SCRIPT GUIDE ( NEPAL)
practices being absorbed in Hinduism.
Geography
Nepal lies between China and Tibet on the north and on the south, east, west is India.
lying along the southern slopes of the Himalayan mountain rangesIts territory extends
roughly 500 miles (800 kilometres) from east to west and 90 to 150 miles from north to
south. The capital is Kathmandu.
GEOLOGICAL ( BASAHIN YUNG NASA PPT )
RELIGION
HINDUISM
Hinduism is the dominant religion in Nepal with around 81% of the population being
Hindus. This is well evident from the many Hindu temples spread throughout the country.
Legend has it that a sage named Ne Muni was the one to introduce the religion in Nepal in
prehistoric times, living in the Himalayas and teaching his doctrines. He also chose the first
ever king of Nepal - Bhuktaman and laid the foundation of the Gopala Dynasty. The country
is believed to be named after him.
Hinduism was thought to have originated around 4,000 years ago in India’s Indus Valley.
From there it gradually spread across the south Asian continent to include present day
Nepal. In these times, there were no national borders but various kingdoms and fiefdoms
ruled over small groups of people. Hinduism was brought from the Indus Valley to the
northern Kathmandu Valley at some point around 2,000 BCE. The story goes, that a sage
called Ne moved to the Kathmandu Valley where he performed religious ceremonies –
known as Pala – to protect the inhabitants. This led to one of the many possible origins of
the country’s name: Ne Pala – or protected by Ne.
BUDDHISM
The teacher and monk Siddhārtha Gautama was born in the 5th century BCE in the
Nepalese town of Lumbini. Gautama would go on to found a new religion called Buddhism
and be known simply as ‘Buddha’. His birthplace Lumbini has now become one of the most
holy pilgrimage sites in the world and houses 25 Buddhist monasteries. Of them, Mayadevi
Temple is the most holy, dating back 2,200 years and said to be built on the exact place
Buddha was born.
His clan, the Shakyas helped in the initial spread of Buddhism in the Kathmandu valley and
thereafter, the religion flourished during the reign of Emperor Ashoka. After this period the
Shah dynasty took over in Nepal and Buddhism gradually declined with much of its
ISLAM
The peaceful Malla period also saw the arrival of the first religions from beyond the Indian
Subcontinent. Islam arrived in the late 15th century as merchants from Kashmir,
Afghanistan and even Persia, arrived to trade carpets, wools and other materials. Most
Muslims remained in the southern Terai region,
KIRATISM
Kiratism is an ancient religion that is said to have originated in Nepal. The indigenous
Himalayan tribes of Limbu, Rai, Sunuwar and Yakkha are followers of this faith. Also known
as Kirat Mundhum, Kiratism involves worship of ancestors, nature, sun, moon, wind, fire,
main pillar of their homes, and Gods like Sumnima-Paruhang and Tegra Ningwaphumang,
and combines beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism, Shaivism and animism.
TIMELINE
During the rule of the Kiratas, Nepal made considerable progress in the field of art and
architecture, trade and commerce. The Kiratis were not only good warriors but also good
administrators. Men and women were treated equally. Criminals were given severe
punishment. For the administration of justice, law-courts were established at several
places-Kuther, Shuli, Lingual, Mapchok etc.
the Kirat rule is very significant one being the longest period that extended from pre-
historic to historic period.
The Ashoka Pillar in Lumbini is one of the 3rd Century stone pillars built under the reign of
Emperor Ashoka. It was erected as a mark of respect by Ashoka after he visited Lord
Buddha's place of birth and decided to accept Buddhism. These facts make the pillar a
significantly important attraction in the country. It bears the oldest inscription compared to
the rest of the Ashoka Pillars, thus marking that it was the first-ever such structure built.
The pillar is located inside the serene Maya Devi Temple
 The last King of the Kirat dynasty was Gasti. He proved to be a weak ruler and was
overthrown by the Sombanshi ruler Nimisha. It brought to the end of the powerful Kirat
dynasty that had lasted for about 1225 years
LICCHAVI PERIOD
The Lichchavis has genius for the reconstruction of whole of the country. With them the
nation entered a new phase of prosperity in art and culture,painting, architecture and
sculpture flourished highly and realized a new height of development.
in Nepal, the period of rule by the Licchavi dynasty. The dynasty originated in India, used
Sanskrit as a court language, and issued Indian-style coins. It maintained close ties to India
and also had economic and political relations with Tibet, thus becoming a cultural centre
linking central and southern Asia.
The Lichchhavis are said to have migrated into Nepal from north India in around 250 A.D.
The first Lichchhavi king of historical importance was Manadeva I.
MALLA PERIOD
Malla era, Period of Nepal’s history when the Kathmandu Valley was ruled by the Malla
dynasty (10th–18th century).
 The Malla ruler Jaya Sthiti (r. c. 1382–95) introduced a legal and social code strongly
influenced by contemporary Hindu principles.
 Malla Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of Nepal from the 12th to the 18th century.
 It was during their reign that the people living in and around the Kathmandu Valley began
to be called "Newars" (or Nepa: mi in Nepal Bhasa, meaning citizens of Nepal).
 The Mallas were the ruling clan of the Malla Mahajanapada. They have claimed Kshatriya
status themselves.
 The first of the Malla kings came to power in Kathmandu Valley around 1200.
 The Malla period was a golden one that stretched over 550 years, though it was
peppered with fighting over the valuable trade routes to Tibet.
The Malla period was a golden one that stretched over 600 years, as they presided over
and flourished the Newar civilization of Nepal Mandala which developed as one of the most
sophisticated urban civilisation in the Himalayan foothills and a key destination in the India-
Tibet trade route.
SHAH PERIOD
In 1743 Prithvi Narayan Shah became King of Gorkha (located to the west of Kathmandu).
He had a great desire to unite all the kingdoms in Nepal and after many successful
conquering missions he succeeded and Nepal was united in 1769. Rather than making his
new territory part of Gorkha, Prithvi Narayan Shah instead moved the capital to
Kathmandu and established the Shah dynasty that would rule Nepal until 2008.
the beginning of the modern era in Kathmandu. The Battle of Kirtipur was the start of the
Gorkha conquest of the Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu was adopted as the capital of the
Gorkha empire, and the empire itself was dubbed Nepal. During the early part of this era,
Kathmandu maintained its distinctive culture. Buildings with
 characteristic Nepali architecture, such as the nine-story tower of Basantapur, were built
during this era.
 Bhimsen Thapa supported France against Great Britain; this led to the development of
modern military structures, such as modern barracks in Kathmandu. Dharahara, the nine
storied tower, was built during this era
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER (BASAHIN NA LANG)
DURBAR SQUARE
It consists of temples, idols, open courts, water fountains and more. Before the Unification
of Nepal, Nepal consisted of small kingdoms, and Durbar Squares are most prominent
remnants of those old kingdoms in Nepal. In particular, three Durbar Squares in the
Kathmandu Valley, belonging to the three Newar kingdoms situated there before
unification, are most famous:
.These sites have received significant damage due to the devastating earthquake of 2015
but most structures still remain.
KATHMANDU DURBAR SQUARE
Kathmandu Durbar Square Hanuman Dhoka Kathmandu Durbar Square, also known as
Hanuman Dhoka Palace Square is located in the heart of Kathmandu. Kings were crowned
here in the ancient times and they ruled the kingdom from here. It houses various temples
of Hindu gods as well as goddess. The city stands proof for the traditional architecture with
palaces, courtyards and temples constructed between 12th and 18th centuries.
THE KUMARI GHAR
The Kumari Ghar temple is a house with an intricately carved golden window flanked by
equally attractive wooden windows to its left and right. This building was built in 1757 by
the last Malla King of Kathmandu – Jaya Prakash Malla, and bestowed it to the living
goddess Kumari as her living quarters.
SHIVA
It was built in the late 18th century during the reign of King Rana Bahadur Shah, grand-son
of Prithvi Narayan Shah. The temple is easily recognizable by its two wooden figures of
Shiva and Parvati looking out from the open central window on the first floor.
TALEJU TEMPLE
The Kumari Ghar temple is a house with an intricately carved golden window flanked by
equally attractive wooden windows to its left and right. This building was built in 1757 by
the last Malla King of Kathmandu – Jaya Prakash Malla, and bestowed it to the living
goddess Kumari as her living quarters.
KAAL BHAIRAV
The large sculpture of Kaal Bhairav, the fierce form of Lord Shiva, was sculpted during the
5th or 6th century and later rediscovered in the 17th century. During the reign of King
Pratap Malla, this statue was installed to serve as a supreme court. It was believed for a
long time that people who lied in front of the statue would die. So, suspects were brought
in front of the fearsome Kaal Bhairav to speak the truth.
SWETA BHAIRAVA
Sweta Bhairava represents the terrifying form of Lord Shiva. It was installed inside the
Durbar square in 1795, during the reign of King Rana Bahadur Shah. The mask is kept
hidden behind a wooden curtain during the year and taken out only during the festival of
Indra Jatra in September.
AKASH BHAIRAV
The Akash Bhairav temple is a beautiful bronze and gold temple dedicated to Akash
Bhairav, God of the Sky, another form of Bhairava. It is believed that the Akash Bhairav
temple was the palace of the first King of Nepal, King Yalambar, around 3,100-3,500 years
ago. The head of Akash Bhairav is taken out of the temple once a year and blessed by the
Living Goddess Kumari during the festival of Indra Jatra.
HANUMAN STATUE
The red statue of the Hindu Monkey God Hanuman is located at the entrance of the
Hanuman Royal Palace (“Dhoka” means door in Nepali, hence the name ‘Hanuman Dhoka’),
which is now the entry gate of the Hanuman Dhoka Museum. The statue was installed at
the entrance of the palace in 1672 during the reign of King Pratap Malla.
NASAL CHOWK
Nasal Chowk is the courtyard of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace. It is where the coronations of
the Nepali Kings were held. Although Hanuman Dhoka wasn’t the royal residence after
1896, the coronations of the Kings of Nepal (including King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah in
1975 and King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah in 2001) continued to be held in Nasal Chowk
until the end of the Monarchy in 2008.
JAGANNATH TEMPLE
The Jagannath temple is one of the oldest temples in Kathmandu Durbar Square (probably
dating back to 1563). The temple is mostly famous for its erotic carvings. The large platform
in front of the temple is a popular spot where visitors (tourists and locals alike) feed
pigeons. The King Pratap Malla’s column was repaired and now stands in front of the two-
storey temple.
CHASIN DEGA
Also known as ‘Krishna temple’, Chasin Dega is an octagonal temple dedicated to Lord
Krishna and his two wives, Rukmini and Satyabhama. The temple was built in 1649 by King
Pratap Malla in memory of his two queens.
KOTILINGESHWAR - BELL ( BASAHIN NA LANG )
KASTHAMANDAP
Kasthamandap temple is a three-tier temple located in the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square,
which dates back to the age of the Malla reign. It translates to ‘wood-pavilion’ and is
believed to have been built from a single tree. Initially, it served as a ‘mandapa’, or a
podium for sacred ceremonies, however, it was later made into a temple dedicated to Saint
Gorakhnath. According to ancient manuscripts, saint Gorakhnath is said to have joined a
chariot procession of Machhindranath disguised as a human, when he was spotted by a
‘tantric’, who cursed him for a lifetime of imprisonment. However, later, it is believed that
a deal was made between the two according to which, Gorakhnath grew a sal tree, which
was used by the tantric to build the temple. Also known as ‘Maru Satal’, this temple,
dedicated to Saint Gorakhnath, has a very peculiar nature. His footprints have always
represented the idol of this temple.
BASANTAPUR
Modeled of brick and wood and designed with rows of artistic windows, multiple roofs,
intricately carved struts and a finial, the Basantapur palace is reminiscent of a forgotten era
– the olden times of Kings and artists.
All the floors are of different height. The lower three storeys of the Basantapur palace give
the appearance of a Newar farmhouse. The fourth and sixth floors have an arcade inside
the screen of large wooden antique windows reminiscent of Mughal palaces. The fifth and
eight storeys are comparatively small and are therefore merely support and transition. The
fourth and seventh levels have large window groupings in the center that project forward a
little and serve as a balcony.
PATAN DURBAR SQUARE
Located in the southern part of the Kathmandu Valley, the ancient city of Patan, also
known as “Lalitpur, the city of beauty” and “Yala” among the Newars, is renowned for its
fine arts and amazing architecture. It is believed to be the oldest city in the Kathmandu
Valley.
KRISHNA MANDIR
The Hindu Shikhara-style temple was built in 1637 by King Siddhi Narasimha Malla after he
dreamt that Lord Krishna and his consort Radha were standing in front of his Palace; he
then ordered the construction of the temple on the exact same spot.
The stone temple displays the incredible craftsmanship that reflects the Malla era. The first
floor is dedicated to Lord Krishna, the second floor to Lord Shiva and the third floor to Lord
Lokeshwor (Avalokiteshvara).
A statue of Garuda atop of a pillar stands in front of the temple
CHYASIN
Built in 1723 by Yogamati, the daughter of King Yoganarendra Malla, Chyasin Dewal is the
other temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is a beautiful octagonal stone temple (the word
‘Chyasin’ means eight-sided in reference to its octagonal structure).
It is said that the temple was built in memory of the 32 women (more precisely 8 wives and
24 concubines) of King Yoganarendra Malla who committed satis after the death of the King
(sati was an ancient inhumane practice in which a widow had to self-immolate during the
funeral ceremony of her deceased husband).
BHIMSEN, TALEJU BELL, HARI SHINKAR ( BASAHIN NA LANG)
KING COLUMN
Near the Hari Shankar temple, you’ll find the statue of King Yoganarendra Malla sitting atop
a pillar with his two wives, a cobra next to them and a bird on the head of the cobra. The
legend says that as long as the bird is on the statue, the King Yoganarendra Malla will
eventually return to his Kingdom. That is why a window of the Palace is always kept open.
The King shortly disappeared after this proclamation, and the people of Patan still believe
in his return.
CHOWK
The complex possesses three main Chowks (meaning “courtyards” in Nepali): Keshav
Narayan Chowk, Mul Chowk and Sundari Chowk.
KESHAV CHOWK
MUL CHOWK
Rebuilt in 1666 by King Srinivasa Malla, Mul Chowk is the largest of the Royal Palace’s three
main chowks. At the center of Mul Chowk, you’ll find a beautiful shrine dedicated to
Yantaju, a personal deity of the Malla Kings. It is also inside Mul Chowk that you’ll be able
to see the impressive Taleju Bhawani Temple (built in 1671) and the Degutale Temple (built
in 1661), both dedicated to Goddess Taleju.
BHAKTAPUR
The ancient city Bhaktapur lies on the Eastern part of Kathmandu valley which is also
known as Bhadgaon or Khwopa, Bhaktapur. It is regarded as the abode of traditional Nepali
culture, custom and unique arts of wooden and potteries. The historical monument on
around signifies medieval age culture and tradition of Nepal and this old city is inhabited by
indigenous Newari people in large group.
55 WINDOW
The Palace of Fifty-five Windows was built during the reign of the Malla King Yaksha Malla
in 1427 AD and was remodeled by King Bhupatindra Malla in the 17th century. Among the
brick walls, with their gracious setting and sculptural design, is a balcony of fifty-five
windows, considered to be a unique masterpiece of woodcarving.It is also known as one of
the oldest monument present in nepal.
NYATAPOLA
Nyatapola in Newari language means five stories - the symbolic of five basic elements. This
is the biggest and highest pagoda of Nepal ever built with such architectural perfection and
artistic beauty. The temple's foundation is said to be made wider than its base. The temple
is dedicated to the goddess Shiddhilaxmi. Those statues lined up on the 2 sides of the
staircase are built as guardians of the temple and the residing goddess, which we can see in
five layers from the base of temple. It is said that it took three generations to complete that
temple.
BHAIRAVA (BASAHIN NA LANG)
KING STATUE ( BASAHIN NA LANG)
The statue of King Bhupatindra Malla is one of the finest examples of metallic artworks,
The temple is located immediately to the southeast of the so-called 55-Window Palace. It
stands upon a seven-tier diminishing plinth, shaped like a low stepped pyramid. Entry is
from the south side, with the path up the plinth lined with 10 superb sculptures of humans,
animals (horses, dogs, rhinos), and various fanatical animals (mythical figures and sloth
bears)
TALEJU
The Taleju temple was built in the 14th century and is the oldest part of Bhaktapur's Royal
Palace. Although non-Hindus are not allowed inside

GOLDEN GATE 3 STYLES IN ANCIENT NEPAL

The Golden Gate is said to be the most beautiful and richly moulded specimen of its kind in PAGODA STYLE - SHIKHARA STYLE ( BASAHIN LANG )
the entire world. The door is surmounted by a figure of the Hindu goddess Kali and Garuda
(mythical griffin) and attended by two heavenly nymphs. It is embellished with monsters CHANGUNARYAN
and other Hindu mythical creatures of marvellous intricacy.
Considered to be one of Nepal’s oldest temples, the dual roofed temple, sits over a high
VATSALA plinth and has fours ‘dwars’ or entrances, which are guarded by life-sized sculptures of
lions and garudas. Various incarnations of Lord Vishnu are engraved on the struts
This Shikhara style temple is completely constructed in sandstone and is built upon a three- supporting the roofs of the temple.
stage plinth, and has similarities to the Krishna temple of Patan. It is dedicated to Vatsala
Devi, a form of the goddess Durga. The temple was originally built by King Jitamitra Malla in Highlights
1696 A.D.
Most of the stone pillars in the temple have shlokas or verses, inscribed on them, which are
reconstructed by King Bhupatindra Malla and dates back to the late 17th or early 18th of great importance to the Hindu religion
century. Behind the temple is a water source called dhunge dhara and next to it stands the
Chayslin Mandap.[15] It was most famous for its silver bell, known to local residents as "the
bell of barking dogs" as when it was rung, dogs in the vicinity barked and howled. The
colossal bell was hung by King Ranjit Malla in 1737 AD and was used to sound the daily
curfew. It was rung every morning when goddess Taleju was worshiped.

SIDDHI LAKSHMI
NAMO BUDDHA
Siddhi Lakshmi Temple is one of three shikara-style temples built in Bhaktapur square, and
It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Buddhists, across the world. Legend has it
one of only two surviving examples (the third, the Silumahadeva, was destroyed in the
that it was the place where Lord Buddha, in his previous birth as a prince, sacrificed his
1934 earthquake, while the second, the Vatsala Devi, still stands). It honors Siddhi Lakshmi,
body to a starving tigress and her cubs and hence, the site is sometimes also referred to as
a patron deity of the Malla Kings. The goddess was believed to have the power to drive
“Takmo Lu Jin”, which means ‘Tigress Body Generosity” in Tibetan. Pilgrims believe that this
away evil spirits and negative forces, and in this sense, served as a protector. As she
stupa was built on top of the remains of Lord Buddha, to celebrate his great sacrifice.
represents one of the manifestations of the wrathful goddess Durga, various bas-reliefs of
Durga are mounted above the temple's entrance and on its sides. SWAYAMBU
Considered to be the most powerful shrine for Buddhist Pilgrimage, this stupa is one of
Nepal’s more impressive
architectural marvels. Swayambhunath means ‘self-made’. It is situated in the Kathmandu
valley, and dedicated pilgrims need to climb 365 stairs to get to the top of the stupa.
According to a well-known legend, the valley was once a gigantic lake, which grew a lotus,
but later, the water dried and the lotus became the sacred Swayambhunath stupa.
Architecture and Symbols
Popularly known as ‘Monkey Temple’, the Swayambhunath Stupa has a white
hemispherical dome, which symbolises the earth and the 13 tiers of the spire represent the
different stages one must pass through to achieve spiritual enlightenment or Nirvana. It has
three eyes painted on each side, where the pair of eyes or the “all-seeing eyes” depict the
omnipresence of Lord Buddha, whereas the third eye symbolises wisdom. The curly
question mark shaped nose is symbolic of unity.
KRISHNA MANDIR
The Backstory
Built by King Siddhinarsingha Malla of the Malla regime, this temple is perhaps one of the
best examples of shikhara style architecture of Nepal. Legend has it that this temple was
built, as an outcome of a dream that the king had, where he visualised Lord Krishna,
standing in front of his palace. He then decided to build a Krishna temple at that very spot.
Every year in August and September, the temple holds Krishna Jayanta to celebrate the
birthday of Lord Krishna.
Architecture and Symbols
The structure of this Krishna Mandir has 21 perfectly shaped
pinnacles, with exquisite artwork, depicting the exceptional
finesse and quality of work, by the Nepalese craftsmen of the
ancient times. Beneath the spires, lie three floors, each of
which is said to house three different deities, namely Lord
Shiva, Lord Krishna and Lord Lokeshwar.
MAHABOUDDHA
The Backstory
Mahabouddha temple gets its name from the thousand and
eight terracotta tiles that cover the entire temple structure. It
is believed to have been constructed in the 16th century, by
a devotee named Abhaya Raj Shakya from Patan, who was inspired after visiting the
Mahabodhi Temple in India, where Lord Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. He
learnt the art of making coins and later when he was given permission to build a mint, he
started constructing this temple. Due to his sudden demise, his son completed building this
marvellous structure. Even today, this ancient shikhara-style temple stands tall in a small
courtyard amidst the hurly-burly of the local markets.
Architecture
Built with a thousand and eight terracotta tiles, the Mahabouddha Temple is truly an
architectural marvel. Every inch of this temple is etched with an image of Lord Buddha into
it. Even today, this ancient shikhara-style temple stands tall in a small courtyard amidst the
hurly-burly of the local markets.
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
Nepal Vernacular Architecture has three broad architectural division (Hight Mountains,
MiddleMountain