History Of Nepal

For centuries the kingdom of Nepal remained divided into many principalities. Kirats ruled in the east, the Newars in the Kathmandu Valley, While Gurungs and Magars occupied the mid-west. The Kirats ruled from 300 BC and during their reign, emperor Ashoka arrived from India to build a pillar at Lumbini in memory of Lord Buddha. The Lichchhavis whose descendants today are believed to be the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley followed the kirats. During this period, art thrived in Nepal and many of the beautiful woodcarving and sculptures that are found in the country belong to this era. With the end of the Lichchhavi dynasty, malla kings came to power in 1200 AD and they also contributed tremendously to Nepal’s art and culture. However, after almost 600 years of rule, the kings were not united among themselves and during the late 18th century, Prithvi Narayan Shah, King of Gorkha, conquered Kathmandu and united Nepal into one kingdom. Recognizing the threat of the British Raj in India, he dismissed European missionaries from the country and for more than a century, Nepal remained in isolation. During the mid-19th century Jung Bahadur Rana became Nepal’s first prime minister to wield absolute power. He set up and oligarchy and the Shah kings remained figureheads. The Ranas were overthrown in a democracy movement of the early 1950s.

Today, Nepal enjoys a multiparty democratic system with a constitutional Monarch.

Monarchy Of Nepal

Modern Nepal is an amalgamation of a number of principalities, which had independent entities in the past. From one of these small kingdoms, Gorkha, Where the kings of the Shah dynasty ruled, King Prithvi Narayan Shah set out to unity Nepal. In 1768, he defeated Malla kings who ruled Kathmandu Valley. Nepal has been ruled by Shah kings ever since. His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is the eleventh King in the Shah dynasty. King Birendra ascended the throne after his father’s death in 1972, but his coronation took place on an auspicious date in February 1975

His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, the eldest son of His Late Majesty King Mahendra and the Late Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, was born on Dec 28, 1945, at the Narayanhity Royal Palace, Kathmandu. His Majesty received his early education at St. Joseph’s School, Darjeeling and his higher education at Eton College of England, the University of Tokyo and Harvard University of the United States. The auspicious wedding of His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was solemnised with Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah in February 1970 with great public jubilation . His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra, was born on June 27, 1971 . Her Royal Highness Princess Sruti, their first daughter, was born on October 15, 1976 and the third child, His Royal Highness Prince Nirajan, was born on November 6, 1978. His Majesty King Birendra ascended the Throne of the Kingdom of Nepal on January 31, 1972, upon the sudden demise of His Majesty King Mahendra. The auspicious coronation of His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was solemnised amidst Vedic rites on February 24, 1975. His Majesty holds the firm belief that prosperity and progress in Nepal can only be achieved by rapid economic development . With a view to remove regional disparity and ensuring balanced economic development, His Majesty proclaimed the establishment of five development regions in the country . In keeping with the popular desire of the people, His Majesty King Birendra announced on May 24, 1979, a National Referendum in which the people opted for the Party-less Panchayat System with timely reforms. His Majesty led the Nepalese delegation to the fourth summit conference of Non?aligned Nations held in Algiers in 1973 and in his speech at the conference emphasised Nepal’s firm commitment toward the principles of peace, co-existence and of non?alignment. In the fifth summit conference of Non-aligned Nations held in Colombo in 1976, His Majesty, leading the Nepalese delegation, shed light on Nepal’s unwavering commitment to unity among the countries of the Third World, mutual co-operation and the New International Economic Order. Again leading the Nepalese delegation in the sixth summit conference of Non?aligned Nations held in 1979 in Havana, His Majesty highlighted Nepal’s firm faith in non?alignment as well as views on international issues and the need for solid unity and mutual co-operation among Third World countries for maintaining universal peace and promoting human prosperity.

Once more, His Majesty expressed the need to adhere to the principles of nonalignment and the belief in friendship, goodwill and prosperity for all and the need to seek a world of order and stability, balance and harmony, peace and concord, during the seventh summit conference of the Non-aligned Countries held in New Delhi in 1983. In 1986, His Majesty led the Nepalese delegation to the eighth summit conference held in Harare, once more, with his countrymen’s aspiration for peace and prosperity of the whole world. His Majesty’s first two state visit after accession, to India in October, 1973 and China in December, 1973, reflected His Majesty’s desire and firm willingness to give new impetus to strengthen the close and cordial ties with the two immediate and next door neighbours. His Majesty addressed the UN sponsored conference on Least Developed Countries on behalf of the nine countries of Asia?Pacific and West Asia in 1981 and asked the international community to come forward to help the least developed countries and to support the proposed substantial new Programme of Action for the 1980s.

His Majesty played an active role in establishing the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) at the Dhaka Summit of the Heads of the States and Governments on 7/8 December, 1985. His Majesty, on behalf of the Heads of the States and Governments, presented the SAARC charter for approval before the Summit. The institution of SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu inaugurated by His Majesty the King on January 16 1987, also heralded another example of Nepal’s role in the regional co-operation. In response to the popular will of restoring the multiparty democratic system, His Majesty proclaimed the lifting of the ban on political parties on April 8, 1990. The new constitution of Nepal, based on the multiparty democratic system was promulgated on November 9, 1990, which paved the way for the general election, held on May 12, 1991.

Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah
Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah was born on November 7, 1949, in Kathmandu. Her Majesty is the eldest daughter of late Lieutenant General Kendra Shumshere J.B. Rana and Rani Rajya Laxmi Rana. Her Majesty received her early education at St. Helen’s Convent, Kurseong (India) and St.Mary’s School, Jawalakhel, in Kathmandu. Her Majesty the Queen then studied privately at home before joining Kanti Ishwari Rajya Laxmi High School in Kathmandu. Her Majesty continued her higher studies in Padma Kanya College and passed the Intermediate of Arts. Her Majesty holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tribhuvan University. The wedding of His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah was solemnised with Vedic rites in February, 1970, in Kathmandu. Her Majesty has accompanied His Majesty several times on internal tours as well as external visits. Her Majesty the Queen has also been playing a significant role in the advancement of Nepalese women. Her Majesty was awarded the "Save The Children Distinguished Service Award" for her service to the children of Nepal by Save the Children Federation of USA in December, 1983, and Her Majesty was also honoured with a "Medal of Distinction" one of the most outstanding Lioness medals, by Lions International USA on November 23, 1985.

Archaeology of Nepal

Over the past few decades archaeological work has been conducted in the Terai region of the country where Nepal’s first settlements were probably located. Tilaurakot, for example, used to be the capital of the shakya dynast. It is situated in KAPILBASTU
DISTRICT IN WESTERN Nepal. The present archaeological site extends over the area of more that five square kilometers. The central
portion, measuring approximately five thousand meters by four thousand meters, is surrounded by a
citadel built at three different periods. The first and second ancient citadel walls are made of mud ad date from 600 to 200 B.C.
While the third wall appears to have been constructed with kilnburnt bricks around 150 B.C. The eastern gate, the eastern stupa, the Ashita Apsidal Stupa and a defence wall were first discovered at the site.
More recent excavations have brought to light the majestic western gateway complex including the watchman’s room, six meter wide roads of different periods (With cart-track impressions), the moat on the east and west, three periods of defence walls and northern twin stupas made and enlarged between the fourth and second centuries B.C. The central portion of The site has also
been excavated and various brick structures from the third century B.C to the second century A.D have been unearthed. Water storage tanks, big jars, brick and terra-cotta ring wells and a fire-alter have also been found. Other antiquities discovered at the site are human and animal terra-cotta figurines (dated 400 B.C to A.D 200), silver punch-marked coins, early cast coins with symbols, Mitra coins with different symbols, Kushan coins, and pieces of Sunga and Kushan pottery. Apart from these antiquities, practical items such as terra-cotta cart wheels, iron implements, nails, arrowheads, bone and copper rods, dice and fishing hooks have also
been found.

Gotihawa

Gotihawa – rich in possession of ancient ruins is situated eleven kilometers south of Tilaurakot and six kilometers south west of

Taulihawa, the present district headquaters. To the north of Gotihawa village, there is an ancient brick stupa and an Ashokan
Pillar. The lower portion, with its square granite base stone, is still intact but the crowning features and inscriptional portions are missing. The site can be safely identified as the Nirvan Stupa of Kakuchhanda Buddha (one of the previous Buddha), whose hometown lies within one kilometer of this stupa-pillar complex .

Sagarahawa

This site is located tow kilometers north of Tilaurakot of the bank of the Banganga river. It was excavated in 1896 and seventeen miniature Stupas were found there. In the same general region, sites of ancient civilization have been identified at Lumbini, Banjarhi, Nipaniya and Kadyatawa, to Mention just a few. Several important sites have also been excavated in the eastern region
of the country, the most important of which are Bhediari, Varahakshetra, Janakpur and Simaraongad.


Bhediari 

Located nearly ten kilometers south of Biratnagar, the ancient ruins at this site include many important brick temples. There is a two-meter high rectangular platform supported from inside by cross walls. So far no image either of stone or terra cotta has been found during the excavations; however, a number of silver punch-marked coins have been found.


Varahakshetra

This is another important temple site located at the confluence of the Koka and Koshi rivers. The site is known to belong to the period of later Guptas, who had issued a copper grant for the two Varaha images found there. There are also many miniature Gupta period temple replicas, which suggest that many such temples and idols were made during the sixth and seventh centuries A.D.


Narsingha Tappu

Some years ago, while cultivating at Narasingha Tappu, close to the present town of Itahari, an idol of Vishnu was discovered the image belongs to the fifth or sixth century A.D and is of the Gupta tradition. It is now kept inside a local Shiva temple. The site, according to local people, also contains pottery items, indicating that it belonged to the ancient Gupta dynasty (fourth-fifth century A.D)


Janakpur

At Ram – Janaki temple complex near Jankpur there is an important image depicting Uma lying on a bed and feeding a baby. Ganesh and Kumar are also depicted in the panel while on the top of the scene is a Shiva Linga. The piece dates back to twelfth or thirteenth century A.D and Belongs To the Karnatakas of simaraongad.


Simaraongad 

This was an old capital city of the Karnastakas of Mithila and was built by King Nanyadeva in A.D 1097-90. The ruins of the city extend over an area of 16 Kilometers which is still surrounded by a high wall of Kiln-burnt bricks. There are more than one hundred images and sculptures scattered throughout the area. Most are made of black schist stone and are nicely polished; a few are made of sandstone. The images at the site are of Vishnu, Narayan, Laxmi Narayan, Shankersana, Garudopari Vishnu, Uma-Maheshwara,
Durga, Shiva and Surya. In different parts of Simaraongad, there are remains of temples and gateways of the old city.

Other sites bearing Karnataka images and sculptures are Kanchanpur (Near Rajbiraj), Murtiya ( West of Janakpur) and Valmiki  Nagar (near the Gandaki barrage), as well as several other places between the
Gandaki and Sapta Koshi rivers