This brief survey is intended as a list of works which i have found especially useful myself or which i think would be particularly suitable for readers wanting to follow up topics necessarily treated very cursorily in my recent onevolume history. An excellent timeline for contemporary nepali history is present in a history of nepal by john whelpton. Its territory extends roughly 500 miles 800 kilometres from east to west and 90 to 150 miles from north to south. And he vividly recounts episodes from nepals more recent history, which he covered for the daily telegraph. Book cover from a manuscript of the ashtasahasrika. The nepals civil war was fought between maoist rebels and government forces. Two large foreshocks force people outdoors and prevent widespread casualties. Nepal is a small country but it has been land of the marriange of sita and ram, the birth of the buddha and the home to so many great saints, kings and rishis. It was started by the communist party of nepal, trying to dispose the monarchy. The people of nepal have been advocating for accountability for human rights abuses committed during the 19962006 conflict, but progress remains slow. The formal development of sociology and anthropology began in nepal after the fall of rana regime in 1950.
Jan 01, 2008 nepal supplied many troops for the british army in both world wars. He arrived in the country in the midst of the decadelong maoist insurgency, and has witnessed all of the countrys recent upheavals, from the massacre of the royal family to the end of the war and the formation of the republic, to the earthquakes in 2015. The newly formed congress party of nepal precipitated a revolt in 1950 that forced the autocratic ranas to share power in a new cabinet. It was 1841 when an obscure peak in the himalayas was recognized as the tallest mountain in the world by a british survey team led by sir george everest, and whom mount everest was named after in 1865. Article 5 allowed nepal access to weaponry from india.
Nepal, country of asia, lying along the southern slopes of the himalayan mountain ranges. While john whelptons history of nepal focuses on the period since the overthrow of the rana family autocracy in 195051, the early chapters are devoted to the origins of the kingdom and the evolving relations of its diverse peoples. The early history of nepal is quite vague, though pieces of it can be picked up here and there from various historical treasures. In this book the various facets of nepalese culture have been analysed in historical perspective. Once nepal was unified, he maintained friendly but distant relations with the british, but died before he could organize the new united country. The start of ties between the modern day states of india and nepal can be traced back to the 1950 peace and friendship treaty. Unlike its southern neighbour india, nepal did not come under british rule. The beginning of the shah dynasty after king prithvi narayan shah subjugated kathmandu, patan, and bhaktapur and united the eastern and western nepal.
Kingdom of nepal, history of limbuwan, nepalese civil war, tiger hunting, anglonepalese war, limbuwan gorkha war, jang bahadur, postage stamps and postal history of nepal, lakhan thapa, 2006 democracy movement in. History the history of kathmandu is really a history of the newar people, the main inhabitants of the kathmandu valley. The literary rate in nepal is not very high, but there is a sizable section of people who are highly educated and trained in various skills. This painted cover for a palmleaf manuscript belongs to the pala nepalese tradition. Nepals strategic balancing posted in asia 26may05 author. The book was first translated by daniel wright in 1877 and while the wright. The history of nepal began in, and centres on, the kathmandu valley. Many people were provided training and mobilized in the rural development program forwarded by the government. While john whelptons history focuses on the period since the overthrow of the rana family autocracy in 195051, the early chapters are devoted to the origins of the kingdom and the evolving. The kingdom of nepal was able to stay independent since its unification in. Though it has ancient roots, the modern state of nepal emerged only in the 18th century. Also i think its particular important to list the queen regents of nepal who administered the country. While john whelptons history focuses on the period since the overthrow of the rana family autocracy in. He became known as the buddha, or the enlightened one.
While the documented history of the valley goes back to the kiratis, around the 7th century bc, the foundation of kathmandu itself dates from the 12th century ad, during the time of the malla dynasty. The lost explorer by conrad anker and david roberts, and ghosts of. The festivals of nepal are almost the same as are prevalent among indian hindus. It starts with how nepal, initially a collection of small idependant kingdoms, was unified by prithvi narayan shah and brings you up to speed with events u.
Very few historical records exist of the period before the medieval licchavis rulers. The best history books five books expert recommendations. Nepal was ruled by the thakuris who were followed by the mallas for two centuries after the lichchavis. Before nepals emergence as a nation in the latter half of the 18th century, the designation nepal was largely applied only to the kathmandu valley and its surroundings. Josse nepal s unfortunate location between india and china has led to the phrase. The most spoken language of nepal is nepali followed by several other ethnic languages. This book history of ancient and medieval nepal does not claim to be a revealing book which seeks to throw light on the sofar unrevealed historical facts or on.
Thus, up to the unification of the country, nepals recorded history. Forget kathmandu by manhushree thapa gives a good and succinct overview of nepals history. Josse nepals unfortunate location between india and china has led to the phrase. Ancient nepal, the early kingdom of the licchavis, transition to the medieval kingdom, the struggle for power, government, economy, people of nepal. Henry francis grady 18821957 envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, may 3, 1948june 22, 1948. John whelptons history of nepal focuses on the period since the overthrow of the rana family autocracy in 19501. Notes on development of sociology and anthropology grade 12. To navigate the timeline, click and drag it with your mouse, or click on the timeline overview on the bottom. For much of the second half of the twentieth century, nepali politics were. History of nepal from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia part of a series on the history of nepal kirata kingdom 800 b. Whelpton portrays a country of extraordinary contrasts, whose history has been buffeted constantly by its neighbors, china. Listed are some of the most important history books ever written, as recommended by some of the most eminent historians working today. This is a timeline of nepalese history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in nepal and its predecessor states.
It is a landlocked country located between india to the east, south, and west and the tibet autonomous region of china to the north. The new translation of history of the kings of nepal a buddhist. Major events in nepals history timeline timetoast timelines. Sociology and anthropology dont have a long history in nepal.
History of kathmandu lonely planet travel information. Articles 5, 6 and 7 of the treaty were the key components of the treaty. A pivotal moment in nepals history was the birth of buddhism. Nepal supplied many troops for the british army in both world wars. It hold the himalayas and kailash is on its doorstep. Reading guide to nepalese history this is the text of my article in himalaya, vol. The history of nepal is intertwined with the history of the broader indian subcontinent and the. Nepali history books discover nepali history books at vedic. Nepal emerged as a unified state over two hundred years ago, centred on the kathmandu valley with its two thousand years of urban civilisation. Since, 1981 the study of sociology and anthropology was introduced in master degree on the. A brief timeline on nepals political history with an analysis on the current situation. It includes the list of errata for the international edition of my history of nepal as discovered up till 2007 and corrected in the second south asian printing but. List of books and articles about nepalese history online. According to gopalraj vansawali, a genealogy of nepali monarchs, the rulers of kathmandu valley before the licchavis were gopalas, mahispalas, aabhirs, kirants, and somavanshi.
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online. The temples of nepal are very popular all over the world. The author is able to provide a brief analysis of most events and aspects of the history without taking sides, even when discussing the. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. There are usually both buddhist and brahmanic hindu versions of these various legends. Seated at center is prajnaparamita, the goddess of transcendent wisdom and the personification of the text she holds in a raised hand. History of nepal ministry of foreign affairs nepal mofa. A brief timeline on nepals political history with an. Apr 24, 2016 but then this isnt so much a standard history as an amiable ramble around nepals past. Siddhartha gautama is born in lumbini present day nepal. The author is able to provide a brief analysis of most events and aspects of the history without taking sides, even when discussing the foreign actors and influences.
Recent history the successful indian movement for independence 1947 stimulated democratic sentiment in nepal. Nepal is a nation in southern asia, bordering tibet and india. Nepals rich prehistory consists mainly of the legendary traditions of the newar, the indigenous community of nepal valley now usually called kathmandu valley. Around this time, the nepal as we know it today was divided into about 46 independent principalities. It is a multiethnic, multiracial, multicultural, multireligious, and multilingual country.
One among these was the kingdom of gorkha with a shah ruler. Much of kathmandu valleys history around this time was recorded by capuchin friars who lived in the valley on their way in and out of tibet. History of sociology and anthropology in nepal source. Nepal history timeline if you are looking for the important milestones of the history of nepal, where they are. Drawing on recent research, the author portrays a country of extraordinary contrasts, whose history has been constantly buffeted by its neighbours, china and india. Both versions are accepted indiscriminately in the festivals associated with legendary events, a tribute to the. A chronology of key events in the history of nepal, from 1768 to the present day. This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for. Over the centuries nepal s boundaries have extended to include huge tracts of neighbouring india, and contracted to little more than the kathmandu valley and a handful of nearby citystates. Neither did it fall under chinese domination, like its northern neighbour tibet. Nepali history books discover nepali history books at. History of kathmandu and timeline of kathmandu nepal and. History of indianepal relations south asia program at.
Though much was not known about kirats,the lichchavi dynasty followed the kirats which lasted from the 2nd to 9th century ad. The history of nepal is intertwined with the history of the broader indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of south asia and east asia. In the 3rd century bc the great indian emperor introduced buddhism into nepal. Nepal is a himalayan country and home to the tallest mountain in the world, mount everest. Tu in nepal was established in 1960s but took 20 years for the foundation of the department of sociology and anthropology under t. Aug 22, 2012 forget kathmandu by manhushree thapa gives a good and succinct overview of nepal s history. The history mentioned that kirats ruled nepal during the 7th century bc. About 200 ad a people called the lichavis took power in nepal. Two books were published in 1999 that used parallel narratives for the 2 expeditions. Oct 11, 2015 a brief timeline on nepals political history with an analysis on the current situation. He has worked and traveled extensively in nepal, and has written numerous articles and books on the subject. Major events in nepal s history timeline created by superhegie. John whelpton, who works as a teacher in hong kong, is an historian and linguist.
To read about the background to these events, see history of nepal. Feb 17, 2005 this book is the most comprehensive and accessible englishlanguage onevolume history of nepal. Nepal s strategic balancing posted in asia 26may05 author. Ictj works with local groups and national political actors in nepal to help promote truth, justice, and reparations. The history of climbing mount everest the explorers passage.
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