Ancient Nepal 147 01
Ancient Nepal 147 01
Ancient Nepal 147 01
I. Vedic Youga, 5th Edition, 1996, Sri Saraswoli Sadan, Delhi, P. 20. Also see 148-151 for details.
2 Ancient Nepal
time of King Harishchandra, Guru Vashista (the 4000 BP) were still practicing slashing and burning
earlier one) and Viswamitrzi (the first one) can be techniques to conquer new territories in India and
estimated to be around 4,080B.P. It seems that the Nepal and fix the habitation of Aryan population.
Raj Guru Vashista (of Lord Rama's time) was the They were firmly established up to Kurukchetra (the
head of the Vashishta "Pitha" (center of learning), region near Delhi), Panchal (present day Bareli-
probably born in thesame family. Around the timeof Muradabad in Uttar Pradesh) and Ayodhya (on the
Lord Rama, Mithila was yet another important center South Banks of Sarayu River) of India, but they had
of Vedic Aryan civilization. It is also worth noting not succeeded to conquer the foot hills plains of the
that "Janaka" was the title of the kings of Mithila and present day Northern Bihar and Western and Eastern
Goddess Sita's fatherwas Sir-Dhoj "Janak", who was Nepal Terai lands, as these areas were covered with
of course, contemporary to King Dasharata-11. These extremely dense foothill jungles, which weresparsely
estimated dates are important as Deaughat and populated by Indo-Austroid tribes like Nishadh and
Janakpur are related to these great names and also Santhals. This greatjungle lying in the area north and
with the entry of Aryans into Nepal. [Mr. Sankalia northeast of present-day Avadha region of India was
(Ramayana Myth orReality ?)2afteranalyzingVedic called "Naimishayaranda" and probably covered the
and Puranic data, presented by pargiterand Pusalkar whole of northern regions, north of River Ganga,
and opinions of Bhargava, R.C. Majumdar and other including basins of River Goamati, Sarayu (Karnali)
scholars, places the time of birth of Lord Rama at and Gandaki. According to "Sath Path Brahman" 4
about 1,500~.~.andfoundationofca~fialof~~odh~a (supposed to have been written some 3,000years
at around 2,000B.C. Mr. Sankaliaalso mentions that B.P. in Latter Vedic Age), a king named Mathav
archaeological excavations at Chirand at the Videha, encouraged and accompanied by his priest
confluence of Ganga and Ghogra (Karnali River) Gautam Rahugana, Viswanarea (holy fire) and large
have yielded evidence of pastoral-cum-agricultural army, marched through the northern part of this
civilization at this area around 2,000 B.C. or 4,000 jungle (slashing, burning and making roads for their
BP. Pargiter (in his famous book Ancient Indian horses and chariots). It is indicated in "Sath Path
Historical Traditions)3 has tried to prove that the Brahman" that Kingdom of Koshala (present day
Maha-Bharata War had taken place at around 1,100 Sitapur-Gonda Areaof Uttar Pndesh) was inexistence
B.C. and on the basis of Puranic Vansavalis (King at that time. River Sada Nira (Gandak) was the
Name Lists) Places the time of Lord Rama to be eastern border of Koshala. For the first time this way,
around 1,600B.C. or 3,600year B.P. "Vedic Age" is the Aryans succeed to cross River Gandaki and
generally considered to cover the time period of establish kingdoms up to the eastern regions of
2,500B.C. to 1,000B.C. or upto the time of Debapi Nepal. Even now, there is a hermitage of Rahugana
the brother of Santanu (father of Bhishma Pitamaha near Deaughat. (Rig Veda 1/90/7describes Rishi
of Mahabharata fame.)] Gautam as son of Rahugana). The Kingdom of Videha
The Great March (Mithila) is believed to have been created by King
The Aryans of Early Vedic Age (of some 4500- Mathav Videha. The Aryans could not have advanced
5. Mr. Mukherjee estimates the starting time of (creation of older part of) Rig-Veda at 2500 BC. (Hindu Savyata. Raj Kamal
Publication, Delhi-Patna, 1996, P. 82.
6. "Saraswoti KOSataha Per Lane Ki Tayari" Kadamabani, India. June, 2000.
7. Himbat Khanda, (Nepali). Edited by Yogi Nara Hari Nath, Mrigasthali, Kathmandu. B.S. 2013, P. 95-97.
8. Diamond Pocket Books. Edited by Dr. Vinay, Delhi, P. 126
9. Edited by Sri Ram Sharma, Shanskritic Sansthan, Barelly, India, 1st Pan, 1989, P. 241-243.
4 Ancient Nepal
the rule of one king). King Divo-dasa can be placed Kumaun and Bajhang-Doti Area, as he describes the
some 760 years after the Baibaswata Manu (or some ancient trek route to Mansarovara via Urai Pass and
4060 years B.P.).Therefore, Lord Shiva and Goddess Lipulekh Pass. According to Kurma Purana,ll the
Parvati's time can be estimated at 4,100 to 4,200 great clan of Urus (Uru Jana) were dissidents of
years B.P. or slightly before time when Gautama Chachkus Manu, who himself was dissident of
Rahugana and King Mathav Videha had entered Emperor Uttan Pada probably of Central or West
Nepal Himal foothill junglesand reached uptopresent Asia. (Puru is said to be one of the brothers of Uru.)
day Janakpur. It seems that King Videha had the Raja Benaand Prithu were also borned in Uru Dynasty
blessings of Lord Shiva. It is important to note that probably in theareawestofPamir. DakshyaPrajapati-
Lord Rama and Lord Krishna were great devotees of I1 (fatherofsati Devi) was alsoadissident of Emperor
Lord Shiva. (During Middle Rig-Vedic Age and Prithu. The Grand Mother of Dakshya Prajapati-I1 is
Latter Vedic Age the importance of Early Rig-Vedic described as the "daughter of the sea". Dakshya
God Indra had greatly diminished and very high Prajapati-11, is said to be the son of ten Prachetash
importance was being given to Lord Shiva.) Kings and their wife Marisha. (Was it a case of
DID (The Aryan clan of) Urus Enter Nepal Before polyandry?) He had performed infamous "Yagna",
Rig-Vedic Aryans? somewhere behind the "Himabana" (Hima1ayas)lz.
But there is yet another completely (so far) Kurma Puranal3 mentions sages Kratu, Swati and
unnoticed Puranic record about the entry of the Angiras also to be the sons of Uru and his wife
Aryans into Nepal and India. It is indicated from Ayagnye. Before the time of Dakshya Prajapati-11,
Skanda Purana (Manas Khanda)lo that an ancient Sushil (the great grandson of Emperor Prithu) had
Pre-Vedic Aryan clan of Urus might have alsoentered became hermit and had gone to Himalayas for
Tibet and than to Far-Western Nepal via Uru Parvat meditation14 (probably from present day
(present day Urai Pass in Bajhang District of Nepal), Afganisthan.) This Puranic record is in line with Dr.
probably even before the time of Lord Shiva and Harnley's view15 thal. some Aryans of Iela Vansa
Goddess Parvati. The name Uru Parvart indicates (Moon Dynasty) had entered India after crossing
that "Urus" had lived there even before the time of Himalayan passes, except that Puru Jana were not
king Mandhata and king Dilip. Pre-Vedic sage from "lela Vansha'.
"Pulaha" is said to have invited River Sita (West Seti The Aborigineous Naga-Kiratas, (Indo-Austriod)
River) from Urai Parvat Pulaha is said to be "Manasa Nishadhas-Santhals and Yakshyas (of Shaka-
Putra" (spiritual son) of Lord Brahma and as ancient Khasa Sub-Race)
as "Marachi" (the earliest Aryan Sage of West Asia). The Indo-Austroid sub-races broadly termed
Bhagwan Dattatraya (who was descendent of Pulaha) as "Nishadhas' in Puranas, controlled the Nepal
also seems to be very familiar with present day Himalayan foothill jungles around Rig-Vedic times
10. Edited by Prof. Gopal Dutta Pandey. Sri Nityananda Sma rak Samiti, Varanasi, 1989, P. 546-547.
11. Kurma Purananka, Kalyan 7111, Geeta Press, Gorakhpur, 1997, P. 73.
12. lbid (8) P. 49.
13. Ibid (I I) P. 73.
14. Ibid ( I 1) P. 73.
IS. Ibid (I) P. 126
The Vedic-Aryan ..... 5
and Santhals controlled the more eastern parts of spread population of Kiratas, Nishadhs and Santhals,
these lands. The Puranic descriptions of these people in the Neolithic age.
exactly fit with anthropological features of Indo- There seems to have been a small population of
Austroid people, i.e. broad nose, blackish complexion, "Homo Erectus" and latter on of "Homo-Sapiens"
thick lips etc. According to Dr. R.C. Majumdar (of 300,000 to40,000 years B.P.) in Churea Hills and
(Prachin Bharata)l6 the existence of human being in lower valleys of Mahabharat Range of Kumaun and
the Indian sub-continent right from the Palaeolithic Nepal. They may be the ancestors of Rawutes,
age has beenestablished.The findingsofthe fossilized Kusundas and Chepangs and the like. So far, only the
remains of Ramapithecus mostly in the Siwalic Hills stone weapons found in Bardia is proved to be of
of Pakistan, India and Nepal suggest the evolution of "Pre-Chelian" type of some 500.000 years B.P. The
the man in this sub-continent itself. The fossilized stone tools found in Budhanilkantha and Dhobi-
tooth of a Ramapithecus found by joint team of Khola Area of Kathmandu Valley are categorized as
American and Nepalese anthropologists in 1980, in of Govi (Monogolian) type and European (Mustare)
Tinau (Butwal) area of Nepal were found to be 9.0- type of middle palaeolithic age (some 300,000 to
9.5 million years old and second oldest in the 40,000 years B.P.) In the neolithic age (10,000 to
world17. The oldest remains of the prehistoric man in 6,000 years B.P) the population of the true ancestors
the Indian Sub-continent has been found in Punjab in of modern men seem to have (very thinly) spread all
between the banks of River Sindh and River Jhelam, over Nepal. Neolithic (stone) tools have been found
which was recorded to be half million yearold. Many in Dang Valley, Luvu (Lalitpur), Naval Parasi,
stone weapons of Palaeolithic and Neolithic age have Kavrepalanchowk, Pal pa, Sankhuwashava, Morang
also been found mostly in South India, Jammu, and Jhapa. The archaeological investigations in Far
Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Bengal and Bihar, etc. On Western Hills and foot hill plains are not carried-out
the basisof these findings, Dr. Majumdar~*concludes yet. But the probability of finding palaeolithic and
that by the end of fourth ice age (just before 10,000 neolithic tools there, is very high. In this context, the
years B.P.) the human existence was spread all over findings ofcave paintings of Dal Bandha village19 in
India and Himalayan foot-hills (except in the Almoda District of Kumaun (adjoining Far Western
extremely densejungles in the basin plains surrounded Nepal) are important. This cave painting is proved to
by River Ganga and River Jamuna). But in case of the be 25 to 30 thousand years old. In the opinion of
foothill jungles and dunes of Sarayu (Karnali), Sada Mr. Davralzo the proto-austroid people and Naga-
Nira (Gandaki) and Koshi (Kausiki) and lower basins Kiratas existed in Kumaun andGadhwal Hills around
of these rivers, there seem to have been very sparsely this time period.
Famous historian Late Baburam Acharya21 has River Ganga and River Jamuna, as against, very little
written that the settlements of "Aagneya" people neolithic (stone) weapons found here23.
(proto-austroid Nishadhas and Santhals) were like The "Kirata" is a term broadly used by Vedic
islands in the sea. They used to live in small openings Aryans for the Mongolic people living in the middle
by the banks of the rivers in Western and Eastern Himalayan valleys and lower foothills (Sivalik or
Nepal foothill jungles. Famous author Rahul Chure hills).These Mongolic people had hundreds of
Shankrityana22 writes that the Kiratas were living in kings and fortresses all over Himalayas. Kinnar
the mountainous and hilly regions north of River Kiratas of Western Himalayas (and probably) Naga-
Ganga. They used tocome to lowerpart of thejungles Kiratas of Kumaun-Doti (Manas-Khanda) and Hari-
(mostly in the winter months) even up-to the down- Hara Kchetra (Gandaki Basin), also had to fight with
stream banks of River Ghagra and smaller tributary Vedic Aryans. The famous war between Kiratemperor
rivers (of River Ganga) like Mangai. Here, they used Sambara and king Divo-das of Sindhu-Saraswoti
to have frequent battles with Nishadhas, mostly for Rigion is described even in Rigveda. Lord Indra is
the control of hunting grounds. By 2,500 B.C. or so, highly praised in the Rig-Veda for helping King
the Nishadhas were using copper weapons and Divo-dasa in this famous war. Sage Bharadwaja was
therefore, coulddrive-away the later stoneage Kiratas Divo-dasa's royal priest. He had ordered the King, to
towards the north. It was possible because Damils or eliminate Kiratas and keep fighting till the time not a
Dravids (described as "Panis" in Rig-Veda) were single Kirata is in existence in the northern frontier of
supplying Nishadhes with copper weapons in Sapta Sindhu (Jammu Kashmir and Himanchal of
exchange of ivory and other forest based products. present day). This is how the Aryans of Early Rig-
(The "Panis" were visiting them in their trading Vedic times kepton movingtowards theeast,fighting
sailboats from their outer trade posts like Kashi both with Kiratas as well as Nishadhas. It seems that
Grama (present day city of Varanasi). The Nishadhas latter on, the Kinnar-Kiratas and Naga-Kiratas had
used to take young Kirati girls as war prisoners and become more friendly with Aryans as their common
because of these Kirati girls, new hybrid tribes like enemies were Nishadhas. (After the defeat of great
"Tharus" came into existence in Nishada controlled Kirata Emperor Sambara, the Nishadhas were the
foothill jungle settlements. Latter on, when Aryans main enemies of Aryans.) Aryans must have realized
came invading, it was proved that the Nishadhas this and by accepting Kiratas' Supreme God Lord
were no match to Aryans with cavalry, chariots and Shiva as their own, developed friendly ties with
superior bronze weapons. (The mobility of Aryans Kiratas. The Vedic Aryans could not have reached
with horses had always been an important factor in upto Mithila without the support of Kiratas. This is
the battles.) The frequent battles with Kiratas needed clear and simple.
huge quantity ofcopper weapons for Nishadhas. This The Yakshayas of Manas-Khanda And Harihar-
explains as to why many copper-bronzeaxes, swords, Kchetra
harpoons etc. of this age, were found in the deltas of Padma Purana (Shristhi Khanda) and Skandha
Mountain (in Eastern Tibet?), which lied in the north- conquered most parts of the lower Himalayas and the
eastern direction from Mt. Kailash. The last mention latter Vedic civilization was penetrating in the
about Yakshyas is mentioned in Garga Sanhita-'o important population centers of Nepal. However,
during the time of Lord Krishna. Therefore, it can be except in ith hi la, t h e ~ e d i ~c r y a ~iviliza'tion
n could
deducted that Northern Mustang was also under the not flourish and the rich and equitable indigenous
Yakshya Empire some 4,500-3.000 years ago and it Naga-Kirati (Bon) civilization could continue
must have been more close to ancient Tibet than to undisturbed till the medieval times. Only in Mithila,
ancient Nepal. this great Vedic Civilization could produce great
Thus, from thedescriptionsofsatpath Brahman philosophers like Yagnabalka, Maitree and Gargi
Grantha and various Puranas, it seemsthat the Aryans and Philosopher-king like Janaka (of Upanishada
from Vedic Swaraswat civilization hadentered Nepal fame, probably not Sir-Dhoj Janak, fatherofGoddess
at around 4,000-4,100 years B.P. Already by this Sita). Now, it is for the archaeologist and historians
time, there seems to be the strong presence of to research further and reconstruct the history of
Yakshyas in the Central Himalayas, who were in Nepal of Vedic Age.
very friendly terms with Naga Kiratas of Central
Himalayas. In the latter Vedic Age, more Aryans
seem to have visited Nepal. Pradhumna also visited
Kathmandu Valley and Lord Krishna had cut opened
the dam on the foot of Chandra Giri (Chovar Gorge
or the gorge at Katuwal Daha?) and released water
from the Naga-Hrada lake with a view to built the
cities and villages in the present day Kathmandu
Valley according to Himabata Khanda of Skanda
Purana.31 This ~ u r a n i cstory, if supported by
archeological evidences, will show as to how the last
of the Later Vedic Aryans had reached Central Nepal.
Western and Eastern Nepal Terai and hills were
opened-up by Bhimsena according to mythological
narrations. (The Tharus of Dang Valley and Newars,
even now worship Bhimsen. According to Maha-
Bharata Epic and Vishnu Purana, Arjuna was the first
Aryan commander, who had reached as far east as
Assam and conquered the ancient kingdom of Mani
Pura and married Naga Princess Ulupi. These Puranic
recordsamply show that by the timeofMaha-Bharata
War (some 3,000 years B.P.), the Aryans had