Region of Nepalmandal as Newar-land
– Kashinath Tamot
Three territories are understood by the word āNepalā- 1. NepÄla-garta (Svanigaįø„/NepÄlakhÄlįøo/Nepala-upatyakÄ/Greater Kathmandu) 2. NepÄla-maį¹įøala (Hill region of Middle Development Region) 3. NepÄla-adhirÄjya (Territory from easternmost MechÄ« to westernmost MahÄkÄlÄ« )
Here is reported about 12 districts included within Nepalmandal among 75 districts of the state of Nepal. Twelve districts of Nepalmandal could be divided in three categories as below: 1. Inner districts 3: (1) Kathmandu (2) Lalitpur and (3) Bhaktapur 2. Intermediate districts 4: (1)Kabhre-palanchok (2) Makawanpur (3) Nuwakot and (4) Sindhu-palchok 3. Outer districts 5: (1) Dhading (2)Rasuwa (3) Dolkha (4) Ramechap and (5) Sindhuli
Nepalmandal was an independent state in Ancient Nepal in Varman (2-4 centuries) and Licchavi (5-9 centuries) period. Historians affiliated with Saį¹Åodhana-maį¹įøala advocates that this is as large as Nepal state.
It was United States of Nepalmandal in Malla period including four autonomous states in it. The Autonomous Independent states were (1) Kathmandu (2) Lalitpur (3) Bhaktapur and Abhayapur (Dolkha).
The total area covered with these four states is Nepalmandal. Prithvi Narayan Shah got victory over these states doing war for 26 years and named āSadara UpatyakÄā to this part in early Shah Period. It was called āmofasalaā outer to this place. There were 36 districts in Rana Period and was divided as: 1. Sadara UpatyakÄ – Kathmandu valley 2. Mofasala 2.1 Hill region (East no. 1, 2 and West No. 1, 2) 2.2 Inner Terai (Sindhuli, Chisapani/Makwanpur)
In the administrative divisions made in Panchayat period, when the country was divided into 14 Zones and 75 Districts, 3 Zones and 12 Districts were included in Nepalmandal.
People came and made habitation from northern, Tibet crossing the Himalayas into HÄkvagÅ© (āsurrounding mountainsā, that is, Kathmandu valley) since more than two thousands year Before Christ. People of Tibeto-Berman language speakers came from north-east India. People migrated here in around starting of Christian Era from south, that is, from north India and western Terai of Nepal. After Christian Era people migrated from Punjab-Kashmir. In this way, people from all sides came to live in Inner districts (Kathmandu Valley) of Nepalmandal via Outer districts, Intermediate districts. All of them embedded into the Newar civilization as a melting pot, which was neither Northern nor Southern in nature.
Newari art developed in Varman, Licchavi period. Local āNepal-scriptā appeared since 10th century. āNepal-Languageā emerged combining Himalayan and Sanskrit-Prakrit Languages since 11th century. People celebrated their culture in groups in the first millennium years. Since second millennium years, there appeared the sign of unified āNepal-Cultureā. A clear and full identity of Newari civilization was seen at the end of Malla period in 18th century. Mordern Newari civilization is the continuation of that.
There was relation between Nepalmandal and Tibet. King Narendradeva brought Tibetan-soldiers in eight century. Tamangs from Tsang province of Tibet migrated since that time into Nepalmandal. Newars called people of Tsang as Sanja (SĆ£y in modern Newari). They are Tamangs. People of Tsang or Sanja, who migrated in Nepalmandal in course of trade and cultivation, increased their population more than Newars in 13-14 hundred years. People from west, that is, Khasa (Ksetri-Brahmin) and from south, that is, Doya (Maithil) come to live in Nepalmandal since 12-13 centuries. They are also increasing within 7-8 hundred years. In this way, the main community of Newars went on lessening. But, if promoter of civilization of Nepalmandal, the Newari speakers realized their responsibility, it is not impossible to keep alive the civilization of it. It should be noted that Newar civilization is the specific civilization made blending Northern Asian and Southern Asian civilization.
The specific civilization of Newars developed on the foundation of social organizations of Nepalmandal in the first millennium In around Nepal Era 550 (AD 1430) the religious geography of Nepalmandal – āNepÄlamÄhÄtmyaā composed. This gave a shape of a religious geography to Nepalmandal. It limited a boundary of it. After this, it was included into Himavatkhaį¹įøa. PaÅupati PurÄį¹a was developing in its own way. The tradition of sixty-four (64) Åhivaliį¹ ga pilgrimage in Nepalmandal, making centre the PaÅupati, was established in around NS 750 (AD 1630). The concept of āNepÄlamaį¹įøalapīţhaā emerged making the centre to the GuhyeÅvarÄ« and surrounding with three Maį¹įøalas or 24 Ävaraį¹as.
Another side Buddhist Newars composed SvayambhÅ«purÄį¹a in around NS 600 (AD 1580). This is Buddhist geography of Nepalmandal. It localized eight vÄ«tarÄgas, Twelve TÄ«rthas, places of Seven Buddhas. At the end of around 800 century of Nepal Era, Buddhist Vajracharyas hypothesized 24 Pīţhas (Power places) within Nepalmandal supposing KÄntÄ«Åvara Kį¹£etrapÄla of Indrachok, Kathmandu, translating 24 NyÄsas of oneās body described in Mahayan Buddhist text Cakrasaį¹vara etc. They started the tradition to pay visit to them as Pīţha sevÄ (service to power places). In this way, Nepalmandal developed as a unified region. Newars are the promoter of it. This place is Newar land since two thousands years.
[The original lecture note in Newari was distributed in a lecture program organized by Nepalmandal Forum, Patan in July 22, 2006. It was published in Nepalmandal (Research periodical of Nepalmandal Research Institude). No. 1 (NS 1127 PohelÄ/AD 2007), pp. 7-9. It was translated into Nepali by Basant Maharjan and published in his HasanÄ (Nepali monthly), Vol. 2 No. 10 (Aug-Setp. 2006), pp.23]