NEPAL- THE GLIMPSES OF HISTORY- BY ASHOK CHAURASIA

NEPAL: THE GLIMPSES OF HISTORY

By—ASHOK CHAURASIA

Indo-Nepal relation is historic one, age old and deep-rooted. Mithila King Raja Janak was the ruler of the region. Janakpur, the capital and birthplace of Mata Janaki (Sita), the virtuous queen of Lord Ram, is in Nepal. His Maithili subjects are the aborigines of the region. The main language of the region was Sanskrit. Till 1334 A.D. the modern capital of Mithila was Simraungarh and Hari Singh Dev was its ruler. Mughal ruler Gyasuddin attacked Simraungarh in the same year and destroyed the famous Pashupatinath temple. Hari Singh fled to Kathmandu valley and later on ruled the valley.

Similarly, as per mentioned in Mahabharat, Kirats the followers of Lord Shiva were the inhabitants in the valleys of the region. Yalambar was the first Kirati king. Matatirth was his capital. He finds a reference in Mahabharat too. It is said that he had met Indra - the Lord of heaven. The festival “Indra Yatra” is famous in Nepal. Perhaps, as per Nepal’s recorded history, Kirats arrived here in 7th or 8th century B.C. from the east. It is a matter of contradiction and extortion. Gopalas, the cow herder’s dynasty ruled the region prior to the Kirats. Nepal observes the grand festival of “Gai-Yatra”(cow-festival) too every year.

Perhaps the land is also the birthplace of lord Buddha; who born in 563 B.C. (mediaeval period) at Lumbini as the son of King Shudodhan who was the ruler of Kapilvastu, now a part of Nepal. Sidharth Gautam got enlightened at Gaya (Bihar) under a banyan tree. Buddha himself visited the holy places of Swayambhu and Guheswari, now in Nepal. The holy places of the region are of high importance. The places like Pashupatinath, Manokamna, Machendranath, Basukinath, Bodhnath, Kumari ghar etc are highly revered in Nepal. The prominent rivers of the region are Narayani, Koshi, Indrawati, Bagmati, Mahakali, Karnali etc. The highest mountain peak of the world, Sagarmatha (Mt.Everest) is situated in Nepal.


By 260B.C. the region was the part of Maurya Empire. Emperor, Ashok the Great visited Kathmandu and Lumbini. Here he erected four Stupas. He arranged his daughter Charumati’s marriage with Devpal, a local prince of Pashupati. Gupta dynasty also ruled the region for a long period.

Lord Pashupatinath is regarded as the guardian deity of Nepal and of the Hindu society as a whole. Licchavi King Supuspadev provided a big shape to the temple. There are several historical evidences that prove the Licchavi king’s ruled the Kathmandu valley for a long period (from slight before 1st till 12th century). During 8th to 11th century the southern part of the valley came under the occupation of Chalukya Empire of southern India and hence, from 876 B.C. Newari era began. Newar, supposed to be a clan of Karnataka. During this period lot of Buddhists from south India fled to Kathmandu valley. By 12th century, Thakuris alias Mallas (Rajputs of North India) emerged powerful in the valley. During Mall’s time the people of Kathmandu were known as Newars.


By the 14th century, Jayasthimall, a Newar King tried to unite the several principalities of the region which short-lived and in 1482 the territory split into three kingdoms: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhadgaon.

Prithvinarayan Shah (a prince of Sisodia clan of Chittor, Rajasthan) unified Nepal. Hence, he is regarded as the father of the modern Nepal. First he established a small principality of Gorkha (means-protector of cow); thereby conquering about more than 22 other princely states of the region, created modern Nepal. On 21st December 1768 he became the ruler of unified Nepal defeating Sen (Maithili) ruler of the valley and declared Nepal as the land of associate garden of 4 Verna (i.e. Brahman, Chatrya, Baisya and Sudra) and 36 castes. P.N.Shah was popularly known as Gorkha ruler, meaning, the cow protector and follower of Guru-Gorakhnath. Unfortunately, he banned the enrollment of Maithili and other Terai (Plain) people in his Nepal Army, as in 1774 Jay Prakash Mall attacked Kathmandu with 12000 strong Maithili troops (Tirhoot Army).

Eventually, Anglo-Nepal War (1814-16) broke out, in which Nepal suffered a complete rout. In exchange of Nepalese autonomy a treaty of Sugauli was singed between East India Company and Shah king in 1816. After 18th century Nepal plunged into internal turmoil. It was fueled by British under a divide and rule policy. This led to Kot Massacre in 1864; a bloody infighting between the Military personnel and Kings loyalists, in which Ranas executed several hundred princes and chieftains. Jung Bahadur Rana (Rajput clan of Mewar, Rajasthan) a fast rising military leader emerged victorious. He became the Prime Minister with all executive powers and the King was made titular. He founded Rana Dynasty and ruled Nepal till 1950 with the help of British government. Highly autocratic and centralized Rana regime not only isolated Nepal from its roots but also fully assisted the British in 1857; the first Indian Freedom Movement.

However, several renowned leaders of Nepal like Bisweshwar Prasad Koirala (founder of Nepali Congress), Matrika Prasad etc. joined Indian National Freedom Movement in 1920. Fearing the strong and fast spreading Indian National Movement, cleverly Britain seceded Nepal from India, in 1923. Perhaps, leaders like Subarn Samsher Rana, Ganesh Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Girija Prasad Koirala joined Indian freedom movement and wanted to liberate Nepal from the autocratic and pro-British Rana regime as well as from imperialist British clutches. Ranas executed Dharm Bhakta Mathema, Shukraraj Shastri and Dashrath Chand while doing so. B.P.Koirala and Matrika Prasad were arrested, imprisoned in Bankipur jail in 1930. In jail they met Dr.Rajendra Prasad. Later on they were released in 1945.They also joined J.P.’s Socialist and Gandhi’s Quit India Movements. B.P. Koirala, the former Prime Minister of Nepal had clearly said-“Indian National Movement was also our movement because the autocracy of Ranas was supported by British Imperialists”. Regarding Ranas regime J.N.Nehru had said-“to hope reforms from the Ranas is like hoping the milk from a dry cow”. No doubt India sincerely supported the democratic movements in Nepal. And hence in January25, 1947 Nepali National Congress came into existence. Soon after Nepali Congress, came into existence the Communist Party of Nepal, supported by Russia and China.

In November 1950, King Tribhuvan, from his palace prison, managed to flee India. It is said that the King Tribhuvan had requested Pandit Nehru to merge Nepal into Indian union but Nehru ignored the request. India-Nepal singed the historic Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950, here by India opened its vast resources to the citizens of Nepal. As per the treaty none of the Nepal’s citizen is regarded as foreigner in India and vice-versa. Ultimately, Rana regime came to an end in 1951 and once again the Shah dynasty rule was established under a simple constitutional monarchy system of government, a democratic government with powerful Prime Minister.

In 1956, Dr. K.I. Singh government banned teaching of Hindi. This led to a pro-Hindi and anti-Hindi movement in Nepal. The government of India remained unconcerned about the ban. Later on, in 1959 B.P. Koirala introduced Hindi in Madhes (foot hill of Nepal) but King Mahendra revoked it after a coup in 1962. He dismissed the elected government and took absolute powers in his own hand. This led to a sharp difference between India and king Mahendra. India was in favor of democracy but China supported the king. Taking advantage of Indo-Sino war of 1962 King floated one –state-one Language policy declaring Nepali as national and official language of Nepal at the suffering of other languages and completely banned Hindi in 1963. Prior to this, Hindi and Nepali both enjoyed an equal status as official and educational language of Nepal. Kashi was the base of Nepali publications. Hindi and Nepali have the same Devnagri script, same Sanskrit origin and a lot of similarities in words. There was never dispute in-between the two languages. Unfortunately King, under Chinese influence, tried to provoke and plant the anti-Hindi, anti-India feelings among the Nepali-speaking people of Nepal.

Whereas, according to Nepal’s 2001 national census, there are 92 different living languages in Nepal. The major languages of the state are Nepali-48%, Hindi-32% (Maithili-13%, Bhojpuri-8%, Tharu-4%, Urdu-4% Awadhi-2%, Bajjika-1%), Nepal Bhasa (Newari)-3%, Rai-3%, Tamang-3%, Limboo-2%, Magar-2%, Gurung-2%, Sherpa-1%. Today there is a strong demand for the equal status as Nepali to 11 other major languages. In last 6 decades Hindu and Buddhists are reduced to 81% and 11% respectively, where as Islam (4%) and Christianity (4%) have increased tremendously.

In 1969 Nepal cancelled an arm agreement with India and ordered India to withdraw its military mission from Kathmandu and listening posts from the Tibet-Nepal frontier. The Indo-Nepal relation does not improved during Birendra’s regime too; rather it deteriorated to its utmost level. During nineties he developed closer tie with China, as a result in 1989, the government of India led by Rajiv Gandhi closed Indo-Nepal border to all economic traffic. Though, after intervention of Bharatia Janata Party, Vishwa Hindu Parsad and Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh the border was opened. Hindu organizations of India and Nepal tried hard to improve the bilateral relation of both the nations. King Birendra along with several political leaders of Nepal were invited in several functions organized by Vishwa Hindu Parisad.

Earlier in February 1963, M.S.Golwalkar,the then chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, while visiting Sri Pashupatinath temple, met the King Mahendra; both had discussions on several issues to improve the bilateral relations. Minister Dr.Tulsi Giri accompanied him. Sri Guruji (Golwalkar) on Febraury27, 1963; wrote to Pandit Nehru, the Indian Prime Minister, regarding the discussion urging him to take up necessary steps to improve the friendly relations and to clear the certain doubts of the king but Nehru did not paid any head to the request. In Febraury1965, on the auspicious eve of Makar Sankrati, Sangh invited The King Mahendra in its Nagpur function for which king had agreed, but Nehru government stopped him from taking part in the function. Though, today Hindu Organizations including Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh of Nepal is gaining strength in Nepal in spite of hurdles and odds. Know the people of Nepal, as a whole, seems getting aware of the foul play of evil elements like Maoists, Church, China, I.S.I., Islamic fundamentalists and certain vested leaders and media. Surprisingly, with the help of these elements, the Chinese influence, Christianity and Islam is also growing in Nepal.

It is said that- “ the loss of culture is the loss of identity and the loss of identity is the loss of nationality. So, these elements are trying hard to uproot Nepal from its glorious past, its culture, tradition and religion. And hence, they are attacking the Hindu identities of Nepal.

Unfortunately, on May18, 2006, under Maoist pressure, Nepal lost its glory of being the only Hindu Nation of the world and was declared secular. Since 1996, in 10 year long Maoists insurgency, more than 13000 people lost their life. Finally, Maoist elements do not even spared the Monarchs, loyal to them. On June1, 2001 his own son and crown prince Dipendra assassinated his father, the King Birendra along with all royal members of the family in the palace shooting-spree and so, on May 28,2008; 239 years old monarchy was abolished; Constituent Assembly declared Nepal, a Federal Democratic Republic. Sri Ram Varan Yadav was elected as the first President and Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachand; the Maoist chief became the first Prime Minister of Nepal. Dictatorial Maoist govt. fall within a year and CPN (UML)- govt. led by Madhav Kumar Nepal, supported by Nepali Congress-Madhesies, and other 20 parties had formed the new govt. The biggest challenge before Nepal is to write its new constitution. Maoists are all posing the hurdles in constitution writing, as they wants such a constitution which suits them.

The modern history of Nepal clearly states that the ruling clans along with Brahmins, Chettris, Castes and Newars; today known as Nepali have come from Rajasthan,Kumaun,Garhwal, Kanaujj and Karnataka respectively. Maithilies and Kirats are the real son of the soil. Nepali language came into existence only in nineteenth century; prior to this there was Sanskrit, Nepalbhasa and Khas language.Later on the Khas language was termed as Nepali and declared as national language in 1963 by King Mahendra.

The name Nepal derived from the Sanskrit word “nipalaya”, which means ‘abode at the foothill’. It is also said that the name Nepal may have derived from the Sanskrit word ‘NEP’ meaning cow herder- the Gopalas, who came in the valley for the first time from the Ganges Plain. According to Nepali scholars, the ancient chronicles report that, a sage (Rishi) named Ne-muni existed in the valley. In Skandh Puran and Pashupati puran his name is mentioned. He became the protector (pala) of this land and the founder of its first ruling dynasty. The name of the country, Ne-pala, therefore originally meant the land protected by Ne. Till 20th century only Kathmandu valley was called as NEPAL.
Human teeth found in Butwal proved to be 10 lack years old, which proves the existence of Human being. Neolithic tools found in the Kathmandu valley are 9000 years old.

In Puranas, it is said that- “Himalayat samaramva, yavadendu sarowaram; tad dev nirmitam desham hindustham prachakshyatey”, meaning - the land stretched right from The Great Himalayas up to the ocean in south is the land created by the God himself. Rishi Aurobind has said – ‘the land is divinely designed triangle”. Nepali writers like Adi-kavi Bhanubhakta say–It is a rare thing to be born in Bharat Varsa and Maha-kavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota say-the history of Bharat Varsa is so sweet, nice and glorious.

by---Ashok Chaurasia
All India Secretary,
Nepali Sanskriti Parisad
All India Treasurer,
Rashtriya Sampadak Sangam

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