100-633: Kathmandu , officially the Kathmandu Metropolitan City , is the seat of federal government and the most populous city in Nepal . As of the 2021 Nepal census , there were 845,767 inhabitants living in 105,649 households and approximately 4 million people in its surrounding agglomeration. It is located in the Kathmandu Valley , a large valley surrounded by hills in central Nepal, at an altitude of 4,344 feet (1,324 metres) above sea level. The city
200-480: A Capuchin missionary who visited Nepal in the 1740s referred to the language as Nepalese. The term "Newari" as a name for the language was coined by Brian Hodgson in 1847 and since then used by most western scholars. The term "Newari" is considered by many Newars to be inappropriate as it is the Sanskritisation of "Newar". "Newar" is generally believed to be related to the word "Nepal", possibly derived by
300-593: A Hindu and Buddhist majority. Religious and cultural festivities form a major part of the lives of people residing in Kathmandu. Tourism is an important part of the economy in the city. In 2013, Kathmandu was ranked third among the top ten upcoming travel destinations in the world by TripAdvisor , and ranked first in Asia. The city is considered the gateway to the Nepal Himalayas and is home to several World Heritage Sites :
400-627: A World Heritage Site (WHS). The seven monuments zones cover an area of 189 hectares (470 acres), with the buffer zone extending to 2,394 hectares (5,920 acres). The Seven Monument Zones inscribed originally in 1979 and with a minor modification in 2006 are the Durbar squares of Hanuman Dhoka , Patan and Bhaktapur , the Hindu temples of Pashupatinath and Changunarayan , the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhunath and Boudhanath . The literal meaning of Durbar Square
500-411: A ring road , to the southwest by Kirtipur and to the east by Madyapur Thimi . To the north the urban area extends into several municipalities; Nagarjun , Tarakeshwor , Tokha , Budhanilkantha , Gokarneshwor and Kageshwori Manohara . However, the urban agglomeration extends well beyond the neighbouring municipalities, e.g. to Bhaktapur , and nearly covers the entire Kathmandu Valley . Kathmandu
600-555: A Sanskrit-Nepal Bhasa dictionary from 1381, was also found. Architecturally notable buildings from this era include Kathmandu Durbar Square , Patan Durbar Square , Bhaktapur Durbar Square , the former durbar of Kirtipur , Nyatapola , Kumbheshwar , the Krishna temple, and others. The Gorkha Kingdom ended the Malla confederation after the Battle of Kathmandu in 1768. This marked the beginning of
700-536: A UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The base of the stupa has 108 small depictions of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha . It is surrounded with a brick wall with 147 niches, each with four or five prayer wheels engraved with the mantra, Om mani padme hum . At the northern entrance where visitors must pass is a shrine dedicated to Ajima , the goddess of smallpox . Every year the stupa attracts many Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims who perform full body prostrations in
800-585: A forest monastery at Sankhu . The Licchavis from Vaisali in modern-day Bihar , migrated north and defeated the Kirats , establishing the Licchavi dynasty, circa 400 AD. During this era, following the genocide of Shakyas in Lumbini by Virudhaka , the survivors migrated north and entered the forest monastery, masquerading as Koliyas. From Sankhu, they migrated to Yambu and Yengal (Lanjagwal and Manjupattan) and established
900-437: A fusion of artistic and architectural traditions from other cultures to be amalgamated with local art and architecture. The monuments of Kathmandu City have been influenced over the centuries by Hindu and Buddhist religious practices. The architectural treasure of the Kathmandu valley has been categorized under the well-known seven groups of heritage monuments and buildings. In 2006 UNESCO declared these seven groups of monuments as
1000-501: A government institution established in 1913 (B.S. 1970) for advancement of Gorkha Bhasa, renamed itself as Nepali Bhasa Prakashini Samiti (Nepali Language Publishing Committee) in 1933 (B.S. 1990), which is currently known as Sajha Prakashan . On 7 September 1995, the cabinet of ministers decided to use "Nepala Bhasa" instead of "Newari". On 13 November 1998, the Minister of Information and Communication issued another directive to use
1100-438: A hillock at the northwestern part of the city. This is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal . Although the site is considered Buddhist, it is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. The stupa consists of a dome at the base; above the dome, there is a cubic structure with the eyes of Buddha looking in all four directions. There are pentagonal toran above each of the four sides, with statues engraved on them. Behind and above
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#17328373181171200-610: A local language. Newar is taught in schools of Sikkim. The exact placement of Newar within the Tibeto-Burman language family has been a source of controversies and confusion. Robert Shafer classified Newar as part of his Bodic division of Sino-Tibetan. George Van Driem classified Newar within the Mahakiranti grouping but he later retracted his hypothesis in 2003. Moreover, he proposed a new grouping called "Maha-Newari" which possibly includes Baram–Thangmi . T. R. Kansakar attributes
1300-772: A metropolitan city in 1995. Metropolitan Kathmandu is divided into five sectors: the Central Sector, the East Sector, the North Sector, the City Core and the West Sector. For civic administration, the city is further divided into 32 administrative wards. The Council administers the Metropolitan area of Kathmandu city through its 177 elected representatives and 20 nominated members. It holds biannual meetings to review, process and approve
1400-445: A mythological king Bharata , by encouraging cultural exchange. This procedure is followed in other temples around India, which were sanctified by Adi Shankara. The temple is built in the pagoda style of architecture, with cubic constructions and carved wooden rafters (tundal) on which they rest, and two-level roofs made of copper and gold. Boudhanath ( Nepali : बौद्ध स्तुप ; also written as Bouddhanath , Bodhnath , Baudhanath or
1500-524: A neat classification. A classification (based on Glover's ) indicating a percentage of shared vocabulary within the labeled branch and an approximate time of split: Example: Karen etc Example: Sunwar Tamang , Manang , Gurung , Thakali , Kaike , Tibetan , Sherpa Examples: Limbu Chepang Baram–Thangmi Pahri or Pahari (unrelated to other "Pahari" languages of the region) Dolkha Newari Modern Nepal Bhasa ɫ "%" indicates lexical similarity/common vocabulary between Newar and
1600-612: Is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people , the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala , which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal . The language is known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, a name that has been historically used for the language. The term " Newari " is also used to refer to the language, although the Indic -i suffix is considered inappropriate by some Newar speakers. The language served as
1700-526: Is a "place of palaces". There are three preserved Durbar Squares in Kathmandu valley and one unpreserved in Kirtipur . The Durbar Square of Kathmandu is in the old city and has heritage buildings representing four kingdoms (Kantipur, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur); the earliest being the Licchavi dynasty. The complex has 50 temples and is distributed in two quadrangles of the Durbar Square. The outer quadrangle has
1800-624: Is a division of the Nepal Police , and the administrative control lies with the Ministry of Home Affairs . The fire service, known as the Barun Yantra Karyalaya ( Nepali : वारुण यन्त्र कार्यालय ), opened its first station in Kathmandu in 1937 with a single-vehicle. An iron tower was erected to monitor the city and watch for a fire. As a precautionary measure, firemen were sent to the areas which were designated as accident-prone areas. In 1944,
1900-779: Is an additional official language in Sikkim for the purpose of preservation of culture and tradition in the state. The official weekly publication Sikkim Herald has a Newar Edition. The Information & Public Relations Department also broadcasts news bulletin in Newar. Nepal Bhasa is included as elective mother tongue subject in schools by Curriculum Development Committee. Tribhuvan University offers Bachelors, Masters, Mphil and PhD degree in Nepal Bhasa. Expatriates can study Nepal Bhasa at Bishwa Bhasa Campus in Kathmandu. Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Kirtipur Municipality are teaching Nepal Bhasa as
2000-509: Is believed to be a bodily incarnation of the goddess Taleju (the Nepali name for Durga) until she menstruates, after which it is believed that the goddess vacates her body. Serious illness or a major loss of blood from an injury also causes her to revert to common status. The current Kumari, Trishna Shakya, age three at the time of appointment, was installed in September 2017 succeeding Matina Shakya who
2100-422: Is called Kāṣṭhamaṇḍap in a vow that Buddhist priests still recite to this day. Thus, Kathmandu is also known as Kāṣṭhamaṇḍap . During medieval times, the city was sometimes called Kāntipur ( Sanskrit : कान्तिपुर ). This name is derived from two Sanskrit words – Kānti and Pur . Kānti is a word that stands for "beauty" and is mostly associated with light and Pur means place, thus giving it
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#17328373181172200-405: Is considered to be the first woman to publish literature in Nepal as her poems are the earliest dated literature in Nepal authored by a woman. An example of the language used during this period is provided by the following lines from a poem written by Briddhi Lakshmi . dukha hāṅā hāṅā parabata jina lhvaneṅa maphuta, madata vipatiyā udhāra I can no longer bear the mountain of grief; there
2300-587: Is dissected by eight rivers, the main river of the valley, the Bagmati and its tributaries, of which the Bishnumati , Dhobi Khola, Manohara Khola, Hanumante Khola, and Tukucha Khola are predominant. The mountains from where these rivers originate are in the elevation range of 1,500–3,000 metres (4,900–9,800 ft), and have passes which provide access to and from Kathmandu and its valley. An ancient canal once flowed from Nagarjuna hill through Balaju to Kathmandu; this canal
2400-597: Is during this period that the earliest dated document written entirely in Newar was written, a palm-leaf manuscript preserved in Uku Bāhā, a Buddhist monastery in Lalitpur , which dates from 1114. Following is a line from the document which mostly deals with business transaction. bivu mikhā tivu maduguna chu sāta duguna valhe replace for what is lost, with a remaining object or gift rightly sold out, give some clothes. The first inscription written entirely in Newar set up by
2500-514: Is in the northwestern part of the Kathmandu Valley to the north of the Bagmati River and covers an area of 50.7 km (19.6 sq mi). The average elevation is 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) above sea level . The city is bounded by several other municipalities of the Kathmandu valley: south of the Bagmati by Lalitpur Metropolitan City (Patan), with which it forms one urban area surrounded by
2600-642: Is no salvation for the grieved Newar began to be sidelined after the Gorkha conquest of Nepal and the ouster of the Malla dynasty by the Shah dynasty in the late 18th century. Since then, its history has been one of constant suppression and struggle against official disapproval. Following the advent of the Shahs, the Gorkhali language became the court language, and Newar was replaced as
2700-581: Is now extinct. The city of Kathmandu and the surrounding valley are in the Deciduous Monsoon Forest Zone (altitude range of 1,200–2,100 metres (3,900–6,900 ft)), one of five vegetation zones defined for Nepal. The dominant tree species in this zone are oak , elm , beech , maple and others, with coniferous trees at higher altitude. Kathmandu and adjacent cities are composed of neighbourhoods , which are utilized quite extensively and more familiar among locals. However, administratively
2800-651: Is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world , founded in the 2nd century AD. The valley was historically called the Nepal Mandala (the name for the cosmic elements of water Dha mandala in Newari, and cosmos), and has been the home of the Newar people , a cosmopolitan urban civilization in the Himalayan foothills. The city was the royal capital of the Kingdom of Nepal and hosts palaces, mansions and gardens built by
2900-581: Is one of the oldest in Nepal, dating back to at least 600 years ago. From the start of the Rana dynasty in the 1840s until democratisation , Newar suffered from official suppression. From 1952 to 1991, the percentage of Newar speakers in the Kathmandu Valley dropped from 75% to 44% and today Newar culture and language are under threat. The language has been listed as " Definitely endangered " by UNESCO . On 6 May 2024, Newar, along with Tamang and Nepali
3000-548: The Bhandarkhal Massacre , was also conducted by Kunwar and his supporters in Kathmandu. During the Rana regime, Kathmandu's alliance shifted from anti-British to pro-British; this led to the construction of the first buildings in the style of Western European architecture. The most well-known of these buildings include Singha Durbar, Garden of Dreams , Shital Niwas, and the old Narayanhiti palace. The first modern commercial road in
3100-578: The Durbar Square , Swayambhu Mahachaitya , Bouddha and Pashupatinath . Kathmandu valley is growing at 4 per cent per year according to the World Bank in 2010, making it one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in South Asia, and the first region in Nepal to face the unprecedented challenges of rapid urbanization and modernization at a metropolitan scale. It is the largest metropolitan area located in
Kathmandu - Misplaced Pages Continue
3200-627: The Himalayas . The indigenous Nepal Bhasa term for Kathmandu is Yen . The Nepali name Kathmandu comes from Kasthamandap , a building that stood in Kathmandu Durbar Square and was completely destroyed by the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake (it has since been reconstructed). In Sanskrit , Kāṣṭha ( Sanskrit : काष्ठ ) means "wood" and Maṇḍapa ( Sanskrit : मण्डप ) means "pavilion". This public pavilion, also known as Maru Satta in Newari,
3300-568: The Kasthamandap , Kumari Ghar , and Shiva-Parvati Temple; the inner quadrangle has the Hanuman Dhoka palace. The squares were severely damaged in the April 2015 earthquake . Hanuman Dhoka is a complex of structures with the royal palace of the Malla kings and of the Shah dynasty. It is spread over five acres. The eastern wing (with ten courtyards) is the oldest part, dating to the mid-16th century. It
3400-532: The Khāsa Chaitya ), is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal, along with the Swayambhunath . It is a very popular tourist site. Boudhanath is known as Khāsti by Newars and as Bauddha or Bodhnāth by speakers of Nepali . About 11 km (7 mi) from the centre and northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu, the stupa's massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal. Boudhanath became
3500-602: The Licchavi period (approximately 400–750) contains frequent use of Sino-Tibetan words especially for proper nouns. Almost 80 percent of the names of places, taxes and merchandise used in the inscriptions are Tibeto-Burman in origin. It suggests that Newar existed as a vernacular language since at least the Lichhavi Dynasty . According to the Gopal Raj Vamshavali , a 14th century Newar language history book, before
3600-523: The Licchavis of Vaishali conquered Nepal , it was ruled by the Kirata and the language they spoke, which is referred by historians such as Shrestha as Kiranti, is believed to be the old form of the Newar language. For instance, in an inscription from 594 located in present day Bhaktapur , the area is referred as khopṛiṅa which closely resmbles the classical and modern Newar name for the city , khopa. It
3700-463: The Malla era . Rulers from Tirhut , upon being attacked by the Delhi Sultanate , fled north to the Kathmandu valley. They intermarried with Nepali royalty, and this led to the Malla era. The early years of the Malla era were turbulent, with raids and attacks from Khas and Turk Muslims . There was also a devastating earthquake which claimed the lives of a third of Kathmandu's population, including
3800-505: The Pracalit script and another stone inscription set up by Pratap Malla in 1652 uses the term nevārabhāṣā ("newar language") to refer to the language. In the 1920s, the language known as Khas Kura, Gorkhali or Parbatiya was renamed to Nepali . Conversely, the term Gorkhali in the former national anthem entitled "Shreeman Gambhir" was changed to Nepali in 1951. Gorkha Bhasa Prakashini Samiti (Gorkha Language Publishing Committee),
3900-439: The 14th century, Newar was given the status of national language by Jayasthiti Malla . Since then, most of royal decrees, official proclamations and public notices set up by the monarchs appeared in Newar. Jayasthiti Malla himself commissioned many works in Newar like the Gopal Raj Vamshavali , a manuscript about the history of Nepal dating to 1389. From the 14th century onwards, an overwhelming number of stone inscriptions in
4000-645: The 2016 World Health Organization's Ambient Air Pollution Database, the annual average PM2.5 (particulate matter) concentration in 2013 was 49 μg/m, which is 4.9 times higher than recommended by the World Health Organization . Starting in early 2017, the Government of Nepal and the Embassy of the United States in Kathmandu have monitored and publicly share real-time air quality data. In Nepal and Kathmandu,
4100-815: The Kathmandu Valley , where they are a ubiquitous element at heritage sites, are in Newar. The period from 1428 to 1769 is considered a Golden Age for Newar Literature . Many monarchs of the Malla dynasty themselves started composing hymns and dramas in Newar. Noted royal writers include Mahindra Malla , Siddhi Narsingh Malla , and Ranajit Malla . Still, there are numerous works of literature from this period with anonymous authors. Some non royal authors include Keshav Udās, Brisabhānanda and Biladātāsingha. Some notable women who wrote literature in Newar during this period include, Jagatakeshari from Banepa , Briddhi Lakshmi (queen consort of Bhaktapur ), Riddhi Lakshmi (mother of Bhupalendra Malla ), Jaya Lakshmi (queen consort of Yoga Narendra Malla ). Among them, Riddhi Lakshmi
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4200-399: The Kathmandu Valley leading to the indigenous Newars becoming a minority. During the period 1952 to 1991, the percentage of the valley population speaking Newar dropped from 74.95% to 43.93%. The Nepal Bhasa movement arose as an effort to save the language. Newars have been fighting to save their language in the face of opposition from the government and hostile neighbours from the time of
4300-468: The Kathmandu Valley, the New Road , was also built during this era. Trichandra College (the first college of Nepal), Durbar High School (the first modern school of Nepal), and Bir Hospital (the first hospital of Nepal) were built in Kathmandu during this era. Education was only accessible to the privileged class. Rana rule was marked by despotism, economic exploitation and religious persecution. Kathmandu
4400-503: The Kathmandu Valley, which is representative of its valley's climate, the average summer temperature varies from 28 to 30 °C (82 to 86 °F). The average winter temperature is 10.1 °C (50.2 °F). Five major climatic regions are found in Nepal. Of these, High hills of Kathmandu Valley including Chandragiri hill is in the Warm Temperate Zone (elevation ranging from 1,200 to 2,300 metres (3,900 to 7,500 ft)), where
4500-568: The Linguist Glover, Newar and Chepang language must have diverged around 2200 BC. It is estimated that Newar shares 28% of its vocabulary with Chepang. At the same time, a very large and significant proportion of Newari vocabulary is Indo-European in origin, by one estimate more than 50%, indicating an influence of at least 1,600 years from Indo-European languages, first from Sanskrit, Maithili, Persian, and Urdu and today from Hindi, Nepali and English. The Sanskrit language stone inscriptions of
4600-560: The Nepali aristocracy. It has been home to the headquarters of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC ) since 1985. Today, it is the seat of government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, established in 2008, and is part of Bagmati Province . Kathmandu is and has been for many years the centre of Nepal's history , art , culture , and economy . It has a multi-ethnic population within
4700-563: The US, the UK, Australia, and Japan. Newar was Nepal Mandala 's (then only known as Nepal) administrative language from the 14th to the late 18th century. The continued official use of Newari into the Shah dynasty is shown by the 1775 treaty with Tibet , which was written in the language, but it was gradually replaced in official use by Gorkhali. From the early 20th century until democratization , Newar suffered from official suppression. During this period,
4800-449: The Valley and throughout the greater Himalayas. Newar artists travelled extensively throughout Asia, creating religious art for their neighbours. For example, Araniko led a group of his compatriot artists through Tibet and China. Bhrikuti , the princess of Nepal who married Tibetan monarch Songtsän Gampo , was instrumental in introducing Buddhism to Tibet. The Licchavi era was followed by
4900-663: The ancient dhunge dharas ( Nepali : ढुङ्गे धारा ) for all the purposes related to water. The city water shortage should be solved by the completion of the much plagued Melamchi Water Supply Project by the end of 2019. Despite continued efforts by governmental bodies, Kathmandu is one of the most polluted cities in Nepal, largely due to overpopulation. Waste management may be through composting in municipal waste management units, and at houses with home composting units. Both systems are common and established in India and neighbouring countries. Kathmandu's urban cosmopolitan character has made it
5000-569: The annual budget and make major policy decisions. The ward's profile documents for the 32 wards prepared by the Kathmandu Metropolitan Council is detailed and provides information for each ward on population, the structure and condition of houses, the type of roads, educational, health and financial institutions, entertainment facilities, parking space, security provisions, etc. It also includes lists of development projects completed, on-going and planned, along with informative data about
5100-406: The annual premature deaths due to air pollution reached 37,399 and 9,943 respectively, according to a Republica news report published on 23 November 2019. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. Kathmandu Municipal Corporation (KMC) is the chief nodal agency for the administration of Kathmandu. The Municipality of Kathmandu was upgraded to
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#17328373181175200-493: The capital of Nepal kingdom. The ancient history of Kathmandu is described in its traditional myths and legends . According to the Swayambhu Purana , present-day Kathmandu was once a huge and deep lake named " Nagdaha ", as it was full of snakes. The lake was cut drained by Bodhisattva Manjushri with his sword, and the water was evacuated out from there. He then established a city called Manjupattan, and made Dharmakar
5300-554: The city is around 1400 mm (55 in). On average humidity is 75%. The chart below is based on data from the Nepal Bureau of Standards & Meteorology, Weather Meteorology for 2005. The chart provides minimum and maximum temperatures during each month. The annual amount of precipitation was 1,124 millimetres (44.3 in) for 2005, as per monthly data included in the table above. The decade of 2000–2010 saw highly variable and unprecedented precipitation anomalies in Kathmandu. This
5400-439: The city is divided into 32 wards, numbered from 1 to 32. Earlier, there were 35 wards which made it the metropolitan city with the largest number of the wards. Under Köppen's climate classification , portions of the city with lower elevations (1300-1400m) which is 88 per cent of total have a humid subtropical climate (Cwa), while portions of the city with higher elevations generally have a subtropical highland climate (Cwb). In
5500-504: The climate is fairly temperate, atypical for the region. This zone is followed by the Cool Temperate Zone with elevation varying between 2,100 and 3,300 metres (6,900 and 10,800 ft). The city generally has a climate with warm days followed by cool nights and mornings. Unpredictable weather is expected, given that temperatures can drop to 0 °C (32 °F) or less during the winter. The lowest ever temperature of −3.5 °C
5600-626: The construction of public buildings, squares, and temples, as well as the development of waterspouts, the institutionalisation of trusts (called guthis ), the codification of laws, the writing of dramas, and the performance of plays in city squares. Evidence of an influx of ideas from India, Tibet, China, Persia, and Europe among other places can be found in a stone inscription farom the time of king Pratap Malla . Books have been found from this era that describe their tantric tradition (e.g. Tantrakhyan), medicine (e.g. Haramekhala), religion (e.g. Mooldevshashidev), law, morals, and history. Amarkosh,
5700-399: The cultural heritage, festivals, historical sites and the local inhabitants. Ward 16 is the largest, with an area of 437.4 ha; ward 26 is the smallest, with an area of 4 ha. Kathmandu is the headquarters of the surrounding Kathmandu District . The Metropolitan Police is the main law enforcement agency in the city. It is headed by a commissioner of police . The Metropolitan Police
5800-444: The development of modern military structures, such as modern barracks in Kathmandu. The nine-storey tower Dharahara was originally built during this era. Rana rule over Nepal started with the Kot massacre of 1846, which occurred near Hanuman Dhoka Durbar. During this massacre, most of Nepal's high-ranking officials were massacred by Jung Bahadur Rana and his supporters. Another massacre,
5900-449: The difficulty about the placement of Newar to the inability of scholars to connect it with the migration patterns of the Tibeto-Burman speakers. Since Newar separated from rest of the family very early in history, it is difficult or at least arbitrary to reconstruct the basic stratum that contributed to present day Newar speech. He underscored the point that the language evolved from mixed racial/linguistic influences that do not lend easily to
6000-558: The divine female energy (or devi ) in South Asian countries. In Nepal, the selection process is very rigorous. Previously, during the time of the monarchy, the queen and the priests used to appoint the proposed Kumari with delicate process of astrological examination and physical examination of 32 'gunas'. The china ( Nepali : चिना ), an ancient Hindu astrological report of the Kumari and the reigning king, has been said to be similar. The Kumari
6100-540: The fire service was extended to the neighbouring cities of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. In 1966, a fire service was established in Kathmandu central airport . In 1975, a West German government donation added seven fire engines to Kathmandu's fire service. The fire service in the city is also overlooked by an international non-governmental organization, the Firefighters Volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN), which
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#17328373181176200-474: The first permanent Buddhist monasteries of Kathmandu. This created the basis of Newar Buddhism , which is the only surviving Sanskrit-based Buddhist tradition in the world. With their migration, Yambu was called Koligram and Yengal was called Dakshin Koligram during most of the Licchavi era. Eventually, the Licchavi ruler Gunakamadeva merged Koligram and Dakshin Koligram, founding the city of Kathmandu. The city
6300-431: The heritage sites and are key sources for the history of Nepal . The earliest Western reference to Kathmandu appears in an account of Portuguese Jesuit Father Joao Cabral who passed through the Kathmandu Valley in the spring of 1628 and was received graciously by the king of that time, probably King Lakshminarasimha Malla of Kathmandu on their way from Tibet to India. Father Cabral reported that they reached "Cadmendu",
6400-406: The inner lower enclosure, walk around the stupa with prayer wheels, chant, and pray. Thousands of prayer flags are hoisted up from the top of the stupa downwards and dot the perimeter of the complex. The influx of many Tibetan refugees from China has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan gompas ( monasteries ) around Boudhanath. Swayambhunath ( Nepali : स्वयम्भू स्तूप ) is a Buddhist stupa atop
6500-401: The king Abhaya Malla . These disasters led to the destruction of most of the architecture of the Licchavi era (such as Mangriha and Kailashkut Bhawan ), and the loss of literature collected in various monasteries within the city. Despite the initial hardships, Kathmandu rose to prominence again and, during most of the Malla era, dominated the trade between India and Tibet. Nepali currency became
6600-419: The language of administration. However, Newar continued to remain in official use for a time as shown by the 1775 treaty with Tibet which was written in it. A few of the new rulers cultivated the language. Kings Prithvi Narayan Shah , Rana Bahadur and Rajendra Bikram Shah composed poetry and wrote plays in it. Newar suffered heavily under the repressive policy of the Rana dynasty (1846–1951 AD) when
6700-499: The language, can be found in the manuscripts of a commentary to the Nāradasaṃhitā , dated 1380, and a commentary to the Amarkośa , dated 1386. Some inscriptions from the Malla Dynasty refer to the language as deśabhāṣā ( Pracalit Script : 𑐡𑐾𑐱𑐨𑐵𑐲𑐵 , lit. ' language of the country ' ) and svadeśabhāṣā ( Pracalit Script : 𑐳𑑂𑐰𑐡𑐾𑐱𑐨𑐵𑐲𑐵 , lit. ' language of one's own country ' ). Similarly, Father Cassiano da Macerata,
6800-425: The meaning, "City of light". Among the indigenous Newar people, Kathmandu is known as Yeṃ Dey ( Newar : येँ देय् ), and Patan and Bhaktapur are known as Yala Dey ( Newar : यल देय् ) and Khwopa Dey ( Newar : ख्वप देय् ) respectively. "Yen" is the shorter form of Yambu ( Newar : यम्बु ), which originally referred to the northern half of Kathmandu. The older northern settlements were referred to as Yambi while
6900-566: The modern era in Kathmandu. The Battle of Kirtipur was the start of the Gorkha conquest of the Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu was adopted as the capital of the Gorkha empire, and the empire itself was dubbed Nepal. During the early part of this era, Kathmandu maintained its distinctive culture. Buildings with characteristic Nepali architecture, such as the nine-story tower of Basantapur, were built during this era. However, trade declined because of continual war with neighbouring nations. Bhimsen Thapa supported France against Great Britain; this led to
7000-417: The most populous city in Nepal. According to the National Population Census of 2011, the total population of Kathmandu city was 975,543 in 254,292 households with an annual growth rate of 6.12% with respect to the population figure of 2001. 70% of the total population residing in Kathmandu are aged between 15 and 59. In one decade, the population increased from 427,045 in 1991 to 671,805 in 2001. The population
7100-408: The name Nepal Bhasa instead of Newari. However, the Central Bureau of Statistics has not been doing so. A colloquial term is Newa Bhaay ( Devanāgarī : नेवा: भाय्, IAST : Nevāḥ Bhāy) is also used. Newar is spoken by over a million people in Nepal according to the 2001 census. With an increase in emigration, various bodies and societies of Newar-speaking people have emerged in countries such as
7200-410: The official language of Nepal during the Malla dynasty since the 14th century till the end of dynasty in 1769 during which the language was referred as "Nepal Bhasa", a term which literally means "Nepalese Language". However, the language is not the same as Nepali , an Indo-Aryan language and the current official language of Nepal , which only got the name Nepali in the 1930s. Literature in Newar
7300-513: The other languages in the branch. The date indicates an approximate time when the language diverged. ɞ Van Driem labelled this branch as "Parakiranti" and included it together with Kiranti branch to form Maha Kiranti group. However, he would later drop this hypothesis. ʌ All languages within this branch have extensive Indo-Aryan vocabulary. It is hypothesised that either ancient IndoAryan admixture happened before Newar-Thangmi-Baram split or that Thangmi-Baram borrowed through Newari. According to
7400-475: The place as Nayapala city, which was famous for its Pashupati Shivalinga. The name Nepal probably originates from this city Nayapala. Very few historical records exists of the period before medieval Licchavi rulers . According to Gopalraj Vansawali , a genealogy of Nepali monarchy, the rulers of Kathmandu Valley before the Licchavis were Gopalas , Mahispalas, Aabhirs, Kirat , and Somavanshi. The Kirata dynasty
7500-462: The population speaking it as their mother tongue. Newari is spoken by 19%, and the other languages spoken in the city include Tamang (6%), Maithili (3%), Bhojpuri (2%), Gurung (2%), Magar (2%) and Sherpa (1%) as their first language. English is also spoken by many. Ethnic groups in Kathmandu The largest group is the native Newars , whose various sub-groups combine to make up 24.7% of
7600-634: The population. Almost equal in number is the Bahuns , also known as Hill-Brahmin or Khas Brahmin, representing 24.5% of the population. They are part of the broader Khas community, as are the Chhetri , the third largest group, who account for 18% of the population. Other groups in Kathmandu include the Janajatis, comprising the Tamang (7.8%), Magar (3.8%), Gurung (2.6%), and Rai (2.1%). Nepalese Muslims represent 1.8% of
7700-416: The population. More recently, other Madeshi groups from Terai have come to represent a substantial proportion of the city's population, and there are around 12,000 Marwadis, mainly merchants. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The ancient trade route between India and Tibet that passed through Kathmandu enabled
7800-424: The regime attempted to wipe it out. In 1906, legal documents written in Newar were declared unenforceable, and any evidence in the language was declared null and void. The rulers forbade literature in Newar, and writers were sent to jail. In 1944, Buddhist monks who wrote in the language were expelled from the country. Moreover, hostility towards the language from neighbours grew following massive migration into
7900-547: The replacement of the 'la' sound with a 'ra' sound, a common practice in historical documents from Nepal. Historically, the term "Newar" itself was rarely used, only finding use in the travelogue of some of the Capuchin missionaries who visited Nepal during the Malla dynasty . Only two sources from the Malla dynasty use the term "Newar" to refer to the language or its script; the multilingual stone inscription of Pratap Malla uses " nevāra ākhara " ("newar alphabet") to refer to
8000-474: The royal family also dates from this period; a stone inscription from Bajrayogini Temple of Rudra Malla from 1127 ( NS 293). The Newar language of the Medieval era (879 to 1769 CE) is referred as Classical Newar . It is further classified into Early Classical Newar, used from 879 to 1482, when the period of three kingdom started and Late Classical Newar, from 1482 to 1769, when the Malla dynasty ended . In
8100-423: The ruler of the valley land. After some time, a demon named Banasura closed the outlet, and the valley again turned into a lake. Krishna came to Nepal, killed Banasura, and again drained out the water by cutting the edge of Chobhar hill with this Sudarshana Chakra . He brought some cowherds along with him and made Bhuktaman the king of Nepal. Kotirudra Samhita of Shiva Purana , Chapter 11, Shloka 18 refers to
8200-527: The southern settlement was known as Yangala. Archaeological excavations in parts of Kathmandu have found evidence of ancient civilizations. The oldest of these findings is a statue, found in Maligaon, that was dated at 185 AD. The excavation of Dhando Chaitya uncovered a brick with an inscription in Brahmi script . Archaeologists believe that it is two thousand years old. Stone inscriptions are ubiquitous elements at
8300-445: The standard currency in trans-Himalayan trade. During the later part of the Malla era, Kathmandu Valley comprised four fortified cities: Kantipur, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Kirtipur. These served as the capitals of the Malla confederation of Nepal. These states competed with each other in the arts, architecture, esthetics, and trade, resulting in tremendous development. The kings of this period directly influenced or involved themselves in
8400-473: The surviving journals of travellers and monks who lived during this era. For example, the famous 7th-century Chinese traveller Xuanzang described Kailaskut Bhawan, the palace of the Licchavi king Amshuverma . The trade route also led to cultural exchange as well. The artistry of the Newar people—the indigenous inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley—became highly sought after during this era, both within
8500-499: The temple premises, but non-Hindu visitors are allowed to view the temple only from the across the Bagmati River. The priests who perform the services at this temple have been Brahmins from Karnataka in southern India since the time of Malla king Yaksha Malla . This tradition is believed to have been started at the request of Adi Shankara who sought to unify the states of Bhāratam , a region in south Asia believed to be ruled by
8600-613: The temple was destroyed by Mughal invaders in the 14th century and little or nothing remains of the original 5th-century temple exterior. The temple as it stands today was built in the 19th century, although the image of the bull and the black four-headed image of Pashupati are at least 300 years old. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Shivaratri , or the night of Shiva, is the most important festival that takes place here, attracting thousands of devotees and sadhus . Believers in Pashupatinath (mainly Hindus ) are allowed to enter
8700-477: The torana there are thirteen tiers. Above all the tiers, there is a small space above which lies a gajur . List of capitals in Nepal This is a list of capital cities of Nepal and its current and former provinces, and territories. Newar language Nepal Historical : Gorkha Kingdom Newar ( English: / n ə ˈ w ɑː r / ; 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑐮 𑐨𑐵𑐲𑐵 , nepāla bhāṣā )
8800-1075: The use of the language for business and literary purposes was declared illegal, and Newar authors were fined or imprisoned. The Language Commission of Nepal recommended Bagmati Province to provide Nepal Bhasa (Newar) the status of official language, alongside Tamang . The commission also recommends Nepal Bhasa (Newar) for official status in specific areas and purposes in Province No. 1 and Gandaki Province . At local levels, Nepal Bhasa (Newar) has official status in Kathmandu Metropolitan City , Lalitpur Metropolitan City and Kirtipur Municipality Chandragiri Municipality , Shankharapur Municipality, Tarkeshwor Municipality of Kathmandu district; Banepa Municipality , Dhulikhel Municipality of Kavre district; Godavari Municipality of Lalitpur district; and Bhaktapur Municipality , Madhyapur Thimi Municipality of Bhaktapur district have recognized Nepal Bhasa in some ways. Similarly, Bhimeshor Municipality has recognized and made policy-level decisions for Dolakha Nepal Bhasa. Newar
8900-410: Was declared as the official language of Bagmati Province . Similarly, Newar is given official status in several city governments of Nepal including Kathmandu . The official and historical name of the language, Nepal Bhasa , which literally means Nepal Language , originates from Nepal . Historically, Nepal was only used to refer to the Kathmandu Valley and its surroundings, where the language
9000-451: Was designed in the shape of Chandrahrasa , the sword of Manjushri. The city was surrounded by eight barracks guarded by Ajimas . One of these barracks is still in use at Bhadrakali (in front of Singha Durbar ). The city served as an important transit point in the trade between India and Tibet, leading to tremendous growth in architecture. Descriptions of buildings such as Managriha, Kailaskut Bhawan, and Bhadradiwas Bhawan have been found in
9100-526: Was established by Yalamber . During the Kirata era, a settlement called Yambu existed in the northern half of old Kathmandu. In some of the Sino-Tibetan languages , Kathmandu is still called Yambu. Another smaller settlement called Yengal was present in the southern half of old Kathmandu, near Manjupattan. During the reign of the seventh Kirata ruler, Jitedasti, Buddhist monks entered Kathmandu valley and established
9200-653: Was established in 2000 with the purpose of raising public awareness about fire and improving safety. Electricity in Kathmandu is regulated and distributed by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). Water supply and sanitation facilities are provided by the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL). There is a severe shortage of water for household purposes such as drinking, bathing, cooking and washing and irrigation. People have been using bottled mineral water, water from tank trucks and from
9300-519: Was expanded by King Pratap Malla in the 17th century with many temples. The royal family lived in this palace until 1886 when they moved to Narayanhiti Palace. The stone inscription outside is in fifteen languages. Kumari Ghar is a palace in the centre of the Kathmandu city, next to the Durbar square where a royal Kumari selected from several Kumaris resides. Kumari (or Kumari Devi), is the tradition of worshipping young pre-pubescent girls as manifestations of
9400-420: Was mostly due to the annual variation of the southwest monsoon. For example, 2001 recorded only 356 mm (14 in) of precipitation due to an extraordinarily weak monsoon season. In contrast, 2003 was the wettest year ever in Kathmandu, totaling over 2,900 mm (114 in) of precipitation due to an exceptionally strong monsoon season. Air pollution is a major issue in the Kathmandu Valley. According to
9500-460: Was native to. A larger region surrounding the valley is known as Nepal Mandala . Therefore, the language spoken in Nepal Mandala became known as Nepal Bhasa. The name "Nepal Bhasa" is ubiquitous in sources from the Malla dynasty to refer to the language. The earliest occurrences of the name Nepālabhāṣā ( Devanāgarī : नेपालभाषा) or Nepālavāc ( Devanāgarī : नेपालवाच) used to refer to
9600-463: Was originally built as a rest house for travellers. The Pashupatinath Temple ( Nepali : पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर ) is a famous 5th century Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva . Located on the banks of the Bagmati River , the Pashupatinath Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu. It served as the seat of national deity, Pashupatinath , until Nepal was secularized. However, a significant part of
9700-494: Was projected to reach 915,071 in 2011 and 1,319,597 by 2021. To keep up this population growth, the KMC-controlled area of 5,076.6 hectares (12,545 acres) expanded to 8,214 hectares (20,300 acres) in 2001. With this new area, the population density which was 85 in 1991 remained 85 in 2001; it is likely to jump to 111 in 2011 and 161 in 2021. As of the 2011 census, Nepali is the most common mother tongue in Kathmandu, with 62% of
9800-446: Was rebuilt in 1596 by Biseth in the period of King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. The three-storey structure was made entirely of wood and used no iron nails nor supports. According to legends, all the timber used to build the pagoda was obtained from a single tree. The colophons of ancient manuscripts, dated as late as the 20th century, refer to Kathmandu as Kāṣṭhamaṇḍap Mahānagar in Nepal Mandala . Mahānagar means "great city". The city
9900-437: Was recorded in 1978. While snowfall is generally confined to the hills surrounding the city, there have been a few instances of snowfall in city, most notably in 1945 and 2007. Rainfall is mostly monsoon-based (about 65% of the total concentrated during the monsoon months of June to September), and decreases substantially (100 to 200 cm (39 to 79 in)) from eastern Nepal to western Nepal. The average annual rainfall for
10000-440: Was the first Kumari of Kathmandu after the end of the monarchy. Kasthamandap is a three-storeyed temple enshrining an image of Gorakhnath . It was built in the 16th century in the pagoda style. The name of Kathmandu is a derivative of the word Kasthamandap . It was built under the reign of King Laxmi Narsingha Malla. Kasthamandap stands at the intersection of two ancient trade routes linking India and Tibet at Maru square. It
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