
pp. 6–7). The history of Nepal is characterized by its isolated position in the Himalayas
and its two neighbors, India and China. Due to the arrival of disparate settler groups
from outside through the ages, it is now a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multilingual
country. Central Nepal was split in three kingdoms from the 15th century until the 18th
century, when it was unified under the Shah monarchy. The national language of Nepal
is Nepali& Maithili, which is also the most-spoken language of Nepal. The Terai is a
belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of
the Himalaya, the Siwalik hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Gangas,
Brahmaputra and their Tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and
grasslands ecoregion. In northern India, the Terai spreads eastward from the Yamuna
River across Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
(Mithila). Corresponding parts of West Bengal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Assam east to
the Brahmaputra River are called Dooars.[2]
(Tucci, Giuseppe. (1952 Journey to
Mustang, 1952. Trans. by Diana Fussell. 1st Italian edition 1953;1st English edition
1977. 2nd edition revised, 2003, p. 22.) The lowland plains of the Terai lie at an
altitude of between 220 and 980 ft. North of the Terai rises the Bhabhar, a narrow but
continuous belt of forest about 8–12 km (5.0–7.5 mi) wide.[3]
(Hoftun, Martin, William
Raeper and John Whelpton. People, politics and ideology: Democracy and Social
Change in Nepal. Kathmandu: Mandala Book Point, 1999). Nepal experienced a
struggle for democracy in the 20th century. During the 1990s and until 2008, the
country was in civil strife. A peace treaty was signed in 2008 and elections were held
in the same year .Many of the ills of Nepal have been blamed on the royal family of
Nepal. In a historical vote for the election of the constituent assembly, Nepalese voted
to oust the monarchy in Nepal. In June 2008, Nepalese ousted the royal household.
Nepal was formally renamed the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

Dr. Prem Chandra Thakur2
The word Nepal is first attested in the Atharvaveda Parisista (c. 1978); it is derived
from an older from of Nepa, the name of Kathmandu valley in Nepal Bhasa, the
language of Newars, who were the early inhabitants of the valley, long before the
unification of Nepal. Nepal Sambat, one of the three main calendars of Nepal has been
in use since October 879 CE.Other, folk etymologies include:"Nepal" may be derived
from the Sanskrit nipalaya, which means "at the foot of the mountains" or "abode at
the foot", a reference to its location in relation to the Himalayas. Thus, it may be an
Eastern equivalent of the European toponym "Piedmont."It has been suggested that the
name comes from the Tibetan niyampal, which means "holy land".A third theory
suggests that Nepal came from compounding the words NE, which means wool, and
PAL, which means a tented house; a long time ago, Nepal used to produce a lot of
wool and the houses were used to store the wool hence the word NE-PAL.The name
Nepal is also supposed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "NEP, with the suffix
"AL" added to it; though still under controversy, NEP were the people who used to be
cow herders the Gopals who came to the Nepal valley for the first time from the
Ganges plain of India. Nepali scholar report that a sage named Ne became the
protector of this land and the founder of its first ruling dynasty. The name of the
country, Ne-pāla, therefore originally meant the land 'protected by Ne.'[4]
(Tiwari,
Sudarshan Raj (2002). The Brick and the Bull: An account of Handigaun, the Ancient
Capital of Nepal PP. 189). In Hindi, the region is called tarai meaning foot-
hill.[5]
(Kayastha,Chhatra Bahadur (2003),Nepal Sanskrit: Samanyajnan). In Nepali, the
region is called tarāi meaning the low-lying land, plain, especially the low-lying land at
the foot of the Himālayas, south to the border with India.[6]
(Johnsingh A.J.T., Ramesh
K., Qureshi Q., David A., Goyal S.P., Rawat G.S., Rajapandian K., Prasad S. 2004.
Conservation status of tiger and associated species in the Terai Arc Landscape, India.
RR-04/001, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun). Nepalis may also call it Madhes,
particularly when noting its ethnic compositions similar to adjacent India and unlike
the ethnic makeup of the "hills". The region's name in Urdu is tarai meaning lands
lying at the foot of a watershed or on the banks of a river low ground flooded with
water, valley, basin, marshy ground, marsh, swamp; meadow.[7]
(Bhuju, U.R., Shakya,
P.R., Basnet, T.B., Shrestha, S. (2007), Nepal Biodiversity Resource Book. Protected
Areas, Ramsar Sites, and World Heritage Sites, Kathmandu: International Centre for
Integrated Mountain Development; Government of Nepal, Ministry of Environment,
Science and Technology; United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office
for Asia and the Pacific).
It appears that people who were probably of Kirant ethnicity lived in Nepal more
than 2,500 years ago. The Kirant are aboriginal tribe of Nepal. Though very little is
known about the early history of Nepal, legends and documented references reach back
to the first millennium BCE. The epic Mahabharata mentions the Kiratas among the
inhabitants of Nepal. Kirati king Yalambar had the dubious honor of being slain in the
battle of the Mahabharata, in which gods and mortals fought alongside each other.
Legend credits him with meeting Indra, the lord of heaven, who ventured into the
Valley in human guise. It is said that during the battle of Mahabharata, Yalamber went

The History of Nepal 3
to witness the battle with a view to take the side of the losing party. Lord Krishna,
knowing the intention of Yalamber and the strength and unity of the Kiratas, thought
that the war would unnecessarily be prolonged if Yalamber sided with the Kauravas.
So, by a clever stroke of diplomacy, Lord Krishna cut off Yalamber's head.Also, the
presence of historical sites, e.g., Valmiki ashram, indicates the presence of Sanatana
Hindu culture in parts of modern Nepal at that period. Some legendary accounts in the
chronicles, the successors of Ne were the gopālavaṃśi or "Cowherd family", whose
names often ends in -gupta and are said to have ruled for some 491 years. They are
said to have been followed by the "Buffalo-herder Dynasty", established by an Indian
Rajput named Bhul Singh.[8]
(Bahri, H. (1989). "Learners' Hindi-English dictionary
Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi sabdakosa." Rajapala, Delhi).In a Licchavi period inscription
found on archeological stonework’s, which list mostly the dates and commissioners of
these constructions, also communicate royal edicts, religious mantras or historical
notes mention the Kirata, that through the corroboration of local myths and the
Vamsavalis, identify a people prior to the Licchavi dynasty. Nepal's very first
recorded, though still legendary, history began with the Devkotas, who may have
arrived from the west to the Kathmandu valley. Little is known about them, other than
their deftness as sheep farmers and great fondness for carrying long knives. According
to the Gopalavamsa chronicle, the Kiratas ruled for about 1225 years (800 BCE–300
CE), their reign had a total of 29 kings during that time. Their first king was Elam; also
known as Yalambar, who is referenced in the epic Mahabharata. History of Kirat In the
meantime, the History of Kirat covers much of the history and achievements of the
Kirant people of Eastern Kiratdesh from ancient period until the Gorkha conquest in
the eastern Nepal.
The 1st Kirata King Kushal laid the foundation of the Kirata dynasty after
defeating the last ruler of the Abhira dynasty. When Kiraats occupied the valley, they
made Matatirtha their capital. The Kirat kingdom during the rule of Yalambar
extended to Tista in the East and Trisidi in the West. It is said Yalambar had gone to
witness the battle of Mahabharata between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. He was so
brave and powerful that Lord Krishna beheaded him prior to the battle suspecting he
might fight for the Kauravas.During the rule of the 7th Kirat King Jitedasti, Lord
Gautam Buddha is said to have come to the valley with his several disciples and to
have visited holy places of Swayambhu, Guheswari, etc., and to have preached his
religious teaching. The Kiratas of the valley refused to follow his doctrine but
welcomed Lord Buddha and his disciples.During the rule of the 14th Kirat King
Sthunko, the Indian Emperor Ashoka is said to have come to the Kathmandu Valley
with his daughter, princess Charumati. During his stay in the valley, he is said to have
four stupas built around Patan in the four cardinal directions and one in the centre. He
is said to have arranged his daughter Charumati's marriage with a local young prince
named Devapala. Prince Devapala and his consort Charumati lived at Chabahil near
Pashupati area. Later Charumati had the stupas of Devapatana built after the death of
her husband in his memory. Charumati later on become a nun herself and built a
convent where she resided and practiced Lord Buddha's doctrine.During the rule of the

15th Kirata King Jinghri, another religious doctrine, Jainism, was being preached by
Mahavir in India. Bhadrabhau, a disciple of Mahavira Jaina, is said to have come to
Nepal. But Jainism did not gain as much popularity as Buddhism in Nepal.During the
rule of the 28th Kirata King Paruka; the Sombanshi ruler attacked his regime many
times from the west. Although he successfully repelled their attacks, he was forced to
move to Shankhamul from Gokarna. He had a royal palace called "Patuka" built there
for him. The 'Patuka' palace can no longer be seen, except its ruins in the form of a
mound. Patuka changed Shankhamul into a beautiful town.The last King of the Kirat
dynasty was Gasti, a weak ruler, who is said to have been overthrown by the
Somavanshi ruler Nimisha. This ended the powerful Kirata dynasty that had lasted for
about 1225 years. After their defeat, the Kiratas moved to the Eastern hills of Nepal
and settled down, divided into small principalities. Their settlements were divided into
three regions, i.e, 'Wallokirat' that lay to the East of the Kathmandu Valley, 'Majkirat'
or Central Kirat region and 'Pallokirat' that lay to the far East of the Kathmandu valley
. These regions are still heavily populated by Kiratas.One of the early polities of South
Asia was that of the Shakya clan, whose capital was Kapilvastu, Nepal. Siddhartha
Gautama Buddha, Siddharta Gautama (563–483 BCE), who renounced his royalty to
lead an ascetic life and came to be known as the Buddha was born to the Shakya king
Sudhodhana. After finding enlightenment, Lord Gautama Buddha returned to his home
place Kapilavastu to teach his wife Yasodhara what he had learned. Buddha and his
disciple Ananda are said to have visited the Kathmandu Valley and stayed for some
time in Patliputra. [9]
(Turner, R.L. (1931). "A Comparative and Etymological
Dictionary of the Nepali Language". K. Paul, Trench, Trubner, London).
Before Nepal's emergence as a nation in the latter half of the 18th century, the
designation 'Nepal' was largely applied only to the Kathmandu Valley and its
surroundings. Thus, up to the unification of the country, Nepal's recorded history is
largely that of the Kathmandu Valley. The Terai is crossed by the large perennial
Himalayan rivers Yamuna, Ganges, Sarda, Karnali, Narayani and Kosi that have each
built alluvial fans covering thousands of km2
below their exits from the hills. Medium
rivers such as the Rapti rise in the Mahabharat Range. The geological structure of the
region consists of old and new alluvium, both of which constitute as alluvial deposits
mainly of sand, clay, silt, gravels and coarse fragments. The new alluvium is renewed
every year by fresh deposit brought down by active streams, which engage themselves
in fluvial action. Old alluvium is found rather away from river courses, especially on
uplands of the plain where silting is a rare phenomenon.[10]
(Platts, J. T. (1884). "A
dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English.". W. H. Allen & Co., London).The
Terai region has a large number of small and usually seasonal rivers, most of which
originate in the Siwalik Hills. The soil in the Terai is alluvial and fine to medium
textured. Forest cover in the Terai and hill areas has decreased at an annual rate of
1.3% between 1978 and 1979, and 2.3% between 1990 and 1991.[11]
( (Das, K.K.L.,
Das, K.N. (1981), "Alluvial Morphology of the North Bihar Plain – A study in applied
geomorphology", in Sharma, H. S., Perspectives in geomorphology, 4, New Delhi:
Naurung Rai Concept Publishing Company, pp. 85–105).

Nepal in the Mahabharata epic, in Puranas and in Buddhist and Jaina scriptures
establish the country's antiquity as an independent political and territorial entity. The
oldest Vamshavali or chronicle, the Gopalarajavamsavali, was copied from older
manuscripts during the late 14th century, is a fairly reliable basis for Nepal's ancient
history. The Vamshavalis mention the rule of several dynasties the Gopalas, the
Abhiras and the Kiratas over a stretch of millennia. However, no historical evidence
exists for the rule of these legendary dynasties. The documented history of Nepal
begins with the Changu Narayan temple inscription of King Manadeva I (c. 464–505
AD) of the Licchavi dynasty.[12]
(Guneratne, A. (2002). Many tongues, one people: the
making of Tharu identity in Nepal. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press).
The Pal dynasty Gopal was the first ruler from the dynasty. He came to power in
750 in Gaurby democratic election this event is recognized as one of the first
democratic elections in South Asia since the time of the Janapadas. He reigned from
750–770 and consolidated his position by extending his control over all of Bengal.In
the Bangarh CopperplateIndian copper plate inscriptions play an important role in the
reconstruction of the history of India. Prior to their discovery, historians were forced to
rely on ambiguous archaeological findings such as religious text of uncertain origin
and interpretations of bits of surviving traditions,...
Inscription of MahipalMahipala I is considered the second founder of the Pala
dynasty. Gopala I established the dynastic rule of the Palas in the middle of the 8th
century C.E. The Pala Dynasty ruled Bengal and Bihar for about four centuries from
the middle of the 8th century AD...
I, it has been stated that Mahipal recovered his ancestral homeland from the
usurpers , the Pals were Kayasthas.There are even accounts that claim Gopal may have
been from a Brahmin LINEAGE.
The Pal Empire Was One of the Major Middle
KINGDOMS OF INDIA existed from 750–1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist
dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent all the rulers
bearing names ending with the suffix Pal, which means protector. The Pals were often
described by opponents as the Lords of Gauda . The Pals were followers of the
Mahayana & Tantric schools of Buddhism. Gopal was the first ruler from the dynasty.
He came to power in 750 democratic election in Gaur .This event is recognized as one
of the first democratic elections in South Asia since the time of the Maha Janapadas. .
He reigned from 750–770 and consolidated his position by extending his control over
all of Bengal. The Buddhist dynasty lasted for four centuries (750–1120) and ushered
in a period of stability and prosperity in Bengal. They created many temples and works
of art as well as supported the Universities of Nalanda & Vikramashila. Somapura
Mahavihara built by Dharmapal is the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian
Subcontinent. The empire reached its peak under Dharmapala and Devapala
Dharmapala extended the empire into the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent.
This triggered once again the power struggle for the control of the subcontinent.

Devapal, successor of Dharmapal, expanded the empire to cover much of South Asia
beyond. His empire stretched from Assam and Utkala in the east, Cambodia On the
north-west and Deccan in the south. According to Pal copperplate inscription Devapal
exterminated the Utkalas, conquered the Pragjyotisha (Assam), shattered the pride of
the Huna, and humbled the lords of PratiharaS, Gurjara and the Dravidas. The death of
Devapala ended the period of ascendancy of the Pala Empire and several independent
dynasties and kingdoms emerged during this time. However, Mahipal I rejuvenated the
reign of the Pals. He recovered control over all of Bengal and expanded the empire. He
survived the invasions of Rajendra Chola and the Chalukyas. After Mahipal I the Pal
dynasty again saw its decline until Ramapal, the last great ruler of the dynasty,
managed to retrieve the position of the dynasty to some extent. He crushed the
Varendra Rebellion and extended his empire farther to Kamarupa, Orissa and Northern
India. The Pal Empire can be considered as the golden era of Bengal. Never had the
Bengali people reached such height of power and glory to that extent. Pals were
responsible for the introduction of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan and
Myanmar. The Pals had extensive trade as well as influence in south-east Asia. This
can be seen in the sculptures and architectural style of the Sailendra Empire Malaya,
Java, Sumatra. The Pal Empire eventually disintegrated in the 12th century weakened
by attacks of the Sen dynasty Followed by the invasion of Bakhtiyar Khilji's Muslim
armies.The Ramacharitam Of Sandhyakar Nandi attests that Varendra or North Bengal
was the fatherland of the Pals. In the Bangarh Copperplate inscription of Mahipal I, it
has been stated that Mahipal recovered his ancestral homeland from the usurpers.After
Shashanka's reign, Bengal was shrouded in obscurity and was shattered by repeated
invasions. During the reign of Manava, Bengal was invaded and divided between
Harshavardhana and Bhaskaravarman. In 730 CE Jayavardhana of the Shaila Dynasty
from Central India invaded Bengal and killed the king of Pundra Kingdom.
Yasovarman (725–752) of Kannauj Killed the king of Magadha and Gauda. Later
Lalitaditya Muktapida (724–760) of Kashmir who defeated Yasovarmana invaded
Bengal. Sri Harsha of Kamarupa conquered Anga, Vanga, Kalinga and Odra. The
social and political structure of Bengal was devastated. Every single Brahman, every
Kshatriya, every Elite became all powerful in their areas and surrounding regions. This
condition has been described by him as Matsyanyaya or the Dark Age of Bengal.
Disgusted at the situation the desperate people of Bengal made a bold move which
marked a glorious period in the history of the sub-continent. They elected Gopala, a
popular military leader, as their king by a democratic election. Which was probably the
only democratic election in medieval India.After the Buddhist king Harsha Vardhana,
Buddhism faced the possibility of extinction. The Pals emerged as the champion of
Buddhism, and they patronized Mahayana Buddhism. The Palas supported the
Universities of Vikramashila and Nalanda which became the premier seats of learning
in Asia. The Nalanda University which is considered one of the first great universities
in recorded history, reached its height under the patronage of the Pals. The Pals were
responsible for the spread of Mahayana Buddhism to Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar
and the Malay archipelago. Bengal became famous in the Buddhist world for the

cultivation of Buddhist religion, culture and other knowledge in the various centres
that grew under the patronage of the Pala rulers. Buddhist scholars from the Pal
Empire travelled from Bengal to the Far-East and propagated Buddhism. A few
outstanding individuals among them are Shantarakshit, Padmanava, Dansree,
Bimalamitra, Jinamitra, Muktimitra, Sugatasree, Dansheel, Sambhogabajra, Virachan,
Manjughosh and many others. But the most prominent was Atish Dipankar Srigyan
who reformed Buddhism in Tibet after it had been destroyed by king Langdharma.
Although the Palas were Buddhists, they had also given support to Saiva ascetics,
typically the ones associated with the Golagi-Math. Besides the images of the Buddhist
deities, the images of Vishnu, Siva and Sarasvati were also constructed during the Pala
dynasty rule. [13] (Terrenato, L.Shrestha, S. Dixit, K.A. Luzzatto, L Modiano, G.
Morpurgo, G. Arese, P. (1988). "Decreased malaria morbidity in the Tharu people
compared to sympatric populations in Nepal". Annals of tropical medicine and
parasitology 82: 1–11).
Gopal united all of Bengal and brought peace and prosperity in the region. The
period of anarchy ended with his election. The Pal kings devoted themselves in public
welfare and social reform. The Pals adopted the policy of religious toleration and co-
existence of the Buddhists and the Hindus. Pal kings won the heart of the people by
welfare activities like digging tanks and establishing towns took place in much folklore
in the rural areas of Bengal. The Mahipala Geet is still popular in the rural areas. Pals
adopted aggressive policy and began the period of expansion under Dharmapal and
Devapal. At its height Dharmapal's empire covered most of northern and central region
of the Indian Subcontinent. His successor Devapal Extended the boundaries of the
empire further to Assam in the east, Kamboja in the north-wast and the Deccan in the
south.Devapal united much of South Asia under his rule, a feat only achieved before
by Ashoka the Great. The successors of Devapal had to contend with the Gurjara-
Pratihara and the Rashtrakutas for the supremacy of the Kannauj Triangle. After
Narayanpal The Pal Empire declined but was revived once more under the vigorous
reigns of Mahipal and Ramapal.Pal administrationPal rule was Monarchial. King or
Monarch was the centre of all power. Pal kings would adopt Imperial titles like
Parameshwara, Paramvattaraka, and Maharajadhiraja. Pala kings appointed Prime
Ministers. The Line of Garga served as the Prime Ministers of the Pals for 100 years.
Garga, Darvapani, Someshwar, Kedarmisra, Bhatta, Guravmisra Pal Empire was
divided into separate Bhuktis, Bhuktis into Vishay’s and Mandalas. Smaller units were
Khandala, Bhaga, Avritti, Chaturaka, and Pattaka. Administration covered widespread
area from the grass root level to the imperial court. The Pal copperplates mention
following administrative Posts:Raja, Rajanyaka, Rajanaka, Ranaka, Samanta and
Mahasamanta , Mahasandhi-vigrahika , Duta, Rajasthaniya, Aggaraksa, Sasthadhikrta,
Chauroddharanika , Shaulkaka , Dashaparadhika and Tarika, Mahaksapatalika ,
Jyesthakayastha ,the Ksetrapa and Pramatr , the Mahadandanayaka or Dharmadhikara
,the Mahapratihara, Dandika, Dandapashika, and Dandashakti , Khola .Agricultural
posts like Gavadhakshya ,Chhagadhyakshya ,Meshadyakshya ,Mahishadyakshya and
many other like Vogpati, Vishayapati, Shashtadhikruta, Dauhshashadhanika,

Nakadhyakshya. Pal Literature-The proto-Bangla language was born during the reign
of the Pals.
The Buddhist texts of the Charyapada were the earliest forms of Bangla language?
This Proto-Bangla language was used as the official language in Tibet, Myanmar, Java
and Sumatra. Texts on every aspect of knowledge were compiled during the Pala Rule.
On philosophy: Agama Shastra by Gaudapada, Nyaya Kundali by Sridhar Bhatta,
Karmanushthan Paddhati by Bhatta Bhavadeva; On Medicine: Chikitsa Samgraha,
Ayurvedidvipika, Bhanumati, Shabdachandrika, Dravya Gunasangraha by Chakrapani
Datta; Shabda-Pradipa, Vrikkhayurveda, Lohpaddhati by Sureshwara; Chikitsa
Sarsamgraha by Vangasena; Sushrata by Gadadhara Vaidya; Dayabhaga, Vyavohara
Matrika and Kalaviveka by Jimutavahana etc. Atisha compiled more than 200 texts.
The great epic Ramacharitam written by Sandhyakar Nandi, the court poet of
Madanpal was another masterpiece of the Pal literature. The Pal copperplate
inscriptions were of excellent literary value. These distinctive inscriptions were called
Gaudiya Style.The most brilliant side of the Pala Empire was the excellence of its art
and sculptures. Palas created a distinctive form of Buddhist art known as the "Pal
School of Sculptural Art." The gigantic structures of Vikramshila Vihara, Odantapuri
Vihara, and Jagaddala Vihara were masterpieces of the Pals. These mammoth
structures were mistaken by the forces of Bakhtiar Khilji as fortified castles and were
demolished. The Somapura Mahaviharaa, a creation of Dharmapala, at Paharpur,
Bangladesh, is the largest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian subcontinent, and has been
described as a "pleasure to the eyes of the world." UNESCO made it World Heritage
Site in 1985. Sompur Bihar, also built by Dharmapal, is a monastery with 21 acre
(85,000 m²) complex has 177 cells, numerous stupas, temples and a number of other
ancillary buildings. In 1985, the UN included the Sompur Bihar site in the world
Cultural Heritage list. The Pal architectural style was followed throughout south-
eastern Asia, China, Japan and Tibet. Bengal rightfully earned the name "Mistress of
the East". Dr. Stella Kramrisch says: "The art of Bihar and Bengal exercised a lasting
influence on that of Nepal, Burma, Ceylon and Java". Dhiman and Vittpal were two
celebrated Pala sculptors. About Sompura Mahavihara, Mr. J.C. French says with
grief: "For the research of the Pyramids of Egypt we spend millions of dollars every
year. But had we spent only one percent of that money for the excavation of Sompura
Mahavihara, who knows what extraordinary discoveries could have been made [14].
(Hatlebakk.M. (2007). Economic and social structures that may explain the recent
conflicts in the Terai of Nepal, Norwegian Embassy, Nepal).
Pals came in contact with distant lands through their conquests and trades. The
Sailendra Empire of Java, Sumatra and Malaya Was a colony of the Pal. Devapal
granted five villages at the request of the Sailendra king Balputradeva of Java for the
upkeeping of the matha established at Nalanda for the scholars of that country. The
Prime minister of the Balputradeva Kumar Ghosha was from Gauda. Dharmapal who
extended his empire to the boundary of the Abbasid Empire and had diplomatic
relations with the caliph Harun Al-Rashid. Coins of Harun-al-Rashid have been found
in Mahasthangarh. Pals maintained diplomatic and religious relation with Tibet.

During the military expeditions of the Pala kings the Pal generals would establish
kingdoms of their own in Punjab and Afghanistan. Recent discoveries in the Punjab
hills showed the influence of the PalDynasty. There is a strong and continuous
tradition that the ruling families in certain states are descended from the "Rajas of Gaur
in Bengal". These states are Suket, Keonthal, Kashtwar and Mandi. In the ancient
Rajput States tradition has immense force and accuracy. Of Kashtwar it is related that
Kahan Pal the founder of the state with a small band of followers arrived in the hills in
order to conquer a kingdom for himself. He is said to have come from Gaur, the
ancient capital of Bengal and to have been a cadet of the ruling family of the place.
The demise of the Turkshahi rule in Gandhar and the rise of the Hindushahi dynasty in
that region might have connection to the invasion of the Pals in that region.Pal armed
forces-Pals had fourfold army consisting of: infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots.
In the copperplates of Vatsaraja Dharmapal had been mentioned as the owner of
unlimited number of horses, elephants and chariots. It is amazing that when the use of
chariots had been backdated in India and other parts of the world the kings of Bengal
still depended on four-horsed heavy chariots. Being a riverine land and swarthy
climate Bengal was not good enough for breeding quality war-horses. So the Pals had
to depend upon their vassal kings for war horses. Pal copperplate inscriptions reveal
that mercenary forces were recruited from the Kamboja, Khasa, Huna, Malwa, Gujarat,
and Karnata. The Kamboja cavalry were the cream of the Pal army who would later
become as powerful as the Janissary Army of the Ottoman Empire. The Kamboja
forces maintained smaller confederates among themselves and were staunch follower
of their commander. Pals had the army divided into following posts: Senapati or
Mahasenapati controlling foot soldiers, cavalry, soldiers riding elephants and camels,
and the navy, and the various army posts like Kottapal and Prantapal. Pals had a huge
army and the legends of “Nava Lakkha Shainya” were popular during the reigns of
Dharmapal and Devapal. According to Hudud al-Alam a Persian text written in 982–
983 Dharmapal possessed an army of 300,000 soldiers. According to Sulaiman the
Arab traveller Devapala set out for his every military expedition with an army of
50,000 elephants and his army had 10,000–15,000 slaves for the maintenance and
caretaking of his armies.Palas legacy gets remembered not much in Bengal but
elsewhere in Asia. Tibet's modern culture and religion is heavily influenced by Pals.
Pals are credited with spreading Buddhism to Tibet and around the world through
missionaries. Atisa, a Palan, is a celebrated figure in the Tibetan Buddhism in tradition
and in establishment. Atisa also invented bodhichitta or known as "mind training" that
is practiced around the world today. Another important Palan figure in Tibetan
Buddhism is Tilopa Founded the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and developed
the Mahamudra method, a set of spiritual practices that greatly accelerated the process
of attaining bodhi . Pals literature is widely studied by Buddhist around the world. Pal
architectural style was copied throughout south-eastern Asia, China, Japan, and Tibet.
Nalanda University and Vikramshila University are two of the greatest Buddhist
universities ever recorded in history of India. [15] (Sharma, R. P. (1974). Nepal: A
Detailed Geographical Account. Kathmandu: Pustak-Sansar). Economic and social

structures that may explain the recent conflicts in the Terai of Nepal. Norwegian
Embassy, Nepal). The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of
Homo sapiens as long as 75, 00 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo
erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus valley civilization, which spread and
flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent.
The Thakuri Dynasty was a Rajput Dynasty .After Aramudi, who is mentioned in
the Kashmirian chronicle, the Rajatarangini of Kalhana (1150 CE), many Thakuri
kings ruled over the country up to the middle of the 12th century AD. Raghava Deva is
said to have founded a ruling dynasty in 879 AD, when the Lichhavi rule came to an
end. To commemorate this important event, Raghu Deva started the 'Nepal Era' which
began on 20 October, 879 AD. [16] (Sharma, R. P. 1974). Nepal: A Detailed
Geographical Account. Kathmandu: Pustak-Sansar). After Amshuvarma, who ruled
from 605 AD onward, the Thakuris had lost power and they could regain it only in 869
AD.
After the death of King Raghava Dev, many Thakuri kings ruled over Nepal up to
the middle of the 12th century AD. During that period, Gunakama Deva was one of the
famous kings. He ruled form 949 to 994 AD. During his rule, a big wooden house was
built out of one single tree which was called 'Kasthamandapa', from which the name of
the capital, 'Kathmandu', is derived. Gunakama Deva founded a town called Kantipur,
the modern Kathmandu. According to the Vamsavali, this cost him a hundred thousand
rupees a day. He built more than eighteen thousand houses there. It was also
Gunakama Deva who started the 'Indra Jatra' festival. He repaired the temple that lies
to the northern part of the temple of Pashupatinath. [17] (Tiwari, Sudarshan Raj 2002.
The Brick and the Bull: An account of Handigaun, the Ancient Capital of Nepal.Himal
Books).
He also initiated the practice of worshipping Lumadi, Raktakali, Kankeshwari,
Panchalinga, Bhairab and Manamaiju. He introduced Krishna Jatra and Lakhe Jatra as
well. He also performed Kotihoma.Bhola Deva succeeded Gunakama Deva. The next
ruler was Laksmikama Deva who ruled from 1024 to 1040 AD. He built Laksmi
Vihara and introduced the custom of worshipping a virgin girl as 'Kumari'. Then,
Vijayakama Deva, the son of Laksmikama, became the king of Nepal. Vijaykama
Deva was the last ruler of this dynasty. He introduced the worship of the "Naga" and
"Vasuki". After his death, the Thakuri clan of Nuwakot occupied the throne of Nepal.
[18] ("Nepal". Nepal Archived from the original on 1 November 2009. I. Retrieved23
September 2005, Ancient and Medieval Nepal, New Delhi: Manohar Publications).
Bhaskara Deva, a Thakuri form Nuwakot, succeeded Vijayakama Deva and
established Nuwakot-Thakuri rule. He is said to have built Navabahal and Hemavarna
Vihara. After Bhaskara Deva, four kings of this line ruled over the country. They were
Bala Deva, Padma Deva, Nagarjuna Deva and Shankara Deva. Shankara Deva (1067–
1080 AD) was the most illustrious ruler of this dynasty. He established the image of
'Shantesvara Mahadeva' and 'Manohara Bhagavati'. The custom of pasting the pictures
of Nagas and Vasuki on the doors of houses on the day of Nagapanchami was
introduced by him. During his time, the Buddhists wreaked vengeance on the Hindu

Brahmins for the harm they had received earlier from Shankaracharya. Shankara Deva
tried to pacify the Brahmins harassed by the Buddhists. [19] ("India Nepal Open
Border". Nepal Democracy. Retrieved 23 September 2005).Bama Deva, a descendant
of Amshuvarma, defeated Shankar Deva in 1080 AD. He suppressed the Nuwakot-
Thankuris with the help of nobles and restored the old Solar Dynasty rule in Nepal for
the second time. Harsha Deva, the successor of Bama Deva was a weak ruler. There
was no unity among the nobles and they asserted themselves in their respective spheres
of influence. Taking that opportunity, Nanya Deva, a Karnataka king invaded Nepal
from Simraungarh. [20] ("Football at the heart of the Himalaya". FIFA. Archived from
the original on 9 September 2005).
Chronicles, he made his residence at Bhagaon.Mukunda Sena, the king of Palpa,
too the Nepal velly.It is said that after the invasion of Mukunda Sena, the tradition of
making Hakuwa rice, Gundruk and sinki began. Harsha Deva, Shivadeva,the
third,ruled from 1099 to 1126A.D. He was abrave and powerful king. He founded the
town of Kirtipur and roofed temple of Pashupatinath with dold.He introduced twenty-
five paisa coins. He also constructed well,canals and tanks at different places.After
sivadeva III, Mahendra Deva,Mana Deva,Narendra Deva II,Ananda Deva,Rudra
Deva,Amrit Deva ,Ratan Deva II,Somesvara Deva,Gunakama Deva II,Lakmikama
Deva III,and Vijayakama Deva II ruled Nepal inquick succession.Historians siffer
about the rule of several kings and their respective times. After the fall of the Thakurai
dynesty, anew dynesty founded by Arideva or Malla, popularly known as the Malla
dynesty. [21] ("Nepal: Information Portal". Explore Nepal. Retrieved 1
September2007).
Early Malla rule started with Ari Malla in the 12th century. Over the next two
centuries his kingdom expanded widely, into the Terai and western Tibet, before
disintegrating into small principalities, which later became known as the Baise, along
with the emergence of the Chaubisi. The history of these principalities is recorded in
some stone and copper plate inscriptions of western Nepal that largely remain
unedited.Jayasthiti Malla, with whom commences the later Malla dynasty of the
Kathmandu Valley, began to reign at the end of the 14th century. Though his rule was
rather short, his place among the rulers in the Valley is eminent for the various social
and economic reforms such as the 'Sanskritization' of the Valley people, new methods
of land measurement and allocation etc. Yaksha Malla, the grandson of Jayasthiti
Malla, ruled the Kathmandu Valley until almost the end of the 15th century. After his
demise, the Valley was divided into three independent Valley kingdoms Katmandu,
Bhaktapur and Patan in about 1484 AD. [22] (Haven, Cynthia (24 August 2010). "The
Best Memoir You Never Heard Of: "Shadow Over Shangri-La"".San Francisco
Chronicle. "Nepal: A state under siege". pp. 26–29). The divison led the Malla rules
into internecine clashes and wars for territorial and commercial gains. Mutually
debilitationwars gradually weakened them that facilitated conquests of the Kathmandu
Vally by King Prithvi Narayan Sha of Gorkha.The last Mall rulers were jaya Prakash
Malla, Teja Narasingha Malla and Ranjit Malla of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur
repectively.

Prithvi Narayan Shah (1769–1775), with whom we move into the modern period of
Nepal's history, was the ninth generation descendant of Dravya Shah (1559–1570), the
founder of the ruling house of Gorkha. Prithvi Narayan Shah succeeded his father King
Nara Bhupal Shah to the throne of Gorkha in 1743 AD. King Prithvi Narayan Shah
was quite aware of the political situation of the Valley kingdoms as well as of the Barsi
and Chaubisi principalities. He foresaw the need for unifying the small principalities as
an urgent condition for survival in the future and set himself to the task accordingly.
[23] (Shaha, Rishikesh, Ancient and Medieval Nepal (1992), pp.56–59).
His assessment of the situation among the hill principalities was correct, and the
principalities were subjugated fairly easily. King Prithvi Narayan Shah's victory march
began with the conquest of Nuwakot, which lies between Kathmandu and Gorkha, in
1744. After Nuwakot, he occupied strategic points in the hills surrounding the
Kathmandu Valley. The Valley's communications with the outside world were thus cut
off. The occupation of the Kuti Pass in about 1756 stopped the Valley's trade with
Tibet. Finally, King Prithvi Narayan Shah entered the Valley. After the victory of
Kirtipur King Jaya Prakash Malla of Kathmandu sought help from the British and so
the East India Company sent a contingent of soldiers under Captain Kinloch in 1767.
The British force was defeated at Sindhuli by King Prithvi Narayan Shah's army. This
defeat of the British completely shattered the hopes of King Jaya Prakash Malla. The
capture of Kathmandu (September 25, 1768) was dramatic. As the people of
Kathmandu were celebrating the festival of Indrajatra, Prithvi Narayan Shah and his
men marched into the city. A throne was put on the palace courtyard for the king of
Kathmandu. Prithvi Narayan Shah sat on the throne and was hailed by the people as
the king of Kathmandu. Jaya Prakash Malla managed to escape with his life and took
asylum in Patan. When Patan was captured a few weeks later, both Jaya Prakash Malla
and the king of Patan, Tej Narsingh Mallal took refuge in Bhaktapur, which was also
captured after some time. Thus the Kathmandu Valley was conquered by King Prithvi
Narayan Shah and Kathmandu became the capital of the modern Nepal by 1769.King
Prithvi started annexing parts of Baise-Rajya in the Rapti region around 1760AD. By
1763, Tulsipur-Dang Rajya fell and by 1775 AD, Chauhan Raja Nawal Singh of House
of Tulsipur was completely defeated. After losing his northern hill territories to King
Prithvi, Chauhan Raja Nawal Singh was forced to move to his southern territories and
ruled as one of the largest Taluqdar of Oudh. King Prithvi Narayan Shah was
successful in bringing together diverse religio-ethnic groups under one national. He
was a true nationalist in his outlook and was in favor of adopting a closed-door policy
with regard to the British. [24] (Sharma, Sushil 29 August 2005, "Jailed ex-PM in
Nepal court plea". BBC News. Retrieved, 29 September 2005).
Not only his social and economic views guided the country's socio-economic
course for a long time, his use of the imagery, 'a yam between two boulders' in Nepal's
geopolitical context, formed the principal guideline of the country's foreign policy for
future centuries. The Nepalese had differences of opinion with the East India Company
regarding the ownership of the land strip of the western Terai, particularly Butwal and
Seoraj. The outcome of the conflict was a war with the British. The British launched

their attack on the Nepali forces at Nalapani, the western most point of Nepal's frontier
at the close of 1814. Though the Nepalese were able to inflict heavy losses to the
British army on various fronts, the larger army and the superior weapons of the British
proved too strong. The Nepali army evacuated the areas west of the Mahakali river and
ultimately the treaty of Sugauli was signed with the British in 1816. Among other
things, this treaty took away a large chunk of the Terai from Nepal and the rivers
Mahakali and Mechi were fixed as the country's western and eastern boundaries. At
this time, King Girvana Yuddha Biktram Shah was on the throne of Nepal, and the
power of state was in the hands of Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa who wielded
enormous power during the rule of King Girvana Yuddha Bikram Shah and his son
King Rajendra Bikram Shah. After Nepal lost the Anglo–Nepalese War (1814–16)
these districts were annexed by the British in the Sugauli Treaty and returned in 1860
as reward for Nepal's military aid in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.[25] (Thakur
Dr.Prem Chandra Mithila ke siksha avam Sanskrit ke vikash me Darbhanga Raj kaa
yogdan pp-169-172).East of Bank the Nepalese outer Terai is interrupted where the
international border swings north and follows the edge of the Siwaliks adjacent to
Deukhuri Valley. Here the Outer Terai is entirely in Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti and
Balrampur districts. East of Deukhuri the international border extends south again and
Nepal has three more Outer Terai districts Kapilvastu, Rupandehi and Nawalparasi.In
Chitwan district east of Nawalparasi the international border again follows the
southernmost Siwaliks, placing the outer terai in Bihar's West Champaran district.
Then the international border extends south and the Nepalese Outer Terai is continuous
across eleven districts to the country's eastern border. These additional districts are:
Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusa, Siraha, Saptari,, Sunsari, Morang
and Jhapa. [26] (Gotz Hagmuller (2003). Patan Museum: The Transformation of a
Royal Palace in Nepal. London: Serindia).
History of Nepal After the 15th century, the Kathmandu Valley lost its central
control and was ruled as three city-states: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhadgaon. Many
Nepalese architectural heritages, such as temples, palaces, including many UNESCO
world heritage sites, were built during the rule of the Newar Kings. These include the
Kathmandu Old Palace, Patan, and Bhaktapur Palace etc. By this time, people living in
and around Kathmandu Valley were called "Newars" .Hindu and Buddhist temples in
Patan, the capital of one of the three medieval Newar kingdoms.
Magars are martial people that first established their kingdom in present day
western Nepal. They were animistic and shamanic in their religious practices. The
Kham Magar of the upper Karnali basin and their brethren of the mid-hills of Nepal
had a flourishing and empirical kingdom. Much archaeological proof of their existence
can be found in the western mid-hills of Nepal.The Magar have a strong military and
warrior tradition. However, their hospitality and concern for their fellow human beings
is also legendary. Two waves of immigrants became the undoing of the Magar
empire.Firstly; the Khasas were welcomed and assimilated within Magar Empire.
Secondly, due to the advance of Muslim forces into the Gangetic plains of India, the
Brahmins entered the Magar Empire as refugees.These two groups were given

sanctuary in the Magar Empire. The latter group of refugees started to impose their
view of Hinduism upon the Magars, while the former groups were given the status of
Chettri by the latter group in accordance with their view of Hinduism. [27] (Kunda
Dixit 2006, A people war: Images of the Nepal conflict 1996–2006.
Kathmandu).History of Nepal This left the Magar people boxed into the third tier in
their own kingdom .This meant that the one-time rulers of the Nepali mid-hills became
the ruled upon. This was the start of the degradation of the Magar Empire. The
introduction of Hinduism in itself became the cataclysmic event in the undoing of the
Magar Empire.
Shows the history and political development of the people of Limbuwan until their
unification with the Kingdom of Gorkha in 1774 AD. During King Prithivi Narayan
Shah's unification of Nepal, the present-day Nepal east of Arun and Koshi River was
known as Pallo Kirant Limbuwan. It was divided into ten Limbu Kingdoms of which
the Morang Kingdom was the most powerful and had the central government. The
capital of the Morang Kingdom of Limbuwan was Bijaypur, now Dharan. After the
Limbuwan-Gorkha War and seeing the threat of the rising power of the British East
India Company, kings and ministers of all the ten Limbu Kingdoms of Limbuwan
gathered in Bijaypur, present day Dharan, to agree upon the Limbuwan-Gorkha treaty.
[28] (Barbara Crossette (1995), So Close to Heaven: The Vanishing Buddhist
Kingdoms of the Himalayas. New York: Vintage).This Treaty formally united ten
Limbu Kingdoms into the Gorkha Kingdom, but it also gave Limbuwan full autonomy
under Limbuwan Kipat System.
The old king's palace on a hill in Gorkha .After decades of rivalry between the
medieval kingdoms, modern Nepal was created in the latter half of the 18th century,
when Prithvi Narayan Shah, the ruler of the small principality of Gorkha, formed a
unified country from a number of independent hill states. Prithvi Narayan Shah
dedicated himself at an early age to the conquest of the Kathmandu Valley and the
creation of a single state, which he achieved in 1768.The country, was frequently
called the Gorkha Kingdom. It is a misconception that the Gurkhas took their name
from the Gorkha region of Nepal; actually, the region was given its name after the
Gurkhas had established their control of these areas. The Gurkha, also spelled Gorkha,
is people from Nepal who take their name from the legendary 8th-century Hindu
warrior-saint Guru Gorakhnath. Gurkhas claim descent from the Hindu Rajputs and
Brahmins of Northern India, who entered modern Nepal from the west. After Shah's
death, the Shah dynasty began to expand their kingdom into what is present day North
India. Between 1788 and 1791, Nepal invaded Tibet and robbed Tashilhunpo
Monastery in Shigatse. Alarmed, the Chinese emperor Qianlong appointed Fukang'an
commander-in-chief of the Tibetan campaign; Fu defeated the Gurkha army and the
Gurkhas were forced to accept surrender on China's terms.After 1800, the heirs of
Prithvi Narayan Shah proved unable to maintain firm political control over Nepal. A
period of internal turmoil followed.Rivalry between Nepal and the British East India
Company over the princely states bordering Nepal and India eventually led to the
Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–16), in which Nepal suffered a complete rout. The Treaty

of Sugauli was signed in 1816, ceding large parts of the Nepali territories of Terrai, , to
the British, in exchange for Nepalese autonomy.As the ceded territories were not
restored to Nepal by the British when freedom was granted to the people of British
India, these have become a part of the Republic of India even though it was mentioned
that the treaties on behalf of the East India Company or British India would not be
valid anymore. The Treaty of Sugauli 4 March 1816. It suited Ochterlony to bring the
campaign to a speedy conclusion because of the approach of the dreaded aul-fever
season but also because a number of his European troops were suffering from
dysentery. Main article: Sugauli Treaty The British never had the intention to destroy
either the existence or the independence of a state which was usefully interposed
between them and the dependencies of China. The Treaty of Sugauli was ratified on 4
March 1816. As per the treaty, Nepal lost Sikkim (including Darjeeling), the territories
of Kumaon and Garhwal, and most of the lands of the Tarai. The Mechi River became
the new eastern border and the Mahakali river the western boundary of Nepal. The
British East India Company would pay 200,000 rupees annually to compensate for the
loss of income from the Tarai region. Kathmandu was also forced to accept a British
Resident. The Tarai lands, however, proved difficult for the British to govern and some
of them were returned to Nepal later in 1816 and the annual payments accordingly
abolished. However even after the conclusion of the Anglo-Nepalese War, the border
issue between the two states was not yet settled. The boundary between Nepal and
Oudh was not finally adjusted until 1830; and that between Nepal and the British
territories remained as a matter of discussion between the two Governments for several
years later. [29] (Marquis of Hastings. (1824). Summary of the operations in India:
with their results: from the 30 April 1814 to the 31 Jan. 1823.)
The Kingdom of Sikkim, which had already lost its Darjeeling region to British
India in 1853, was annexed by the post-colonial Republic of India in April 1975 and,
in the following month, Sikkim's people voted to join the Indian Union. The Terai was
heavily forested with Sal before heavy logging began in the 19th century, particularly
for use as railroad sleepers. Foresters of the British Raj were of the opinion that in
ancient times the Terai was cleared and cultivated. After Buddhism went into decline,
the area was largely abandoned, and quickly re-vegetated with shrubs and trees, but
took much longer centuries perhaps for Sal forest to return.[30] (Bista, Dor Bahadur
(1967). People of Nepal, Dept. of Publicity, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,
Govt of Nepal).Inner Tarai valleys historically were agriculturally productive but
extremely malarial. Some parts were left forested by official decree during the Rana
dynasty as a defensive perimeter called Char Kose Jhadi, meaning four Kos forest; one
Kos equals about 3 km (1.9 mi). A British observer noted, "Plainsmen and paharis
generally die if they sleep in the Terai before November 1 or after June 1." British
travelers to Kathmandu went as fast as possible from the border at Raxaul in order to
reach the hills before nightfall.[31] ("Human Development Report 2011. Human
development index trends: Table G", The United Nations. Retrieved5 November
2011).Except for indigenous peoples with genetic resistance, a malaria eradication
campaign in the 1950s using DDT made the Inner Terai habitable for the first time.

Jung Bahadur was the first ruler from this dynasty. His original family name was
Rana but in Nepal people mistook his Rajput title of Kunwar for his family name,
Kunwar is a title denoting royal lineage used by Rajput princes in northern India. Rana
rulers were titled "Shri Teen" and "Maharaja", whereas Shah Kings were "Shri Panch"
and "Maharajdiraj". Both the Rana dynasty and Shah Dynasty are Rajput caste in the
Hindu tradition, in contrast with the native Himalayan culture which is largely
Buddhist and Bön. Jung Bahadur codified laws and modernized the state's
bureaucracy. In 1855 he attempted to impose his influence in Tibet but was stopped in
the Nepalese-Tibetan War (1855–1856).Originally Jung Bahadur and his brother
Ranodip Singh brought a lot of upliftment and modernisation to Nepalese society, the
abolishment of slavery, upliftment of the untouchable class, public access to education
etc. but these dreams were short lived when in the coup d'état of 1885 the nephews of
Jung Bahadur and Ranodip Singh [32] (Joseph R. Pietri (2001). The King of Nepal.
Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Creative Arts) the Shumshers J.B., S.J.B. or Satra Family
murdered Ranodip Singh and the sons of Jung Bahadur, stole the name of Jung
Bahadur and took control of Nepal. [33] [34] (Jane Wilson- Howarth (2007). A
Glimpse of Eternal Snows: a family’s journey of love and loss in Nepal. Pier 9,
Australia). (Glacial Lakes and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in Nepal. International
Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Katmandu, March 2011, Rishikesh.
Ancient and Medieval Nepal 1992).
After the murder of Sri Teen Maharaja Ranodip Singh, the Shumshers occupied the
hereditary throne of Prime Minister and added "Jung Bahadur" to their name, although
they were descended from Jung's younger brother Dhir Shumsher. This was done after
Sri Teen Maharaja Chandra Shumsher realised the British gave more weight and
importance to the "Jung Bahadur" name. The Rana dynasty of Rajputs ruled the
Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1953, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead
and making Prime Minister and other government positions hereditary. It is descended
from one Bal Narsingh Kunwar of Kaski, who moved to Gorkha in the early 18th
century and entered the service of Raja Nara Bhupal Shah around 1740. Originally, the
Rana dynasty hails from the Sisodiya Rajput Royal family of Chittor now Udaipur in
India, capital of the Mewar region. The dynasty traces its roots to Maharaj
Kumbhakaran Singh of Chittor, Mewar. Maharaj Kumbhakaran Singh was the younger
brother of Rana Ratan Singh of Mewar. Rana Ratan Singh married Rani Padmini.
Unlike claimed ancestral root to Chittor, per se Dor Bahadur Bista, a notable
anthropologist, brought to light that the ancestors of Ranas were Jumli Khadka who
joined the army of Kaski principalities whom king of kaski honored with the title of
Kunwar. Kunwar became Rana only after the time of Jung Bahadur Rana. In some
historical evidences, King Surendra has referred Junga as a lowly Khas. To accept the
marriage proposal of Jung's son's with the King Surendra's daughter, it is said that
clever Jung linked his ancestral root to Chittor Rajput to be superior to khas and
equivalent to Shahs.Maharaja Sir Jung Bahadur Rana]'s eldest son was Gen. Jagat
Jung, known as "Mukhiya Jarnel". His eldest grandson and Gen. Jagat Jung's eldest
son was Gen. Yuddha Pratap, known as "Naati Jarnel". Their descendants currently

live in Manahara, Kathmandu. Two of Jung Bahadur's sons Gen. Ranabir Jung and
Commander-in-Chief Gen. Padma Jung Bahadur Rana KIH Gold Medal 1877 were
escorted to Allahabad. Gen. Ranabir Jung later attempted to reclaim his position, after
having raised an army, but was thwarted and finally killed in battle. Ranabir Jung’s
descendants with the title Bir Jung Bahadur are very widespread, and live in
Kathmandu, Dehra Dun, Delhi, Kolkata, Australia and The UK.Descendants of
Commander-in-Chief Gen. Padma Jung Bahadur Rana KIH Gold Medal 1877 today
live in Allahabad, Nepalgunj, Dehradun, Kathmandu, New York, Australia and United
Kingdom. Gen. Padma Jung Bahadur Rana later wrote the book called "Life of Sir
Jung Bahadur" which was published in early 1900 in India. His sons and grand-sons
fought and commanded forces in places like France, Italy, Afghanistan, Burma,
Flanders, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Wazirstan during the Great World War I and the
Great World War II and won long list of medals. Many of his daughters, grand-
daughters and great-grand-daughters were married to various Maharajas of Indian
Principality States. Similarly many of his sons, grandsons and great-grandsons were
married to various Princesses of Indian Royal Houses. Maharaja Sir Jung Bahadur
Rana of Kaski & Lamjung himself started the process of marrying Rana Gentlemen
and Ladies to the Indian Royal Households in mid 1800 AD. Commander-in-Chief
Gen. Padma Jung KIH Gold Medal 1877 continued the process of marrying his sons
and daughters to the Indian Royal Households in late 1800 AD. One of his great-
granddaughter Sita Rani Devi is Rajmata of Indian Princely State of Makrai. Another
great-granddaughter is Geeta Rani Rana who is married to Late Thakuri Prachanda
Singh of Royal House of Tulsipur.Present rulers of Kingdom of Nepal, Jajorkot,
Bajhang and Indian Princely States such as Jhalai, Jubbal, Bagribari, Tripura, Oel
Kaimara, Khairagarh, Rajgarh, Tehri-Garhwal, Thalrai, Benaras, Ramnagar and many
other states share a direct bloodline with Commander-in-Chief Gen. Padma Jung
Bahadur Rana KIH Gold Medal 1877 and Maharaja of Kaski & Lamjung Sir Jung
Bahadur Rana.Crown Prince General Dhoj Narsingh Rana, adopted son of Sri Teen
Maharaja Ranodip Singh had to go into exile with his family to India along with many
of Jung Bahadur's surviving descendants. Many of Crown Prince General Dhoj
Narsingh's children and family remained with Sri Teen Ranodip Singh's widow in
Benares and were then relocated later relocated to Udaipur upon the invitation by
Maharana Fateh Singh, who sought to give refuge to his Rana cousins. Out of seven
sons and three daughters of Gen. Dwaj Narsingh three sons and one daughter moved to
Udaipur on an invitation from the Maharana who graciously requested them to settle in
Udaipur. While Neel Narsingh died at an early age the Rana princes Shri Narsingh &
Dev Narsingh established themselves and carry on the family's name in the city of their
forefathers. Their families established marital relations with the royal families and
Thikanas like Jasmor Banka, Gogunda, Samode, Neemrana, Mahendragarh, Medhas,
and Fatehnagar: Zorawar Singhji Ka Khera etc. The British government did not help
any of the exiled princes whose fathers had saved the British and their empire in
1857.The shortest serving Rana was Deva Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana who ruled for
two months in 1901, he was deposed by his brothers because of his open display of

guilt for what has happened during the coup. Known as "The Reformist" for his
progressive policies, he proclaimed universal education, began to building schools,
took steps to abolish slavery, and introduced several other social welfare schemes. [35]
("Nepal abolishes its monarchy". Al Jazeera. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 29 May 2008)
.He also made improvements to the arsenal at Nakkhu and started The Gorkhapatra
newspaper. Dev Shumsher felt guilty for what had transpired during the coup; also a
key incident happened during the coup which affected him deeply. He was held at
gunpoint by General Dhoj Narsingh Rana, but was allowed to live and forgiven. For
this he felt a lot of guilt and asked for the exiled family members to return to Nepal.
This brought him in clash with his immediate brothers. He was deposed by his
relatives, where he settled in Jhari Pani, near Mussoorie, where his Fairlawn Palace
once stood. A developer purchased the palace and tore it down, replacing it with
cottages. All that remains are a few of the original gates and a small portion of the
palace skeleton. Even the last Prime Minister of Nepal Maharaja Mohan Shumshere
Rana, who later settled in Bangalore, exchanged letters with the Rana family in
Udaipur which was definitely an effort to reunite with his estranged family. The Rana
family in Udaipur has till date preserved all such letters along with some photographs
of Mohan Shumshere. Under the British Raj, the Ranas were acclaimed and given
much prestige and a 19-gun salute; all with the exception of Deva Shumsher received
knighthoods. The Rana dynasty developed into a powerful family clan and is still very
influential in the country today. The family formed a close alliance with the Shah
dynasty via marriage and business alliances. In 1923 Britain and Nepal formally signed
an agreement of friendship, in which Nepal and India negotiated and ended up
exchanging some cities.Slavery was abolished in Nepal in 1924.[36] (Beek van der
Peter, Xavier Robert, Jean-Louis Mugnier, Matthias Bernet, Pascale Huyghe and Erika
Labrin, "Late Miocene- Recent Exhumation of the Central Himalaya and Recycling in
the Foreland Basin Assessed by Apatite Fission-Track Thermochronology of Siwalik
Sediments, Nepal", Basic research, 18, 413–434, 2006)Popular dissatisfaction against
the family rule of the Ranas had started emerging from among the few educated
people, who had studied in various Indian schools and colleges, and also from within
the Ranas, many of whom were marginalised within the ruling Rana hierarchy. Many
of these Nepalese in exile had actively taken part in the Indian Independence struggle
and wanted to liberate Nepal as well from the internal autocratic Rana occupation. The
political parties such as The Prajaparishad and Nepali Congress were already formed
in exile by leaders such as B. P. Koirala, Ganesh Man Singh, Subarna Sumsher Rana,
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Girija Prasad Koirala, and many other patriotic-minded
Nepalis who urged the military and popular political movement in Nepal to overthrow
the autocratic Rana Regime. Among the prominent martyrs to die for the cause,
executed at the hands of the Ranas, were Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Shukraraj Shastri,
Gangalal Shrestha, and Dasharath Chand. This turmoil culminated in King Tribhuvan,
a direct descendant of Prithvi Narayan Shah, fleeing from his "palace prison" in 1950,
to newly independent India, touching off an armed revolt against the Rana
administration. This eventually ended in the return of the Shah family to power and the

appointment of a non-Rana as prime minister. [37] (Berger Antoine, Francois Jouanne,
Riadm Hassani and Jean Louis Mugnier, "Modelling the Spatial Distribution of Present
day Deformation in Nepal: how cylindrical is the Main Himalayan Thrust in Nepal?”
Geophys.J.Int, 156, 94–114, 2004) A period of quasi-constitutional rule followed,
during which the monarch, assisted by the leaders of fledgling political parties,
governed the country. During the 1950s, efforts were made to frame a constitution for
Nepal that would establish a representative form of government, based on a British
model.
In early 1959, Tribhuvan's son King Mahendra issued a new constitution, and the
first democratic elections for a national assembly were held. The Nepali Congress
Party, a moderate socialist group, gained a substantial victory in the election. Its leader,
Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, formed a government and served as prime minister.
After years of power wrangling between the kings and the government, Mahendra
dissolved the democratic experiment in 1960.Declaring parliamentary democracy a
failure, King Mahendra carried out a royal coup 18 months later, in 1960. He
dismissed the elected Koirala government, declared that a "partyless" panchayat
system would govern Nepal, and promulgated another new constitution on December
16, 1960.Subsequently; the elected Prime Minister, Members of Parliament and
hundreds of democratic activists were arrested.[38] (Bilham Roger and Michael
Jackson,"Constraints on Himalayan Deformation inferred from Vertical Velocity
Fields in Nepal and Tibet," Journal of Geophysical Research, vol.99, 897–912, 10 July
1994).
The new constitution established a "partyless" system of panchayats which King
Mahendra considered to be a democratic form of government, closer to Nepalese
traditions. As a pyramidal structure, progressing from village assemblies to a National
Parliament, the panchayat system constitutionalised the absolute power of the
monarchy and kept the King as head of state with sole authority over all governmental
institutions, including the Council of Ministers and the Parliament. One-state one
language became the national policy in an effort to carry out state unification, uniting
various ethnic and regional groups into a singular Nepali nationalist bond. [39]
(Chamlagain Deepak and Daigoro Hayashi, "Neotectonic Fault Analysis by 2D Finite
Element Modeling for Studying the Himalayan Fold and Thrust belt in Nepal",
University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 1–16, 14 July
2006).
King Mahindra was succeeded by his 27-year-old son, King Birendra, in 1972.
Amid student demonstrations and anti-regime activities in 1979, King Birendra called
for a national referendum to decide on the nature of Nepal's government: either the
continuation of the panchayat system with democratic reforms or the establishment of
a multiparty system. The referendum was held in May 1980, and the panchayat system
won a narrow victory. The king carried out the promised reforms, including selection
of the prime minister by the Rastriya Panchayat.People in rural areas had expected that
their interests would be better represented after the adoption of parliamentary

democracy in 1990. [40] (F. Jouanne , "Current Shortening Across the Himalayas of
Nepal", Geophys.J.Int, 154, 1–14, 2004).
The Nepali Congress with support of "Alliance of leftist parties" decided to launch
a decisive imitational movement, Jana Andolan, which forced the monarchy to accept
constitutional reforms and to establish a multiparty parliament. In May 1991, Nepal
held its first parliamentary elections in nearly 50 years. The Nepali Congress won 110
of the 205 seats and formed the first elected government in 32 years. In 1992, in a
situation of economic crisis and chaos, with spiraling prices as a result of
implementation of changes in policy of the new Congress government, the radical left
stepped up their political agitation. A Joint People's Agitation Committee was set up
by the various groups.[41] (Pandey M.R, R.P. Tandukar, J.P. Avouac, J. Vergne and
Th. Heritier, "Seismotectonics of the Nepal Himalaya from a Local Seismic Network",
Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 17, 703–712, 1999).
A general strike was called for April 6; violent incidents began to occur on the
evening before of the strike. The Joint People's Agitation Committee had called for a
30-minute 'lights out' in the capital, and violence erupted outside Bir Hospital when
activists tried to enforce the 'lights out'. At dawn on April 6, clashes between strike
activists and police, outside a police station in Pulchok, left two activists dead. Later in
the day, a mass rally of the Agitation Committee at Tundikhel in the capital
Kathmandu was attacked by police forces. As a result, riots broke out and the Nepal
Telecommunications building was set on fire; police opened fire at the crowd, killing
several persons. The Human Rights Organisation of Nepal estimated that 14 persons,
including several onlookers, had been killed in police firing.[42] (Newar Naresh, (Jan
2004), 70 years after. Nepali Times, (09 Jan 2004 - 15 Jan 2004), Retrieved: 10 Dec,
2011).
When Promised Land reforms failed to appear, people in some districts started to
organize to enact their own land reform and to gain some power over their lives in the
face of usurious landlords. However, this movement was repressed by the Nepali
government, in "Operation Romeo" and "Operation Kilo Sera II", which took the lives
of many of the leading activists of the struggle. As a result, many witnesses to this
repression became radicalized. In February 1996, the Communist Party of Nepal
started a bid to replace the parliamentary monarchy with a people's new democratic
republic, through a Maoist revolutionary strategy known as the people's war, which led
to the Nepalese Civil War. Led by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Pushpa Kamal Dahal,
the insurgency began in five districts in Nepal: Rolpa, Rukum, Jajarkot, Gorkha, and
Sindhuli. The Communist Party of Nepal established a provisional "people's
government" at the district level in several locations.On June 1, 2001, Crown Prince
Dipendra went on a shooting-spree, assassinating 9 members of the royal family,
including King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, before shooting himself. Due to his
survival he temporarily became king before dying of his wounds, after which Prince
Gyanendra inherited the throne, according to tradition. Meanwhile, the rebellion
escalated, and in October 2001 the king temporarily deposed the government and took
complete control of it. A week later he reappointed another government, but the

country was still very unstable .In the face of unstable governments and a siege on the
Kathmandu Valley in August 2004, popular support for the monarchy began to wane.
On February 1, 2005, Gyanendra dismissed the entire government and assumed full
executive powers, declaring a "state of emergency" to quash the revolution. Politicians
were placed under house arrest, phone and internet lines were cut, and freedom of the
press was severely curtailed. The king's new regime made little progress in his stated
aim to suppress the insurgents. Municipal elections in February 2006 were described
by the European Union as "a backward step for democracy", as the major parties
boycotted the election and some candidates were forced to run for office by the
army.[43] (Kaphle Anup (7 July 2010). "Long stalemate after Maoist victory disrupts
life in Nepal". The Washington Post, 45. "Official Website of Armed Police Force
Nepal". Apf.gov.np. Retrieved 29 July 2009).
The Terai is often interchangeably called ‘Madhes’, but the terms differ in their
original usage. The ‘Terai’ refers to the fertile strip of low-lying land sandwiched
between the Himalayan foothills and the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plain, running from
west to east throughout southern Nepal, and stretching to India and Bhutan.1 The Terai
incorporates 20 of Nepal’s 75 districts, includes close to half the population of Nepal’s
26 million citizens, and houses well over half of Nepal’s agriculture and industry
sector outputs. The origin of the word ‘Madhes’ is contested, but believed to originate
from ‘medhya-desh’, a geographic marker distinguishing the plains from the hill
region of modern Nepal. A Madhesi, therefore, originally meant only an inhabitant of
this region. Politicians in southern Nepal have used the term ‘Madhes’ to distinguish
local issues since at least 1947. However, the attempt to gain votes on a Madhes
identity did not develop until after Nepal’s period of direct royal rule from 1960-1990.
During this period, the state attempted to assimilate the 100-plus ethnicities of Nepal
into a pan-Nepali identity through language, schooling, and legal directives. These
policies codified the cultures of upper caste Pahadis, legalizing systematic
discrimination and under-representation in the government of any in Nepal who did
not have this lineage. This policy was enforced rigorously; discussion of ethnic
difference or inequality was a jailable offence until 1991. Further, a government-
sponsored resettlement program in the mid-1980s financed migration of Pahadis to the
Terai in an attempt to solidify control over the valuable agricultural and industrial
region. Architects of the program viewed Terai citizens as ‘conquered people’ or
illegal Indian migrants with no land rights. The band is 20-35 km wide, forming
Nepal’s southern border with India. [44] (Nepal.” Economic and Political Weekly 19
May, 2007. p. 1825, Krishna Hari Pushkar), Terai’s Fate-Looking Within. University
of the South Pacific. ‘Medhya-desh’ predates India and Nepal, used in the
Mahabharata and Ramayana epics. Gajendra Narayan Singh is considered the father of
the Madhesi movement, entering politics in 1947 and founding the SP in 1985.
However, his integration into Nepal’s political elite led many to feel that he abandoned
the Madhesi cause. [45] (Nepal.” Economic and Political Weekly 10 May, 2008).
Migration began in the 1960s, but this program was the first to fund resettlement.
The percentage of Pahadis in Terai districts varies from 7% to 92% of district

population census 2001. Pitamber Sharma, 2008. ”Unraveling the Mosaic: Spatial
Aspects of Ethnicity in Nepal.” [46] (Himal Books: Kathmandu. Sukhdev Shah,
“Terai’s Fate,” op. cit).The first systematic challenges to this policy were undertaken
by the Indigenous Nationalities Movement. Dozens of disparate indigenous groups
throughout Nepal organized collectively in the early 1990s in an effort to restore and
defend cultures and practices that clashed with Kathmandu’s conceptions of who is
‘Nepali’.8 Unification of these disparate groups was formalized through the creation of
the Nepal Federation of Nationalities, which reframed Hindus as non-natives, “a
rhetorical move that also enables ethnic activists to portray the dominant group as
colonizers,” whereas indigenous groups are “the bearers of the ‘original’…Nepal, and
thus more authentically Nepali than caste Hindus.” The movement also intentionally
worked to introduce race as a form of self-identification in Nepal, in the process
strengthening racial identities for both the marginalized and their oppressors. Political
elites in the Terai recognized how ethnic divisions could be used to mobilize
supporters and pressure Kathmandu, and began to build a Madhesi identity movement
along similar lines. The formation of the MJF in 1997 by activist Upendra Yadav was
a milestone in this development. Originally an academic platform for Terai citizens to
air their grievances and discuss ways, in which discrimination of Madhesis by Pahadis
could be addressed, the MJF became more political and radicalized during the 10-year
civil war between the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist and the government, and MJF
leaders including Yadav either sympathized with or joined the Maoists. With the
greater financial and military standing that this alliance provided, the MJF was able to
more quickly mobilize and coalesce than the INM before it. MJF documents during the
war were integral in the effort to reframe the word ‘Madhesi’ to incorporate ethno-
racial elements. The MJF hand-selected historical events damning to Pahadis,
dismissing others that muddled their claim of Madhesis as a uniform people.13 MJF
pamphlets demonize Pahadis from the Kathmandu valley, accusing Pahadis of
operating a ‘colony of torture’ rooted in racial discrimination, with Madhesis ‘under
the threat of extinction’ due to their domination and suppression by Pahadis ‘since the
foundation of the state of Nepal, at all levels’ of society. Madhesis are not just Terai
citizens, but a true ethnicity with caste structures, languages, names, and religious
rituals distinct from both Indians and Nepali Pahadis. Madhes identity was thus re-
invented, incorporating ethnicity, caste, and class in addition to geography. These
efforts have been largely successful. In common usage, ‘Madhesi’ now refers
specifically to non-tribal, caste Hindus of Indian origin that live in the Terai, thus
adding racial/ethnic connotations in addition to the geographic association. Those
living in the Terai who do not fit this definition are therefore not officially ‘Madhesi’,
but foreigners. Several different groups have gained politically from this re-definition,
none more so than the UDMF. [47] (Hindustan Times, 17 December 2008).Agreement
between the Nepal Government and United Democratic Madhesi Front, 28 February
2008.
Respecting the sentiments and aspirations of the Madhesi people of Nepal,
expressed during the protests and movements that they have organized time and again

for equal rights, this agreement was signed between the Government of Nepal and the
United Democratic Madhesi Front, to ensure (the establishment of) a federal
democratic republic in Nepal multiparty democratic system of governance, by
guaranteeing equality, freedom and justice for all the nation’s people, as well as by
putting an end to all types of discrimination. This agreement will be immediately
implemented. The points of the agreement are as follows.
The state shall declare as martyrs those who were killed during the Madhes
movement and shall provide adequate compensation to those maimed and those who
are yet to receive compensation. Similarly, arrangements shall be made for those
injured during the movement to receive medical expenses and those martyred shall be
given due recognition and their families shall be provided rupees 1 million as relief,
and those arrested shall be immediately released. By accepting the Madhesi people’s
call for an autonomous Madhes and other people’s desire for a federal structure with
autonomous regions, Nepal shall become a federal democratic republic. In the federal
structure, power shall be divided between the centre and states in a clear manner
according to the list. The states shall be fully autonomous and shall enjoy full rights.
By keeping Nepal’s sovereignty and integrity intact, the decision regarding details of
the list and the division of power between the centre and the states shall be made by
the Constituent Assembly. The existing legal provision for 20 percent, in Sub-section
14 of Section 7 of the Election of Members to the Constituent Assembly Act 2064,
shall be changed to 30 percent. It shall be mandatory for the state to carry out
appointments, promotions and nominations in a manner such that there is inclusive
proportional representation of Madhesis, indigenous nationalities, women, Dalits,
backward regions and minority communities in all state bodies, including the security
sector. Proportional, inclusive and group entry of Madhesis and other communities
shall be ensured in order to give the Nepal Army a national and inclusive character.
The Government of Nepal and the United Democratic Madhesi Front request all armed
groups agitating in the Tarai to come to talks for a peaceful political process and to
find a solution through dialogue. The Government of Nepal will take immediate steps
to create a conducive environment for this purpose. We appeal to everyone to help
conduct the Constituent Assembly election on 10 April in a peaceful, violence free,
impartial, fair and fear-free environment. The Government of Nepal will immediately
release all those who have been detained, withdraw cases filed against Madhesi leaders
and party cadres of the Forum as well as of other parties, and immediately implement
all other points of the 22-point Agreement signed between the Government of Nepal
and the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum on 30 August 2007.All protest programs
called by United Democratic Madhesi Forum shall be immediately withdrawn. The
Government of Nepal will be responsible for the constitutional, legal, political and
administrative aspects of the points of this agreement. The government shall form
high-level monitoring committee ncluding members of the Front to monitor the
implementation of this agreement. Signed, Rajendra Mahato, National Chairman
Sadbhavana Party, Upendra Yadav, Madhesi People’s Rights Forum, Mahantha
Thakur, Chairman, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party, Girija Prasad Koirala, Prime

Minister, and Government of Nepal. [48] (Nepal.” Economic and Political Weekly 10
May, 2008).
In April 2006 strikes and street protests in Kathmandu forced the king to reinstate
the parliament. A seven-party coalition resumed control of the government and
stripped the king of most of his powers. As of 15 January 2007, Nepal was governed
by a unicameral legislature under an interim constitution. On December 24, 2007,
seven parties, including the former Maoist rebels and the ruling party, agreed to
abolish the monarchy and declare Nepal a Federal Republic.[49] (In the elections held
on 10 April 2008, the Maoists secured a simple majority, with the prospect of forming
a government to rule the proposed 'Republic of Nepal').
On May 14, 2008 the newly elected Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a
Federal Democratic Republic, abolishing the 240-year-old monarchy. The motion for
abolition of monarchy was carried by a huge majority; out of 564 members present in
the assembly, 560 voted for the motion while 4 members voted against it finally.[50]
(Nepal's news, Nepali Times, June 11, 2008) Ex-king Gyanendra left the palace.[50]
(Nepal's news, Nepali Times ,July 23, 2008).Ram Baran Yadav of the Nepali Congress
became the first president of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal on July 23,
2008. Similarly, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, popularly known as Prachanda, of the Unified
Communist Party of Nepal was elected as the first Prime Minister on August 15, 2008,
defeating Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress Party.
Nepal presently (May, 2012) does not have a permanent constitution. The writing
of a new constitution is going on by the Constituent Assembly. The most complex
issue before constitution writers is believed to be the formation of Federal States in the
country. In 2010 Constituent Assembly of Nepal made a proposal to have 14 states in
the country. While in 2012, State reorganization commission made another proposal to
have only 11 states. Proposed federal units in Nepal, suggested by the constituent
Assembly of Nepal.14 State Model by Constituent Assembly .On January 23, 2010,
the Nepal Constituent Assembly proposed a 14 state model for Nepal in which the
Mithila region would have been granted statehood. This model was rejected by the
SRC in 2012. [51] 11 State Models by State Reorganization Commission; Proposed
federal units in Nepal, suggested by the State Reorganization Commission of Nepal in
2012 showing 10 states. The 11th state is non-territorial state for Dalits .A 9 member
team, headed by Dr Pariyar, called State Reorganization Commission or simply S.R.C.
was given the task of constructing a federal model for Nepal. On 31 January 2012, the
SRC gave its final report to the Government. The report suggested 10 states and 1 non-
territorial state; in that report, Mithila was also suggested to be made a federal unit.[52]
The yellow colored region on the southeast is Mithila.
Footnotes
[1] Shaha, Rishikesh. Ancient and Medieval Nepal 1992 Manohar Publications,
New Delhi.

[2] Tucci, Giuseppe 1952 Journey to Mustang, 1952. Trans. by Diana Fussell. 1st
Italian edition, 1953; 1st English edition, 1977. 2nd edition revised
2003.Bibliotheca Himalayas.
[3] Hoftun, Martin, William Raeper and John Whelpton. People, politics and
ideology: Democracy and Social Change in Nepal. Kathmandu: Mandala
Book Point, 1999.
[4] Tiwari, Sudarshan Raj 2002. The Brick and the Bull: An account of
Handigaun, the Ancient Capital of Nepal.
[5] Kayastha, Chhatra Bahadur 2003.Nepal Sanskriti: Samanyajnan.
[6] Johnsingh A.J.T., Ramesh K., Qureshi Q., David A., Goyal S.P., Rawat G.S.,
Rajapandian K., Prasad S. 2004. Conservation status of tiger and associated
species in the Terai Arc Landscape, India. RR-04/001Wildlife Institute of
India, Dehradun.
[7] Bhuju, U.R., Shakya, P.R., Basnet, T.B., Shrestha, S.2007, Nepal Biodiversity
Resource Book. Protected Areas, Ramsar Sites, and World Heritage Sites,
Kathmandu: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development;
Government of Nepal, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology;
United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the
Pacific.
[8] Bahri, H. 1989. "Learners' Hindi-English dictionary Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi
sabdakosa." Rajapala, Delhi.
[9] Turner, R.L.1931. "A Comparative and Etymological Dictionary of the Nepali
Language". K. Paul, Trench, Trubner, London.
[10] Platts, J. T.1884. "A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English," W. H.
Allen & Co., London.
[11] Das, K.N. 1981, "Alluvial Morphology of the North Bihar Plain – A study in
applied geomorphology", in Sharma, H. S., Perspectives in geomorphology, 4,
New Delhi: Naurung Rai Concept Publishing Company.
[12] Guneratne, A. 2002. Many tongues, one people: the making of Tharu identity
in Nepal. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.
[13] Terrenato, L, Shrestha, S., Dixit, K.A., Luzzatto, L, Modiano,G.,
Morpurgo,G., Arese, P. 1988. "Decreased malaria morbidity in the Tharu
people compared to sympatric populations in Nepal". Annals of tropical
medicine and parasitology82.
[14] Hatlebakk, M. 2007. Economic and social structures that may explain the
recent conflicts in the Terai of Nepal. Norwegian Embassy, Nepal.
[15] Sharma, R. P.1974. Nepal: A Detailed Geographical Account. Kathmandu:
Pustak-Sansar.
[16] Sharma, R. P.1974. Nepal: A Detailed Geographical Account. Kathmandu:
Pustak-Sansar.
[17] Tiwari, Sudarshan Raj 2002. The Brick and the Bull: An account of
Handigaun, the Ancient Capital of Nepal. Himal Books.

[18] "Nepal". Nepal. Archived from the original on 1 November 2009. I. Retrieved
23, September 2005.
[19] "India Nepal Open Border". Nepal Democracy. Retrieved23, September 2005.
[20] "Football at the heart of the Himalaya". FIFA. Archived from the original on 9
September 2005.
[21] "Nepal: Information Portal". Explore Nepal. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
[22] Haven, Cynthia 24 August 2010. "The Best Memoir You Never Heard Of:
"Shadow Over Shangri-La"".San Francisco Chronicle. "Nepal: A state under
siege".
[23] Shaha, Rishikesh. Ancient and Medieval Nepal 1992.
[24] Sharma, Sushil, 29 August 2005. "Jailed ex-PM in Nepal court plea". BBC
News. Retrieved 29 September 2005.
[25] Thakur Dr.Prem Chandra Mithila ke siksha avam Sanskrit ke vikash me
Darbhanga Raj kaa yogdan.
[26] Gotz Hagmuller 2003. Patan Museum: The Transformation of a Royal Palace
in Nepal. London: Serindia.
[27] Kunda Dixit 2006. A people war: Images of the Nepal conflict 1996–2006.
Kathmandu.
[28] Barbara Crossette 1995. So Close to Heaven: The Vanishing Buddhist
Kingdoms of the Himalayas. New York: Vintage.
[29] Marquis of Hastings 1824. summary of the operations in India: with their
results: from the 30 April 1814 to the 31 Jan. 1823.
[30] Bista, Dor Bahadur 1967. People of Nepal, Dept. of Publicity, Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of Nepal.
[31] "Human Development Report 2011. Human development index trends: Table
G", The United Nations. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
[32] Joseph R. Pietri 2001. The King of Nepal. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Creative
Arts.
[33] Jane Wilson- Howarth 2007. A Glimpse of Eternal Snows: a family’s journey
of love and loss in Nepal. Pier 9, Australia.
[34] Glacial Lakes and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in Nepal. - International
Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Katmandu, March 2011.
[35] "Nepal abolishes its monarchy". Al Jazeera. 28 May 2008, Retrieved 29 May
2008.
[36] History of Nepal. Beek van der Peter, Xavier Robert, Jean-Louis Mugnier,
Matthias Bernet, Pascale Huyghe and Erika Labrin, "Late Miocene- Recent
Exhumation of the Central Himalaya and Recycling in the Foreland Basin
Assessed by Apatite Fission-Track Thermochronology of Siwalik Sediments,
Nepal", Basic research, 18, 413–434, 2006)
[37] Berger Antoine, Francois Jouanne, Riadm Hassani and Jean Louis Mugnier,
"Modelling the Spatial Distribution of Present day Deformation in Nepal: how
cylindrical is the Main Himalayan Thrust in Nepal?”Geophys.J.Int, 2004.

[38] Bilham Roger and Michael Jackson,” Constraints on Himalayan Deformation
inferred from Vertical Velocity Fields in Nepal and Tibet," Journal of
Geophysical Research, vol. 99, 897–912, 10 July 1994.
[39] Chamlagain Deepak and Daigoro Hayashi, "Neotectonic Fault Analysis by 2D
Finite Element Modeling for Studying the Himalayan Fold and Thrust belt in
Nepal", University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences,
1–16, 14 July 2006 .
[40] F. Jouanne et al., "Current Shortening Across the Himalayas of Nepal",
Geophys.J.Int, 154, 1–14, 2004.
[41] Pandey M.R, R.P. Tandukar, J.P. Avouac, J. Vergne and Th. Heritier,
"Seismotectonics of the Nepal Himalaya from a Local Seismic Network",
Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 17, 703–712, 1999.
[42] Newar, Naresh. Jan 2004. 70 years after. Nepali Times. 09 Jan 2004 - 15 Jan
2004 .Retrieved: 10 Dec, 2011.
[43] Kaphle, Anup 7 July 2010. "Long stalemate after Maoist victory disrupts life
in Nepal". The Washington Post. 45. "Official Website of Armed Police Force
Nepal". Apf.gov.np. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
[44] Nepal.” Economic and Political Weekly 19 May, 2007. P. 1825, Krishna Hari
Pushkar.
[45] Nepal.” Economic and Political Weekly 10 May, 2008.
[46] Himal Books: Kathmandu. Sukhdev Shah, “Terai’s Fate,” op. cit.
[47] Hindustan Times, 17 December 2008.
[48] Nepal.” Economic and Political Weekly 10 May, 2008.
[49] In the elections held on 10 April 2008, the Maoists secured a simple majority,
with the prospect of forming a government to rule the proposed 'Republic of
Nepal'.
[50] Nepal's news, Nepali Times, June 11, 2008.
[51] Nepal's news, Nepali Times, July 23, 2008.
[52] Nepal's news, Nepali Times, January 2012.

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The history of nepal ijhss pp-1-28