Kathmandu Durbar Square: UNESCO world heritage site.

Kathmandu Durbar square, also known as Hanuman Dhoka Durbar, used to be the residence of the Nepali royal family and administrators. This ancient palace lies in the heart of the city. It consists of huge Royal Palace with different temples, inside as well as outside the temple, dating from the 15th to the 18th century. This palace is named after Hanuman, the monkey god, as a stone statue of Hanuman is placed right next to the main entrance protecting the whole palace.     Some important monuments seen in this area are:  • The Taleju temple is the tallest of all structures built by King Mahendra Malla in 1549 A.D.  • The Jagannath temple, built in the 16th century, is known for the fascinating erotic figures carved in the wooden struts.  • The Kala Bhairav, one of the largest 17th century stone statue in Kathmandu , represents the terrifying aspect of Shiva.  • The statue of King Pratap Malla is placed atop a stone pillar right across the temple of Digu Taleju , the royal family deity.  • The 17th century Kumari temple (the temple of the living goddess is an example of the highly developed Nepali craftsmanship.  • Kastamandap, from which Kathmandu derives its name, is said to have been built from the timber of a single tree.    Besides these, other fascinating parts of this palace complex is the towering Nautale Durbar overlooking the beautiful city and the vast Basantapur square. It is famous for its many intricately carved doors, windows, etc.       Basantapur Palace Taleju Bhawani Temple Nine Storey Palace of King Prithvi Narayan Shah

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Dashain : the Main festival of Nepalese..

During the month of Kartik in the Bikram Sambat calendar (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country. The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood.

Dashain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wicked demons. One of the victory stories told is the Ramayan, where the lord Ram after a big struggle slaughtered Ravana, the fiendish king of demons. It is said that lord Ram was successful in the battle only when goddess Durga was evoked. The main celebration glorifies the triumph of good over evil and is symbolized by goddess Durga slaying the terrible demon Mahisasur, who terrorised the earth in the guise of a brutal water buffalo. The first nine days signify the nine days of ferrous battle between goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur. The tenth day is the day when Mahisasur was slain and the last five days symbolise the celebration of the victory with the blessing of the goddess. Dashain is celebrated with great rejoice, and goddess Durga is worshiped throughout the kingdom as the divine mother goddess.

  In preparation for Dashain every home is cleansed and beautifully decorated, painted as an invitation to the mother goddess, so that she may visit and bless the house with good fortune. During this time the reunion of distant and nearby relatives occur in every household. The market is filled with shoppers seeking new clothing, gifts, luxuries and enormous supplies of temple offering for the gods, as well as foodstuffs for the family feasting. Thousands of sheep, goats, ducks, chicken and water buffalo are prepared for the great slaughter. All types of organisations are closed for ten to fifteen days. Labourers are almost impossible to find; from the poor to the rich, all enjoy the festive mood. Anywhere you go the aroma of 'Vijaya Dashami' is found.

The first nine days of Dashain are called nawa ratri when tantric rites are conducted. In Nepal the life force is embodied in the divine energy and power of the female, depicted as goddess Durga in her many forms. All goddess who emanated from goddess Durga are known as devis, each with different aspects and powers. In most mother goddess temples the deity is represented simply as a sacred Kalash, carved water jug or multiple handed goddess holding murderous weapons. During these nine days people pay their homage to the goddess. If she is properly worshiped and pleased good fortunes are on the way and if angered through neglect then misfortunes are around the corner. Mother goddess is the source of life and everything.

Planting jamara in the house 

The first day of Dashain is called Ghatasthapana, which literally means pot establishing. On this day the kalash, (holy water vessel) symbolising goddess Durga often with her image embossed on the side is placed in the prayer room. The kalash is filled with holy water and covered with cowdung on to which seeds are sown. A small rectangular sand block is made and the kalash is put in the centre. The surrounding bed of sand is also seeded with grains. The ghatasthapana ritual is performed at a certain auspicious moment determined by the astrologers. At that particular moment the priest intones a welcome, requesting goddess Durga to bless the vessel with her presence.

The room where the kalash is established is called 'Dashain Ghar'. Generally women are not allowed to enter the room where Dashain puja is being carried out. A priest or a household man worships the kalash everyday once in the morning and then in the evening. The kalash and the sand are sprinkled with holy water everyday and it is shielded from direct sunlight. By the tenth day, the seed will have grown to five or six inches long yellow grass. The sacred yellow grass is called 'Jamara'. It is bestowed by the elders atop the heads of those younger to them during the last five days when tika is put on. The jamara is taken as a token of Goddess Durga as well as the elders blessing.

         As days passes by regular rituals are observed till the seventh day. The seventh day is called 'Fulpati'. On this day the jamara to be used by the royal household is brought from their ancestral royal house in Gorkha about a hundred and sixty nine kilometres away over the hills north west of the valley of Kathmandu. A parade is held in the Hanuman Dhoka Royal Palace. The fulpati, i.e. the procession bearing the jamara and other items necessary for the tika, is brought from Gorkha after a three day walk and most of the government officials are eagerly waiting for the fulpati parade to arrive at Rani Phokari in the afternoon. Rani Phokari area is filled with hundreds of government officials meticulously attired in the traditional formal dress.

In fulpati, the royal kalash filled with holy water, banana stalks, jamara and sugar cane tied with red cloth is carried by Brahmans from the ancestral royal house on a decorated palanquin under a gold tipped and embroidered umbrella, led by the military platoon of the royal priest. The government officials also join the fulpati parade. Whilst the fulpati parade is heading towards the old royal palace, His Majesty the King observes the ceremonies taking place in Tundikhel, the army parade ground in the center of the city. There a majestic display of the Royal Nepalese Army is held. Guns are fired and the entire valley echoes with the resonance sound of it. The firing continues for ten to fifteen minutes to honour the fulpati. By the time the function ends the royal fulpati is already taken inside the Dashain ghar in Hanuman Dhoka Palace. With this the Dashain feasting starts.

People cutting the goat : its blood is used
 to worship goddes durga 

The eighth day is called the 'Maha Asthami'. The fervour of worship and sacrifice to Durga and Kali increases. On this day many orthodox Hindus will be fasting. Sacrifices are held in almost every house through out the day. The night of the eighth day is called 'Kal Ratri', the dark night. Hundreds of goats, sheep and buffaloes are sacrificed at the mother goddess temples. In the darkness of the night Durga temples, army barracks, and old palaces all over Nepal hold sacrifices for the mother goddess. The sacrifice continues till dawn. The old palace in Basantapur Hanuman Dhoka, is active throughout the night with worships in almost every courtyard. While the puja is being carried out great feasts are held in the homes of common people where large amount of meat are consumed.

     The ninth day is called 'Nawami'. The Taleju temple at Hanuman Dhoka is opened for the public only once a year on this day. Thousands of people go and pay their respect to the goddess day. Temples of mother goddess are filled with people from dawn till dusk. On this day the official military sacrifices are held in the 'Kot' courtyard at Hanuman Dhoka. The government allows foreigners to witness this function so hundreds of tourists and diplomats eagerly gather here. Animals mostly black buffaloes are slaughtered by hundreds to honour Durga the goddess of victory and might and to seek her blessing. Military bands play war tunes, guns boom and officers with beautifully decorated medals in full uniform stand there. When the function ends the courtyard is filled ankle deep with blood. On this very day the god Vishwas Karma, the God of creativity is also worshiped. All factories, vehicles, any machinery instruments and anything from which we make a living are worshiped. We also give sacrifices to all moving machinery like cars, aeroplanes, trucks etc. to get the blessing from goddess Durga for protection for vehicles and their occupants against accidents during the year. The entire day is colourful.

People worshiping the vehicle
 in the seventh day of dashain

The tenth day is the 'Dashami'. On this day we take tika and jamara from our elders and receive their blessing. We visit our elders in their home and get tika from them while our younger ones come to our home to receive blessing from us. The importance of Dasain also lies in the fact that on this day family members from far off and distant relatives come for a visit as well as to receive tika from the head of the family. This function continues for four days. His Majesty also receives tika from the royal priests and then gives on tika to his loyal subjects. Thousands of loyal Nepalese people as well as foreigners also receive tika from His Majesty the King as this is said to be auspicious. After four days of rushing around and meeting your relatives Dashain ends on the full moon day, the fifteenth day. In the last day people stay at home and rest. The full moon day is also called 'Kojagrata' meaning 'who is awake'. The Hindu goddess of wealth Laxmi is worshipped. On this day the goddess Laxmi is given an invitation to visit each and everyone.

After Dashain the nation settles back to normal. After receiving the blessing of goddess Durga, people are ready to work and acquire virtue, power and wealth. Dashain thus is not only the longest festival but also the most anticipated one among all the festivals of Nepal.

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Ancient Nepal : 500 B.C.-A.D. 700

Neolithic tools found in the Kathmandu Valley indicate that people were living in the Himalayan region in the distant past, although their culture and artifacts are only slowly being explored. Written references to this region appeared only by the first millennium B.C. During that period, political or social groupings in Nepal became known in north India. The Mahabharata and other legendary Indian histories mention the Kiratas (see Glossary), who still inhabited eastern Nepal in 1991. Some legendary sources from the Kathmandu Valley also describe the Kiratas as early rulers there, taking over from earlier Gopals or Abhiras, both of whom may have been cowherding tribes. These sources agree that an original population, probably of Tibeto-Burman ethnicity, lived in Nepal 2,500 years ago, inhabiting small settlements with a relatively low degree of political centralization.

Monumental changes occurred when groups of tribes calling themselves the Arya migrated into northwest India between 2000 B.C. and 1500 B.C. By the first millennium B.C., their culture had spread throughout northern India. Their many small kingdoms were constantly at war amid the dynamic religious and cultural environment of early Hinduism. By 500 B.C., a cosmopolitan society was growing around urban sites linked by trade routes that stretched throughout South Asia and beyond. On the edges of the Gangetic Plain, in the Tarai Region, smaller kingdoms or confederations of tribes grew up, responding to dangers from larger kingdoms and opportunities for trade. It is probable that slow and steady migration of Khasa (see Glossary) peoples speaking Indo-Aryan languages was occurring in western Nepal during this period; this movement of peoples would continue, in fact, until modern times and expand to include the eastern Tarai as well.

One of the early confederations of the Tarai was the Sakya clan, whose seat apparently was Kapilavastu, near Nepal's presentday border with India. Their most renowned son was Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 563-483 B.C.), a prince who rejected the world to search for the meaning of existence and became known as the Buddha, or the Enlightened One. The earliest stories of his life recount his wanderings in the area stretching from the Tarai to Banaras on the Ganges River and into modern Bihar State in India, where he found enlightenment at Gaya -- still the site of one of the greatest Buddhist shrines. After his death and cremation, his ashes were distributed among some of the major kingdoms and confederations and were enshrined under mounds of earth or stone called stupas. Certainly, his religion was known at a very early date in Nepal through the Buddha's ministry and the activities of his disciples.

The political struggles and urbanization of north India culminated in the great Mauryan Empire, which at its height under Ashoka (reigned 268-31 B.C.) covered almost all of South Asia and stretched into Afghanistan in the west. There is no proof that Nepal was ever included in the empire, although records of Ashoka are located at Lumbini, the Buddha's birthplace, in the Tarai. But the empire had important cultural and political consequences for Nepal. First, Ashoka himself embraced Buddhism, and during his time the religion must have become established in the Kathmandu Valley and throughout much of Nepal. Ashoka was known as a great builder of stupas, and his archaic style is preserved in four mounds on the outskirts of Patan (now often referred to as Lalitpur), which were locally called Ashok stupas, and possibly in the Svayambhunath (or Swayambhunath) stupa. Second, along with religion came an entire cultural style centered on the king as the upholder of dharma, or the cosmic law of the universe. This political concept of the king as the righteous center of the political system had a powerful impact on all later South Asian governments and continued to play a major role in modern Nepal.

The Mauryan Empire declined after the second century B.C., and north India entered a period of political disunity. The extended urban and commercial systems expanded to include much of Inner Asia, however, and close contacts were maintained with European merchants. Nepal was apparently a distant part of this commercial network because even Ptolemy and other Greek writers of the second century knew of the Kiratas as a people who lived near China. North India was united by the Gupta emperors again in the fourth century. Their capital was the old Mauryan center of Pataliputra (presentday Patna in Bihar State), during what Indian writers often describe as a golden age of artistic and cultural creativity. The greatest conqueror of this dynasty was Samudragupta (reigned ca. 353-73), who claimed that the "lord of Nepal" paid him taxes and tribute and obeyed his commands. It still is impossible to tell who this lord may have been, what area he ruled, and if he was really a subordinate of the Guptas. Some of the earliest examples of Nepalese art show that the culture of north India during Gupta times exercised a decisive influence on Nepali language, religion, and artistic expression.

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Tongue piercing Festival Bisket Jatra In bhaktapur

Everyone knows Nepal is known for its Cultural Diversity and irichness in Culture. As Bisket Jatra, a colourful festival celebrated with much pomp and fanfare in ancient city of Bhaktapur, the sister city of Kathmandu, has started from Monday. The famous festival, which is observed for eight consecutive nights and nine days, has been marked since the Lichchhivi era (c. 450-c. 750), according to historical records

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The Jatra officially started from today after the Guthi Sansthan offered worship in Bhairabi temple nearby Paanchtale temple in Naumadi on behalf of the government. During the festival, a chariot procession is held in Bhaktapur and images of Ganesh, Lakshmi and Mahakali are carried around town.

The festival is also famous for an exciting tongue piercing ceremony that takes place during the chariot procession. A volunteer from the Shrestha family gets his tongue pierced in a spiritual trance with an iron spike and walks around the town shouldering a round bamboo rack with flaming torches. It is believed that the successful completion of this painful rite brings good fortune to the villagers & the volunteer himself. If you want to watch this colorful Festival Don’t forget to Visit Bhaktapur During the Nepali New Year 2069.

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Trekking in Nepal

Nepal is considered one of the best destinations for trekking and mountaineering in the world. Thousands of visitors trek to different parts of Nepal every year to experience its rustic charm of nature and ancient culture. In the interior of the country trekkers follow age-old foot trails which meander through the panoramic riverbank, terraced field and the forested ridges connects picturesque hamlets and mountain villages. Most treks go through areas between 1000 to 3000 meters, although some popular parts reach over 5000 meters.

For group trekkers the accompanying trekking crew arrange food and lodge accommodation that dot the main trails. In remote areas especially Makalu, Kanchanunga in east Nepal orJumla, Dolpo, Dhaulagiri,Manaslu in west Nepal one must be self sufficient with food and necessary items.

Trekking could be easy or difficult depending on the trekkers' physical fitness. The range of treks varies from short gentle hikes through terraced foothills to lengthy expeditions to Mt. Everest's summit. A well organized trekking may provide a special opportunity to walk through Rhododendrons blooming forest or explore lively culture in Nepal. Similarly, you may stumble across the number of interesting events, nature and lifestyle during your trekking period.

The beauty and attraction of the Nepal Himalaya emanates not only from the mountains themselves, but also from their surroundings. Nepal is a country of friendly people, picturesque village and a great variety of cultures and traditions.Trekking through this diverse and archaic panorama offers untold challenges for everyone, from the hard-core hiker to the contemplative naturalist. No matter, you can be a spiritual seeker just for 3 days, or a full of 3 weeks. Trekking in Nepal is fun, rewarding and revealing beyond all surmise.Whatever your level of fitness or experience is, you'll find an adventure of life time that is waiting for you in Nepal.

Type of Trek
There are two basic types of accommodation available in trekking- Tea house trek and Camping Trek. All the treks are led by our professional guide, who all are well trained and licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Nepal.

Everest Region Trekking

Upper Region of Everest, Khumbu, is the second most popular Trekking Area in Nepal and the home to the world's highest mountains including Mt. Everest (8848 m), Cho Oyu (8156 m), Makalu (8470 m), Ama Dablam (6856 m) and many other countless peaks.

The region lures thousands of adventure seekers to explore and experience high mountain valleys, high passes, Buddhist culture and stunning Sherpa villages on such high altitudes.

Trekking to this region makes the travelers feel satisfied being at the base of Mt. Everest- the highest mountain in the world.

Everest Base Camp Trekking

The Everest Base Camp trek on the south side is one of the most popular trekking routes in the Himalayas and hold 4th position in the world Trekking trail, which is recently recognized by 8th addition lonely planet Guide book. Every year thousand of Trekkers trekking up to Everest base camp &usually fly from Kathmandu to Lukla to save time and energy before beginning the morning trek to this base camp.

From Lukla Everest base camp Trek upward to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar, 3,440 metres (11,290 ft), following the valley of the Dudh Kosi river. The village is a central hub of the area, and food, sundries and even mountain Trekkers.

During your Everest base camp Trek you will have one days extra for acclimatization in Namche bazaar.after acclimatization and then trek another two days to Dingboche, 4,260 metres (13,980 ft) before resting for another day for further acclimatization. Another two days takes them to Everest Base Camp via Gorakshep, the flat field below Kala Pathar, 5,545 metres (18,192 ft) and Mt. Pumori.

The Everest base camp trek is not only famous for its nearness of world's highest peak but also for its friendly Sherpa people, worlds highest Buddhist monasteries, picturesque Sherpa villages, great variety of cultures, traditions and active Buddhist monasteries, Since the successful ascent of Everest the Khumbu region has enjoyed the international attention and then follow the footsteps of Tenzing Norgay and Sir Admand Hillary.

Facts of the Trek

Grade: Strenuous

Average walking per day: 5 hrs

Maximum altitude: 5545m

Best Seasons: February- June and Sept-December

Type of Trek: Tea house

Duration of Trek: 16days

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Geographically How Nepal Is ? ? ?

Nepal is of roughly trapezoidal shape, 800 kilometres (497 mi) long and 200 kilometres (124 mi) wide, with an area of 147,181 km2 (56,827 sq mi). See List of territories by size for the comparative size of Nepal. It lies between latitudes 26° and 31°N, and longitudes 80° and 89°E.

Nepal is commonly divided into three physiographic areas: Mountain, Hill and Terai. These ecological belts run east-west and are vertically intersected by Nepal's major, north to south flowing river systems.

Terai or the plain:The southern lowland plains or Terai bordering India are part of the northern rim of the Indo-Gangetic plains. They were formed and are fed by three major Himalayan rivers: the Kosi, the Narayani, and the Karnali as well as smaller rivers rising below the permanent snowline. This region has a subtropical to tropical climate. The outermost range of foothills called Shiwalik or Churia Range cresting at 700 to 1,000 metres (2,297 to 3,281 ft) marks the limit of the Gangetic Plain, however broad, low valleys called Inner Tarai (Bhitri Tarai Uptyaka) lie north of these foothills in several places.
Barun Valley – There are many such valleys in the Himalaya created by glacier flows.

Kali Gandaki Gorge, the deepest gorge on earth.

The Hilly Region (Pahad):  abuts the mountains and varies from 800 to 4,000 metres (2,625 to 13,123 ft) in altitude with progression from subtropical climates below 1,200 metres (3,937 ft) to alpine climates above 3,600 metres (11,811 ft). The Mahabharat Range reaching 1,500 to 3,000 metres (4,921 to 9,843 ft) is the southern limit of this region, with subtropical river valleys and "hills" alternating to the north of this range. Population density is high in valleys but notably less above 2,000 metres (6,562 ft) and very low above 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) where snow occasionally falls in winter.

The Mountain Region (Parbat), situated in the Great Himalayan Range, makes up the northern part of Nepal. It contains the highest elevations in the world including 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) height Mount Everest (Sagarmatha in Nepali) on the border with China. Seven other of the world's eight thousand metre peaks are in Nepal or on its border with China: Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri,Annapurna and Manaslu.

Nepal has five climatic zones, broadly corresponding to the altitudes. The tropical and subtropical zones lie below 1,200 metres (3,937 ft), the temperate zone 1,200 to 2,400 metres (3,937 to 7,874 ft), the cold zone 2,400 to 3,600 metres (7,874 to 11,811 ft), the subarctic zone 3,600 to 4,400 metres (11,811 to 14,436 ft), and the Arctic zone above 4,400 metres (14,436 ft).

Nepal experiences five seasons: summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring. The Himalaya blocks cold winds from Central Asia in the winter and forms the northern limit of the monsoon wind patterns. In a land once thickly forested, deforestation is a major problem in all regions, with resulting erosion and degradation of ecosystems.

Nepal is popular for mountaineering, containing some of the highest and most challenging mountains in the world, including Mount Everest. Technically, the south-east ridge on the Nepali side of the mountain is easier to climb; so, most climbers prefer to trek to Everest through Nepal.

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Short Description of Nepal...

Official name : Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal (Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal)

Form of government : multiparty republic with interim legislature (Constituent Assembly)

Head of state(President)                      :  Ram Baran Yadav

Head of government (Prime Minister) :   Baburam Bhattarai

Capital                                                  : Kathmandu 

Official language                                 : Nepali

Official religion                                    : none 

Monetary unit                                       : Nepalese rupee (NRs)

Population(2011 est.)                           : 26,629,000 

Total area (sq mi)                                 : 56,827

Total area (sq km)                                : 147,181

Urban-rural population  Urban            : (2006) 16.7%
                                          Rura             l: (2006) 83.3%
Life expectancy at birth  Male              : (2008) 63.6 years
                                          Female          : (2008) 64.5 years
Literacy                                                 : (2003–2004) 64.5%

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Paragliding in Nepal!! a Lifetime experience

Paragliding is a relatively new adventure sport in Nepal, and little information is available in tourist guidebooks. Paragliding in this Himalayan country can be a truly wonderful and fulfilling experience for the adventure seekers. You can experience unparalleled scenic grandeur as your share airspace with Himalayan griffin vultures, eagles, kites, while floating over villages, monasteries, temples, lakes, and jungles, with a fantastic views of the majestic Himalayas.

Gliding is a weather dependent sport and the flying season in Nepal commences from November through February, the best months being November and December. By virtue of its latitude and monsoon climate, the tree line in Nepal is at an incredible 3900m above sea level. With conditions milder than summer alpine, these are excellent and constant atmospherics. The topography and climate of Nepal also make it an ideal destination for all levels of pilots - subtropical conditions provide plenty of thermals and combined with the long valleys common in Nepal, they produce perfect "cloud streets" ideal for Para gliders, inviting them to fly along this "sky highway. The local microclimate, controlled by the numerous lakes in the valley, is unique, which makes it even better for the glider.

The take off points for these flights is Sarangkot (1592m), which offers prime views of Phewa Tal and the mountains at sunrise and sunset (provided the skies are clear); the
landing is by the lake. No previous experience is required as qualified pilots provide a short briefing before launching.

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Nepal: Chronology of Important Events

ca. 563 B.C. The Buddha born in Lumbini, in Tarai Region of Nepal

268-31 B.C. Ashoka establishes empire in north India

ca. A.D. 353-73 Samudragupta establishes empire in north India

400-750 Licchavi kingdom in power in Kathmandu Valley

750-1200 "Transitional" kingdom in power in Kathmandu Valley

1100-1484 Khasa Malla kings rule in western Nepal

1200-16 Arimalla, first monarch of the Malla Dynasty, rules in Kathmandu Valley

1312 Khasa king Ripumalla leads raid in Kathmandu Valley

1345-46 Sultan Shams ud-din Ilyas of Bengal leads raid in Kathmandu Valley

1382-95 Jayasthitimalla rules as king of united Malla kingdom in Kathmandu Valley

1428-82 Yakshamalla reigns--height of united Malla kingdom

1484 Malla kingdom divided; three kingdoms of Kathmandu, Bhadgaon, and Patan expand

1526 Mughal Empire established in north India

1559 Gorkha kingdom established

1606-33 Ram Shah of Gorkha reigns; Gorkha kingdom experiences first expansion. 1728 Chinese influence established in Tibet

1743 Prithvi Narayan Shah ascends to throne of Gorkha

1764 British East India Company gains control of Bengal

1768-90 Gorkha conquers Kathmandu and Patan, Bhadgaon, eastern Nepal, and western Nepal

1775 Prithvi Narayan Shah dies, first king of united Nepal

1791-92 Nepal defeated in war with China

1806 Bhimsen Thapa becomes prime minister

1809 Nepalese troops lay seige to Kangra, farthest extent of Gorkha empire

1814-16 Anglo-Nepalese War waged; Nepal defeated

1837 Bhimsen Thapa falls, beginning unstable period in court politics

1846 Kot Massacre takes place; Jang Bahadur becomes prime minister

1855-56 War waged with China

1856 Royal decree gives absolute power to prime minister and his family

1857-58 Sepoy Rebellion waged against British in north India; Nepal aids British

1858 Jang Bahadur receives title of Rana

1877 Jang Bahadur Rana dies

1885 Ranoddip Singh Rana assassinated; Bir Shamser Rana becomes prime minister

1901 Dev Shamsher Rana forced to abdicate; Chandra Shamsher Rana becomes prime minister

1914-18 Thousands of Nepalese citizens fight as soldiers for British in World War I

1923 Treaty of Friendship with Britain confirms independence of Nepal and special relationship with British Empire

1935 Praja Parishad established, first political party in Nepal

1939-45 Tens of thousands of Nepalese citizens fight as soldiers for British in World War II

1947 Nepali National Congress established through merger of former All-India Nepali National Congress with Nepalese Society of Banaras and Gorkha Congress of Calcutta

1948 Prime Minister Padma Shamsher Rana announces first constitution of Nepal, then resigns; his replacement, Mohan Shamsher Rana, represses opposition

1950 Nepali National Congress absorbs Nepal Democratic Congress and becomes Nepali Congress Party; civil war breaks out

1950-51 Ranas fall; King Tribhuvan regains control over army and administration; interim constitution enacted

1952 King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ascends throne

1955 Nepal admitted to United Nations

1956 First Five-Year Plan of economic development initiated

1959 King Mahendra enacts new constitution; first general elections in Nepal bring to power Nepali Congress Party with B.P. Koirala as prime minister

1960 King Mahendra dismisses the democratic government and imprisons B.P. Koirala and other leaders

1962 War waged between India and China; new constitution sets up panchayat system

1963 First elections held to National Panchayat

1972 King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ascends throne

1980 National Referendum supports panchayat system

1982 B.P. Koirala, Nepali Congress Party leader, dies

1986 Second elections held to National Panchayat

1989 Failure to renegotiate trade and transit treaties with India disrupts economy

1990 New constitution promulgated as result of agitations and successes of Movement for the Restoration of Democracy

1991 Elections held to Parliament; first session of first multiparty Parliament held in thirty-two years

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RANA RULE: The Kot Massacre

The death of Mathbar Singh set the stage for one of the crucial sequences of events in modern Nepalese history--the destruction of the old aristocracy and the establishment of a dictatorship of the prime minister. These events provided the long period of stability the country needed but at the cost of political and economic development.

The Kot Massacre

After three months of squabbling, a coalition ministry was formed in September 1845, again headed by Fateh Jang Chautaria. The real power behind the throne was the favorite of Queen Lakshmidevi, Gagan Singh, who controlled seven regiments in the army compared to the three under the prime minister. Abhiman Singh and Jang Bahadur also served as commanders, each with three regiments. Plots and counterplots continued until Gagan Singh was found murdered during the night of September 14, 1846. The queen was beside herself at the death of her favorite, whom she had hoped to use to elevate her own son to the monarchy. She commanded Abhiman Singh to assemble the entire military and administrative establishment of Kathmandu immediately at the courtyard of the palace armory (kot).

Emotions ran high among the assembled bands of notables and their followers, who listened to the queen give an emotional harangue blaming the Pandes and demanding that the prime minister execute the Pande leader whom she suspected of the murder. While Abhiman Singh hesitated, fighting broke out in the crowd, and he was wounded. During the free-for-all that followed, swords and knives were used on all sides to dispatch opponents. Through some scheme that has never been explained adequately, the only leader with organized bodies of troops in the kot area was Jang Bahadur, whose troops suppressed the fighting, killing many of his opponents in the process. When the struggle subsided, the courtyard was strewn with the bodies of dozens of leading nobles and an unknown number of their followers--the cream of the Nepalese aristocracy. The Pande and Thapa families in particular were devastated during this slaughter.

Why the Kot Massacre took place has never been established, although the queen herself was obviously at fault for calling the assembly and whipping it into a frenzy. It has always seemed suspicious that the king was notably absent when the fighting began and that Jang Bahadur was the only leader who was ready for trouble. The extent of the carnage was apparently unexpected. Jang Bahadur was the only true beneficiary of the massacre and became the only military leader in a position of strength in the capital. The next day, he became prime minister and immediately launched a purge that killed many of his aristocratic competitors and drove 6,000 people into exile in India.

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Nepalese Peoples War

Timeline

1996

• February 13 Initiation of the people's war by the Communist Party of Nepal.
• Kathmandu: A soft-drink bottling factory owned by a multi-national company was attacked and a portion of the building torched. 
• Gorkha district : A liquor factory was 'blasted'. 
• Office of the Small Farmer's Development Programme of the state owned Agricultural Development Bank in Chyangli VDC (Village Development Committee) ransacked.
• Kavre district: An usurer's house was raided at night, properties and cash reportedly worth 1.3 million rupees were seized, and loan documents worth several million rupees reportedly destroyed.
• Rolpa, Rukum & Sindhuli districts: One police outpost raided in each district. The outpost at Holeri, Rolpa had its store seized, including a "substantial amount of high explosives". Athbiskot-Rari, Rukum was also raided. The Sindhuligarhi post in Sindhuli was reportedly raided without resistance.

2001

• May 28: Chairman Prachanda gave an interview with the journal A World to Win.
• November: Peace talks collapse.

2002

• US Congress approves US$12 million to train Royal Nepal Army officers and supply 5,000 M-16 rifles. 
• May: Peace talks collapse.
• May 11 A photograph found by Nepalese soldiers in western Nepal depicts Nepalese Maoist rebel leaders Baburam Bhattarai, Hishila Yami, Ram Bahadur Thapa (alias Badal), and Pushpa Kamal Dahal (alias Prachanda). 

2003

• January: The United States held exercises with the Nepali army. 
• January 29 A ceasefire is established and peace talks begin. 
• August 17 Killing of '19 rebels and civilians' in the Ramechhap district of central Nepal.
• August 24 The Maoists threatened to withdraw from the cease-fire if the government would not agree to include discussion of their participation in the Constituent Assembly within 48 hours. 
• August 26 Maoist ultimatum expires. 
• August 27 Strike. "the rebels called for a one-day strike to denounce the army's attacks on rebel cadres" 
• The rebels unilaterally withdrew from the January 29th cease-fire. Prachanda's statement revived the rebels' demand for an end to monarchic rule in favor of a people's republic. Excerpt of statement: "since the old regime has put an end to the forward-looking solution to all existing problems through the cease-fire and peace talks, we herein declare that the rationale behind cease-fire...and peace process has ended." 
• September 27 "Twelve Maoists were killed in a gunbattle with security forces at Chhita Pokhara in the Khotang district, 340 kilometres east of Kathmandu, a police officer said." "Elsewhere in eastern Nepal, the Maoists killed two policemen, Purna Giri and Radha Krishna Rai, and a woman selling beetle nuts, Kala Chaudhary, in the Jaljale-Gaighat area, an official said." "In Janakpur, an industrial hub on the Indian border 260 kilometres south-east of Kathmandu, the rebels carried out five early morning bombings that disrupted telephone service and power, police said." "He said the sites that were bombed included the offices of the roads department and the Nepal Electricity Authority and a telecommunications tower." "Troops and Maoists traded fire for nearly 40 minutes after the blasts but the rebels escaped and no one was injured, Mr Khadka said." 
• October 13 At least 37 people were killed when an estimated 1,000 Maoists attempted to storm a police training centre in Bhaluwang. "The rebels had snapped telephone cables, set up roadblocks by felling trees or blowing up highway bridges to prevent reinforcements from coming," a witness, Krishna Adhikary, told Reuters. 
• October 27 "Lieutenant Colonel Adrian Griffith and six Nepali nationals were freed last week 42 hours after being taken captive in Baglung, 300 km (190 miles) west of Kathmandu, while on a drive to recruit young Gurkha soldiers to serve in the British army." Party chief Prachanda said "We are sorry for the incident that took place against the policy of the party". 
• November 11 The government Defence Ministry accused the rebels of abducting twenty-nine 9th and 10th grade students from Riva Secondary School in Mugu district, western Nepal during the previous week. 
• November 19 According to a Nepalese army official, four people were caught at the Chinese Khasa border point, 114 kilometres northeast of Kathmandu, smuggling weapons from Tibet in to Nepal. The official named Hirala Lal Shrestha and Gyaljen Sherpa and said they were taken for interrogation in the Tibetan town of Xigatse. 

2004

• February 5 A government raid on a village in Bhimad, Makwanpur district occurred. Reports emerged that 14 suspected Maoist activists and two civilians were extrajudicially executed. Amnesty International later wrote a letter to Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa and Colonel Nilendra Aryal, Head of the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) human rights cell demanding an immediate inquiry. 
• February 10 Two central committee members of Communist Party of Nepal Matrika Yadav and Suresh Alemagar were reported to have been handed over by India to Nepal. They were reportedly arrested in Lucknow after Nepal provided information. 
• February 13 Ganesh Chilwal leads an anti-Maoist protest on this day, the ninth anniversary of the commencement of the revolution. 
• February 15 Ganesh Chilwal, a Nepalese anti-Maoist leader was shot dead in his Kathmandu office by two men. The attack came two days he had led an anti-Maoist protest. 
• February 15 Fighting erupted at a Maoist jungle base in Kalikot district, 360km west of Kathmandu. The base was said to hold 1000 Maoist troops. 
• On February 17, a security official said a private helicopter flying troops to Kalikot was hit by Maoist fire but that it returned safely to Kathmandu. 
• OnFebruary 18, 65 were reported killed, though this conflicted with other reported death tolls of 35 and 48. 
• February 15 and 16 State radio reported 13 rebels were killed in seven separate small clashes across the kingdom. 
• February 18 Lawmaker Khem Narayan Faujdar, a member of the parliament dissolved by King Gyanendra in 2002 was shot dead by two suspected Maoists riding a motorcycle in the Nawalparasi district, 200km southwest of the capital, according to police. 

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