- The overthrowing of various Kingdoms by another
- The emergence of creativity and art in the Malla period
- The history of the great Changunarayan temple
- The unification of smaller Kingdoms into a greater kingdom known as the Kingdom of Nepal
- The Overthrowing of monarchy
Where the world stands today is the result of how its history had been and the same goes for each country that altogether forms this world. Like any other country in this world, Nepal has its own glories of the past which piles up as the History of Nepal. Nepal's History can be traced back to ancient times but the country emerged as a whole after its unification initiated by Prithvi Narayan Shah by conquering various states and bringing them together as one. However, there have been occurrences of various wars afterward which led Nepal to lose some of its lands to outer parties like the East India Company. But it’s necessary to know that it’s not just since the 18th century that the marking of Nepal’s History began.
Nepal’s history is a pillar of strength for the present Nepal.
A wider look at the History of Nepal
There has been the rise of many rulers among which the first ones or the ones who have been traced as the early rulers happen to be Gopalas and Mahispalas who rule in the south-west of Kathmandu which later was replaced by the Kirant dynasty of Nepal around the time period of 8th century BC. In a similar way, the rulers of Nepal ruled for quite some time before they were overtaken by another dynasty in accordance with the demand for time and power. Just like that, Lichhavis were the ones to overthrow and take over the Kirant dynasty around 300 AD. Then the same chain was followed by the Mallas who arrived and overthrew Lichhavis to lay down their rule over the kingdom of Nepal. The Mallas of Nepal did rule for a very long time which happens to be around 550 years. Then around the time of their ruling was the emergence of the great conqueror, Prithvi Narayan Shah who gave his all strength and effort to unify the various divided Kingdoms into one common country which would later be recognized as Nepal. That is why we can hear the name of Prithvi Narayan Shah as the first ruler of the Unified Kingdom of Nepal. Likewise, one cannot determine the historical development fully just by analyzing the rise and fall of kingdoms. One has to look closely at the developments and achievements reached by the historical rulers during their ruling period which still remain the glory and pride of Nepal.
A Specific vision laid down in the history of Nepal
The ruling of Gopal and Mahispalas
The earliest people to bring their rule in Nepal are considered to be Gopal and Mahispalas who were situated at Matatirtha in the valley of Kathmandu. Not much is known about them but one thing is clear they were overthrown by the Kirantis.
The ruling of the Kirants
Kirants are known to come after the Gopal and Mahispalas and laid their rule during the period of seventh or eighth BC. Yalamber is the name many remember from the ruling period of Kirantis who is believed to have led his troops in an epic battle mentioned in the great ‘Mahabharat’.
The ruling of the Lichhavis
The Kirantis were overthrown by the Lichhavis and the popular name from this ruling period is that of King Amshuverma and his daughter Bhrikuti who was married off to the king of Tibet known by the name of T Song Tsen Gampo. The glory that still remains as a gift from the history of Lichhavis to present Nepal is the Changunarayan temple which has marked its name in the world heritage site list.
The ruling of Mallas
The ruling period of Malla is regarded as the golden age for the rise of art and creativity in the country. Many Malla kings were known for their good governance and intellectual attributes. Jayastithi Malla and Pratap Malla are prime examples of the great rulers of this period of time who brought organization and systematic regulation to society.
The conquering of the Shahs
Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the various states ruled by the Mallas and other kings leading the states to come together and form a single country which is now known as Nepal. Bhaktapur, Kirtipur, Lalitpur, and Kathmandu are the major examples of the states conquered by Prithvi Narayan Shah where the Mallas were ruling. Then, from Gorkha, Prithvi Narayan Shah shifted the attention of the country to Kathmandu claiming it as the capital of Nepal.
The rise of the Ranas
Along with the Shah dynasty came the rise of the Ranas with the establishment of Jung Bahadur Rana in the government. There were various conspiracies involved and incidents that took place for Ranas to acquire power over the governance like the Kot massacre, Bhandarkhal massacre, and others. With the rise of Jung Bahadur Rana came the rise of Rana who successfully laid down their tyranny for 104 years.
The rise of the movement between the people of Nepal and the Monarchy
Due to the extreme tyranny and the rise of injustice happening to the people of Nepal, a rebel group came to the rise known as the Maoists which were formed by the common people from different parts of Nepal with different backgrounds. Maoists were a rebel group who rebelled against the Monarchy to establish Nepal as a republican country the Republic of Nepal. The aim came to practicality on May 28th, 2008 when the Monarchy was overthrown and a republican state was established, 2 years after the conflict came to an end between the Maoists and the government.
These were some of the major historical events which led to the present Nepal and if you wish to know any more detail about Nepal and the adventures involved, feel free to contact us at Nepal Nomad.