GOPALA’S &

MAHISPALA’S
Prepared by : Submitted to:
Anushka khatri Samiksha adhikari
Department of
Architecture

DATE: 2078-02-28
 Contents
 INTRODUCTION
PRE-HISTORIC NEPAL
SETTLEMENTS
PEOPLE
 Introduction
• The Recorded History of Nepal dates back
to 3000 years (approx.) .

• The early rulers of Nepal were the

Gopālavaṃśi (Gopal Bansa) or "cowherd
dynasty", who presumably ruled for about
five centuries.

•They are said to have been followed by the

Mahiṣapālavaṃśa or "buffalo-herder
dynasty", established by a Yadav named Bhul
Singh

• ruled, Nepal with the capital at the

southwest corner of today’s Kathmandu
valley.
 PRE-HISTORIC NEPAL
● No records of prehistoric Nepal exist.

● Though, some of the important Nepali texts are Nepal Mahatmya

& Swayambhu purana.

● The two important

vamsavalis are
Gopalarajavamsavali &
Bhasavamsavali.

● Gopalarajavamsavali states
that kirats were preceded by the Mahispalas who had taken over from the Gopalas
who had ruled for 8 generations. And also , gopalas were the first rulers of Nepal.

● Early legends indicate that kathmandu valley was a lake which was later drained and
settled.
 SETTLEMENTS
● Early legends indicate that Kathmandu valley was a lake
which was later drained and settled.

● After the drying of the lake, the hillocks remaining out

of the water were probably the early habitat of the
aboriginal settlers.

● Settlement moved down along the hills, jutting into the

valley along Changunarayan, Jagdol, Kapan, Tokha,
Mahankal, Balaju, Swayambhu, Naikap, Bungamati,
Sunakothi, Katunje, Sanga-Tathali.

● Later settlement extended to Bhaktapur, Thimi, Gothatar, Devpatan, Baluwatar,

Manamaiji, Kirtipur, Chovar, Okhthali, Lagan & Matitar.

● By early lichhavi period movement had occurred to occupy Patan, Handigaon &
Kathmandu.
PEOPLE

● The chronicles seems to suggest that the Gopalas & Mahispalas came from the India,
but the Nirish Nepal belives their origins to be deprived from the pastoral
community of Naga who broke up into two groups of gopala(cow herders) &
Mahispala (buffalo herders).

● They appear to be the aboriginal herdsmen of Bagmati region and the earliest
anscestors of Newars.

● The Newar caste hierarchy had the Hale / Gwa caste divided into two sub-sections:
Sapu (cow-milker) & Me-pu (buffalo milker).

● The predominance of Hale/Gwa castes among the newars in Taukhel, Nhulu,

Kunchha, Papung, Pulagaon & Sikharkot villages of Tistung-Taukhel_Chitlang regions
indicate they are not mythical but real historical people.
● According to the vamsavalis the 7 daughter groups of Gopalas & Mahispalas
occupied 7 villages of Kathmandu : SATUNGAL, BOSHIGAUN, MACHCHEGAUN,
TAUKHEL, KIRTIPUR, LOHANKOT & NAGAM.

● During the jatra of Satgaons, all the seven guardian

goddesses of the villages come together at the site
of the mother goddess of Vishandevi temple on the
banks of the river Balkhu (Indramati Ganga).

● Podes were the group leaders of the festivities.

And also, they were the guardians of the matrika
temples.
 Mahadev pokhari Dahachowk

● Location of Mahadev pokhari, Dahachowk, Pokhari Thumko & Pokhari Bhanjhyang in

general areas of the Buddhist legends to suggest these hill ponds served as water
supply reservoirs for large settlements nearby.

● The Kings of Gopala Dynasty are credited with the Temple restoration of Vedic Deity
Pashupatinath on the Pashupatinath volcanic mound in ancient Nepal, which
became the location of the Pashupatinath Temple.

● The Kings of Gopala Dynasty were devotees of Lord Shiva.

THANK- YOU