Difference between revisions of "Kathmandu Valley" - New World Encyclopedia
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'''The Kathmandu Valley''' ({{lang-new|नेपाः स्वनिगः}} ''{{IAST|Nepāḥ Svānigaḥ}}''), located in the [[Nepal]], lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of [[Asia]]. [[UNESCO]] designated Kathmandu valley a [[World Heritage Site]] in 1979. It has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the [[Hindu]]s and the [[Buddhist]]s. [[Kathmandu District]], [[Lalitpur District]] and [[Bhaktapur District]] make up the valley, which consists of [[Kathmandu Metropolitan City]], [[Patan, Nepal|Lalitpur Submetropolitan City]], [[Bhaktapur|Bhaktapur municipality]], [[Kirtipur|Kirtipur Municipality]], and [[Thimi|Thimi Municipality]]. Several villages present a high style of [[Newar]] art and architecture. The valley serves as a cultural and political hub of Nepal. A mixture of cultures, many recently arrived from different parts of Nepal, Newar culture still exist vibrantly. The [[Bagmati]] river flows through Kathmandu Valley. | '''The Kathmandu Valley''' ({{lang-new|नेपाः स्वनिगः}} ''{{IAST|Nepāḥ Svānigaḥ}}''), located in the [[Nepal]], lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of [[Asia]]. [[UNESCO]] designated Kathmandu valley a [[World Heritage Site]] in 1979. It has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the [[Hindu]]s and the [[Buddhist]]s. [[Kathmandu District]], [[Lalitpur District]] and [[Bhaktapur District]] make up the valley, which consists of [[Kathmandu Metropolitan City]], [[Patan, Nepal|Lalitpur Submetropolitan City]], [[Bhaktapur|Bhaktapur municipality]], [[Kirtipur|Kirtipur Municipality]], and [[Thimi|Thimi Municipality]]. Several villages present a high style of [[Newar]] art and architecture. The valley serves as a cultural and political hub of Nepal. A mixture of cultures, many recently arrived from different parts of Nepal, Newar culture still exist vibrantly. The [[Bagmati]] river flows through Kathmandu Valley. | ||
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| + | ==Mythology== | ||
| + | [[Image:Syambhunath Stupa.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Syambhunath Stupa]] | ||
| + | According to [[Swayambhu Puran]], Kathmandu Valley was once a lake. The hill where the [[ Swambhu stupa]] rests, had lotus plants with beautiful lotus flowers abloom. One story says that the god [[Manjushree]] cut a gorge at a place called Kashapaal (later called Chobhar) with a sword called Chandrahrasha and drained away the waters to establish a habitable land. | ||
| + | |||
| + | According to Gopal Banshawali, [[Krishna]] cut the gorge with his [[Sudarshana Chakra]] to let the water out. He then handed the drained valley to the Gopal Vansi people, who were nomidic cow herders. | ||
| + | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
The Kathmandu Valley may have been inhabited as early as 300 B.C.E., the oldest known artifacts in the valley date to a few hundred years B.C.E. The earliest known inscription has been dated 185 C.E. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley has been determined as almost 1,992 years old. A certain Charumati, a purported daughter of [[Ashoka the Great]], a [[Mauryan]] king, in the [[3rd century B.C.E.|3<sup>rd</sup> century B.C.E.]], erected four [[stupa]]s around the city of Patan, attesting to the ancient history within the valley. | The Kathmandu Valley may have been inhabited as early as 300 B.C.E., the oldest known artifacts in the valley date to a few hundred years B.C.E. The earliest known inscription has been dated 185 C.E. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley has been determined as almost 1,992 years old. A certain Charumati, a purported daughter of [[Ashoka the Great]], a [[Mauryan]] king, in the [[3rd century B.C.E.|3<sup>rd</sup> century B.C.E.]], erected four [[stupa]]s around the city of Patan, attesting to the ancient history within the valley. | ||
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==Places== | ==Places== | ||
| − | + | This valley hosts an [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]s composed by seven different Monument Zones: The centers of the three primary cities, Kathmandu Hanuman Dhoka, Patan and Bhaktapur, the two most important Buddhist stupas, [[Swayambhunath]] and [[Boudhanath]] and two famous Hindu shrines, [[Pashupatinath temple]] and [[Changu Narayan]]. Since 2003 the site has been inscribed in the [[World Heritage List]] as being "in danger" out of concern for the ongoing loss of authenticity and the outstanding universal value of the cultural property. | |
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| + | Other important monuments of Kathmandu valley include:<br/> | ||
*Kathmandu Durbar Square | *Kathmandu Durbar Square | ||
*Patan Durbar Square | *Patan Durbar Square | ||
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*Bhaktapur Durbar Square | *Bhaktapur Durbar Square | ||
*Thimi Durbar Square | *Thimi Durbar Square | ||
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* Aditnath Temple in Chobhar[http://www.chobhar.com] hill village | * Aditnath Temple in Chobhar[http://www.chobhar.com] hill village | ||
* Palanchok Temple in kavre, east from middle of Kathmandu | * Palanchok Temple in kavre, east from middle of Kathmandu | ||
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== Gallery == | == Gallery == | ||
Revision as of 01:50, 15 July 2008
| Kathmandu Valley* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii, iv, vi |
| Reference | 121 |
| Region** | Asia-Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1979 (3rd Session) |
| Extensions | 2006 |
| Endangered | 2003- |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. | |
The Kathmandu Valley (Nepal Bhasa: नेपाः स्वनिगः Nepāḥ Svānigaḥ), located in the Nepal, lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of Asia. UNESCO designated Kathmandu valley a World Heritage Site in 1979. It has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the Hindus and the Buddhists. Kathmandu District, Lalitpur District and Bhaktapur District make up the valley, which consists of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Submetropolitan City, Bhaktapur municipality, Kirtipur Municipality, and Thimi Municipality. Several villages present a high style of Newar art and architecture. The valley serves as a cultural and political hub of Nepal. A mixture of cultures, many recently arrived from different parts of Nepal, Newar culture still exist vibrantly. The Bagmati river flows through Kathmandu Valley.
Mythology
According to Swayambhu Puran, Kathmandu Valley was once a lake. The hill where the Swambhu stupa rests, had lotus plants with beautiful lotus flowers abloom. One story says that the god Manjushree cut a gorge at a place called Kashapaal (later called Chobhar) with a sword called Chandrahrasha and drained away the waters to establish a habitable land.
According to Gopal Banshawali, Krishna cut the gorge with his Sudarshana Chakra to let the water out. He then handed the drained valley to the Gopal Vansi people, who were nomidic cow herders.
History
The Kathmandu Valley may have been inhabited as early as 300 B.C.E., the oldest known artifacts in the valley date to a few hundred years B.C.E. The earliest known inscription has been dated 185 C.E. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley has been determined as almost 1,992 years old. A certain Charumati, a purported daughter of Ashoka the Great, a Mauryan king, in the 3rd century B.C.E., erected four stupas around the city of Patan, attesting to the ancient history within the valley.
As with the tales of the Buddha's visit, no evidence supports Ashoka's visit, but the stupas probably date to that century. The Kirats constitute the first documented rulers of the Kathmandu Valley, the remains of their palace located in Patan near Hiranyavarna Mahavihara (called "Patukodon"). The Licchavi Dynasty, whose earliest inscriptions date back to 464 C.E., stands as the next rulers of the valley, having close ties with the Gupta Dynasty of India. The Malla Dynasty ruled Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding area from the 12th century CE till the 17th century CE. At that time, the Shah Dynasty under Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the valley, creating present-day Nepal. Most of ancient Nepali architecture present in Nepal dates from the Malla era.
The Newars, generally acknowledged as the original habitants of the valley, descended from various ethnic and racial groups that have inhabited and ruled the valley during its two millennia history. In today's state of Nepal, the Newars stand apart ethnically from the other groups on the basis of their composite Hindu-Buddhist religious culture. All Newars speak Nepal Bhasa as their mother tongue. The multifarious castes in the numerous caste systems within Newar society betray a surprising racial diversity. The similarities between the various cultural traits and complexes within Newar culture, and those of many other ethnic groups in the Indian sub-continent, lead us to hypothesize the occurrence of both vibrant circulations of peoples and cultures around the sub-continent during the last 2 millennia. Indologists/anthropologists and Newarologists describe Newar society as racially Mongoloid, culturally Indoo-Aryan.
The city of Kathmandu takes its name from a structure in Durbar Square called Kaasthamandap. In Sanskrit, kāṣṭh (काष्ठ) = "wood" and maṇḍap (मंडप/मण्डप) = "covered shelter." King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. built that unique temple, also known as Maru Satal, in 1596 C.E.. The entire structure, made entirely from wood, contains no iron nails or supports. Legend has it that the timber used for the two story pagoda came from a single tree.
Places
This valley hosts an UNESCO World Heritage Sites composed by seven different Monument Zones: The centers of the three primary cities, Kathmandu Hanuman Dhoka, Patan and Bhaktapur, the two most important Buddhist stupas, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath and two famous Hindu shrines, Pashupatinath temple and Changu Narayan. Since 2003 the site has been inscribed in the World Heritage List as being "in danger" out of concern for the ongoing loss of authenticity and the outstanding universal value of the cultural property.
Other important monuments of Kathmandu valley include:
- Kathmandu Durbar Square
- Patan Durbar Square
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square
- Thimi Durbar Square
- Changu Narayan
- Swayambhunath Stupa
- Boudhanath Stupa
- Pashupatinath temple
- Balkumari Temple/Thimi
- Wakachhen Mahadev/Thimi
- Golden Window/Thimi
- Chabahil
- Manjushree Temple in Majipa, Manjushree Tole
- Aditnath Temple in Chobhar[1] hill village
- Palanchok Temple in kavre, east from middle of Kathmandu
Gallery
The palace in the Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Bhairava sculpture, Durbar Square market place 1972.
A view of Kathmandu Durbar Square from 1920. Bhairava in the background.
Same as the picture to the left but from 2007, shot for comparison.
Small stupa in Kathmandu
Stone carving in Kathmandu street
View over Kathmandu
A seller warming himself up in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal (pre-prohibition)
Boudnanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal
Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal
Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal
Pedicab driver in Kathmandu near Durbar Square
Two Sadhus, or Hindu Holy Men, near Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu.
Two girls seeking shadow on Bodnath Temple.
See also
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Fleming, Robert L., and Linda F. Fleming. Kathmandu Valley. This beautiful world, v. 61. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 1978. ISBN 0870113283
- Nepal, and United Nations Environment Programme. Kathmandu Valley Environment Outlook. Kathmandu, Nepal: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), 2007. ISBN 9789291150199
- Sanday, John. Kathmandu Valley: Nepalese Historic Monuments in Need of Preservation. Paris: Unesco, 1982. ISBN 9231019929
External links
- UNESCO - Kathmandu Valley. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
- UNESCO Advisory Board Evaluation. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
- Images from Kathmandu Valley . Retrieved July 10, 2008.
- 360° panorama images of Kathmandu valley. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
- Flickr.com - Scenes & Sights of Kathmandu Valley. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
- Under the Spell of Ancient Deities. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
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