Kathmandu Valley

The Kathmandu valley is the capital city of Nepal, with an area of 167 ha. It has three major cities as Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. There are 7 UNESCO world heritage cultural sites. The altitude of Kathmandu is 1350m above sea level, surrounded by some big hills. Before the 15th century, it was one kingdom, and its capital was Bhaktapur and divided into three domains: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. Three kings ruled until the 18th century, and then they became the capital city of Nepal after king Prithvi Narayan Shaha united Nepal. The valley was known as Nepal when the other parts outside Kathmandu had several kings with small states.

Kathmandu city is a developed and most populated city in Nepal. Most of the higher governmental headquarters are located in this valley. It is one of the tourist hubs in Nepal, with rich, unique art, architecture, culture, and street festivals.

The earthquake severely hit some historical monuments on 25th April 2015, and a few hundred people were killed. Kathmandu is not the original name, so it was known as Nepal Mandala (Land of Nepa People), but later in the 12th century, made Kashtha Mandap (Wooden building), which was made out of the wood of one tree then named Kathmandu from this building which is in Kathmandu Durbar Square.

Kathmandu may have been inhabited from an early age, and humans started to make settlements coming out of the jungle life. Historically, Kathmandu was full of water, and when the water cleared out, Patan got the first inhabitants. Several different dynasties were ruling in Kathmandu, as below:

Gopal dynasty (Cow feeders) ruled for 521 years by eight kings in Kathmandu

According to the Hindu Myth, God Shree Krishna had come with his friends when Kathmandu was full of water and cleared the water, then made the king to Bhuktaman, and he went.

Bhumi Gupta (Bhuktaman)
Jaya Gupta
Dharma Gupta
Harsh Gupta
Bhim Gupta
Madi Gupta
Bishnu Gupta
Jeet Gupta

Mahispal dynasty (Buffalo feeders) in Kathmandu

Mahispal were from the same Gopal dynasty and were divided into cow feeders and buffalo feeders from the same family.

Kirat Dynasty in Ktm Valley

Kirat arrived in the valley early in the 7th or 8th century BC; they were Mongolian looking and used sheep farming. Kirat ruled for about 1225 years by 29 different kings as below:

Yellung Hang or Yalambar
Pari Hang
Skandhar Hang
Balamba Hang
Hriti Hang
Humati Hang
Jitedasti Hang
Galinja Hang
Oysgja Hang
Suyarma Hang
Papa Hang
Bunka Hang
Swawnanda Hang
Sthunko Hang
Jinghri Hang
Nane Hang
Luka Hang
Thor Hang
Thoko Hang
Verma Hang
Guja Hang
Pushkar Hang
Keshu Hang
Suja Hang
Sansa Hang
Gunam Hang
Khimbu Hang
Paruka Hang

Lichchavi Dynasty in the Valley

Lichchavi were from the Indian states and ruled Nepal only by five kings. There was no written language in Nepal before the Lichchavi led. There was spoken language only. King Manadeva put a stone pillar in Changunarayan with writings about his and his father’s work for the country then the reports started. Stone architecture was developed during this period. The kings of the Lichchavi were:

Dharmadeva
Manadeva
Amshuvarma (was in the Lichchavi period, but he was not Lichchavi)
Manadeva II
Amshuvarma (again)
Jayadeva II

Malla Dynasty in Kathmandu, Nepal

The Malla ruled Nepal from the 12th to the 18th century. By that time, only Kathmandu city was Nepal. There were wooden carvings, and most art and architecture were developed during the Malla period. The Malla was also from the Indian states when there was a problem between the Muslims and Hindus; Malla was Hindu and escaped from their origin and settled in Nepal. These Malla kings ruled the whole of Kathmandu, ruling from Bhaktapur:

Ari Malla (1201 – 1216)
Abhaya Malla (1216 - 1235)
Ranasura (1216)
Jayadeva Malla (1235 - 1258)
Jaya Bhima Deva Malla (1258 - 1271)
Jayashimha Malla (1271 - 1274)
Ananta Malla (1274 - 1310)
Jayananda Deva Malla (1310 - 1320)
Jayari Malla (1320 - 1344)
Jayarudra Malla (1320 - 1326)
Jayaraja Deva Malla (1347 - 1361)
Jayaarjuna Malla (1361 - 1382)
Jayasthiti Malla (1382 - 1395)
Jayajyotir Malla (1395 - 1428)
Jayakriti Malla (1395 - 1403)
Jayadharma Malla (1395 - 1408)
Jayaksha Malla (1428 – 1482)

After the king ruled from Bhaktapur when the whole valley was one country, he divided into three countries: Patan, Kathmandu, and Bhaktapur, and started being ruled individually by different kings until Nepal was united by the king Prithvi Narayan Shaha.

Kathmandu

Kathmandu durbar square

The real name of Kathmandu city was Kantipur which later changed to Kathmandu. After the period of Yaksha Malla, some kings ruled this city which is listed below:

Ratna Malla (1482 - 1520)
Surya Malla (1520 - 1530)
Amara Malla (1530 - 1538)
Narendra Malla (1538 - 1560)
Mahendra Malla (1560–1574)
Sadashiva Malla (1574–1583)
Shivasimha Malla (1583–1620)
Laxminarasimha Malla (1620 - 1641)
Pratap Malla (1641–1674)
Chakrabartendra Malla (1669)
Mahipatendra Malla (1670)
Jayanripendra Malla (1674–1680)
Parthivendra Malla (1680–1687)
Bhupalendra Malla (1687–1700)
Bhaskar Malla (1700–1714)
Mahendrasimha Malla (1714–1722)
Jagjaya Malla (1722–1736)
Jayaprakash Malla (1736–1746)
Jyotiprakash Malla (1746–1750)
Jayaprakash Malla (1750–1768)

Lalitpur (Patan)

Patan Durbar Square

Lalitpur city is famous as Patan by tourists because of the Patan Durbar Square. The fine arts are named Latipur, so Lalitpur is the city of fine arts, and Patan is the flat land. This city has no regular kings. Sometimes it would be under Kathmandu, and sometimes would be under Bhaktapur. Here is the list of who ruled Lalitpur:

Purandr Simha (1580 - 1600)
Harihar Shimha (1600 - 1609)
Shiva Simha [King of Kantipur] (1609 - 1620)
Siddhi Nara Shimha Malla (1620 - 1661)
Shree Niwasa Malla (1661 - 1685)
Yoga Narendra Malla (1685–1705)
Loka Prakash Malla (1705–1706)
Purandara Malla (1706–1709)
Bira Nara Shimha Malla (1709)
Bira Mahindra Malla (1709–1715)
Riddhi Malla (1715–1717)
Mahindra Malla (1717–1722)
Yoga Prakash Malla (1722–1729)
Bishnu Malla (1729–1745_
Rajya Prakash Malla (1745–1758)
Bishwajit Malla (1758–1760)
Jaya Prakash Malla (King of Kantipur) (1760–1761), (1763–1764)
Ranajit Malla [King of Bhaktapur] (1762–1763)
Dalamardan Shaha [Brother of Prithvi Narayan Shaha] (1764–1765)
Tej Nara Simha Malla 1765–1768

Bhaktapur

55 Windows Palace Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur city is the oldest city in the valley, and it is rich in wooden carvings. Bhaktapur is known as the city of devotees, and the actual name of this city is Bhadgaun. Here is the list of the kings who ruled in Bhaktapur:

Raya Malla (1482 - 1519)
Prana Malla (1519 - 1547)
Bishwa Malla (1547 - 1560)
Trailokya Malla (1560–1613)
Jagajyoti Malla (1613–1637)
Naresh Malla (1637–1644)
Jagat Prakash Malla (1644–1673)
Jitamitra Malla (1673–1696)
Bhupatindra Malla (1696–1722)
Ranajit Malla (1722–1769)

Then the valley was united by the Shaha dynasty (King Prithvi Narayan Shaha), then moved his palace from Gorkha to Kathmandu and started ruling from here as the capital city of Nepal. Several Shaha kings have ruled Nepal since 2008. Nepal has no more king. Here are the Shaha kings who ruled from 1768 to 2008.

Prithvi Narayan Shaha (1768 - 1775)
Pratap Singh Shaha (1775 - 1777)
Rana Bahadur Shaha (1777 - 1799)
Girbana Yuddha Bikram Shaha (1799 - 1816)
Rajendra Bikram Shaha (1816 - 1847)
Surendra Bikram Shaha (1847 - 1881)
Prithvi Bira Bikram Shaha (1881 - 1911)
Tribhuwan Bira Bikram Shaha (1911 - 1950)
Gyanendra Bira Bikram Shaha (1950 - 1951)
Tribhuwan Bira Bikram Shaha (1951 - 1955)
Mahendra Bira Bikram Shaha (1955 - 1972)
Birendra Bira Bikram Shaha (1972 - 2001)
Dipendra Bira Bikram Shaha (1st June 2001 - 4th June 2001)
Gyanendra Bira Bikram Shaha (2001 - 2008)

If you want to visit these cities and the heritage sites and tour these places to learn more about history, culture, religion, ethnicity, art, and architecture, please get in touch with us.