In the bygone days, Nepal was
the history of Kathmandu. The area of Nepal has
shrunk and expanded. At that time Nepal has several
states. After many decades, its present boundaries
are expanded to present shape.
In the course of history Kathmandu valley was once
a great lake. A brilliant flame emanating from a
lotus flower that rested in the middle of lake.
Manjushri broached the valley wall with a magical
sword draining the water and creating the Kathmandu
valley. When the valley was empty from water the
Swayambhu appear in a flaming spot. We know or perhaps
it wasn’t Manjushri, he was after all, a Buddhist
from China. The Hindus claim it was Krishna who
performed the mighty deed, hurling a thunderbolt
to create the Chorbar gorge. Scientists agree that
the valley was submerged at one time and the rivers
of the valley do indeed flow southward through the
narrow Chobar Gorge.
Recorded history begins with the Kiratis,
who had come from the eastern part of the country.
The first known rulers of the Kathmandu valley were
Kiratis, Yalamar, the first of their king, is mentioned
in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. During the Kirati
period that Buddhism first arrived in the country,
Krakuchhanda Buddha, Kanak Muni Buddha and Kashyapa
Buddha visited the Kathmandu valley to worship Swayambhunath.
The Lichhavis were second ruler of 4th to 7th century.
The temple of Changunarayan was built in Licchavi
period, which can be seen now a days in terms of
world heritage.
The Malla period was golden period
of Kathmandu valley when great numbers of art, statues
and temples were built. During the 147th century
Malla ruled this valley for a total period of 568
years. At that period this country was divided into
small principalities and kingdoms of 24 groups in
western and 22 groups in far western Kathmandu valley
was divided into three states of Kantipur, Lalitpur
& Bhaktapur.
From the tiny Kingdom of Gorkha,
halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara the king of
Shah dynasty gradually strengthened and extended
their power. In 1768 king Prithivi Narayan Shah
defeated the Malla kings and Nepal has been ruled
by Shah kings ever since. His Majesty King
Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is the thirteenth
king of shah dynasty.
Today, Maoist rebels based in western Nepal have
been fighting a small-scale war against the central
government since the mid-1990s.
In June 2001 the popular King
Birendra and much of the royal family was
killed in the palace by a gunman, apparently the
crown prince, who himself died of a gunshot wound
sustained that night (believed to be self-inflicted).
Public grief and conspiracy theories about the unknown
motivation of the massacre paralyzed the country
for several weeks. The country's monarch is now
the late king's brother, Gyanendra.
