Kathmandu Valley

The Kathmandu Valley (Nepali: काठमाडौं उपत्यका), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (Nepali: नेपाः उपत्यका, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), is a bowl-shaped valley in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal. It is very important because it sits where ancient cultures from the Indian subcontinent and wider Asia met. The valley has many important places for Hindus and Buddhists to visit and holds seven special spots recognized worldwide as World Heritage Sites.

It is the biggest and most developed area in Nepal, home to around 5 million people. The valley includes cities such as Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and several others. Many important offices and businesses are based here, making it the economic center of Nepal. Visitors often come to see its special buildings and enjoy many lively festivals, called jatras. Sadly, in 2015, a big earthquake caused a lot of damage and loss of life in the valley. Today, the area continues to grow and remains a key part of Nepal.

Etymology

Historically, the Kathmandu Valley and nearby areas were part of a group called the Nepal Mandala. Until the 1400s, the city Bhaktapur was its main center, but later Kathmandu and Patan became important cities too. Until the 1960s, people called the valley the Nepala Valley or Nepa Valley. In 1961, it started being called Kathmandu Valley. Some people, especially the Newar people, still use the name Nepa Valley.

The name Kathmandu comes from a special building in the Durbar Square. This building, called Kāsṣtha mandapa in Sanskrit, was made completely from wood without any iron nails. It was built in 1596 by a king named Lakshmi Narasimha Malla. The wood for this amazing two-story pagoda was said to come from just one tree.

History

The Kathmandu Valley may have been home to people as early as 300 BCE. The oldest known objects there are from a few hundred years before this time. The oldest building still standing in the valley is over 2,000 years old. Ancient rulers, like the Licchavis and later the Mallas, helped shape the valley's history. In the 18th century, the Shah dynasty from the Gorkha Kingdom took control of the valley.

The Newars are the original people of the valley and have created a rich culture there. They have made important contributions to art, architecture, music, and more. Their special building styles, like the pagoda, have influenced places far away, including China and Tibet. Even today, people from other parts of Nepal often move to the Kathmandu Valley for better opportunities, but the Newars continue to keep their traditions alive.

Mythology

According to the Swayambhu Puran, the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake, known by scientists as the Paleo Kathmandu Lake. On the hill where the Swayambu Stupa stands, there were beautiful lotus flowers.

One story tells us that the God Manjusri used his sword called Chandrahrasha to cut a gorge at a place named Kashapaal (later called Chobhar). This action drained the lake’s water and created a place where people could live.

Another story says that Krishna used his Sudarshana Chakra to cut the gorge and let the water out. After this, he gave the dry valley to the Gopal Vansi people, who were travelers that cared for cows.

Geography

Kathmandu Valley is shaped like a bowl and sits at a height of 1,425 metres (4,675 feet) above sea level. It is surrounded by five mountain ranges, including the Shivapuri hills and Chandragiri. The main river that flows through the valley is the Bagmati River.

The valley includes the districts of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, covering an area of 220 square miles (570 km²). Important cities in the valley are Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur, and Madhyapur Thimi. In 1979, the Kathmandu Valley was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, recognizing its important cultural and political role in Nepal.

Notable areas

The Kathmandu Valley is full of important places to visit, such as temples and squares. Seven of these places are special and protected by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Some famous spots include:

• Bhaktapur District: Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Changu Narayan Temple, and Balkumari temple.
• Kathmandu District: Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, and Swayambhunath Stupa Complex.
• Lalitpur District: Patan Durbar Square and the Rato Macchindranath Temple.

Present

The Kathmandu Valley is home to seven important places that UNESCO has named World Heritage Sites. These include the old parts of three main cities: Kathmandu Hanuman Dhoka, Patan Durbar Square, and Bhaktapur Durbar Square. It also has two big Buddhist places, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, and two famous Hindu temples, Pashupatinath temple and Changu Narayan. These sites were once listed as "endangered" by UNESCO in 2003 because people were worried about damage, but this status was removed in 2007.

In the past, many important Tibetan Buddhist teachers, like Marpa and Milarepa, traveled through the Kathmandu Valley. Many Tibetans moved to the valley in the 1960s and settled near Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. The valley also has beautiful old stone buildings and many stone writings that help us learn about Nepal's history. A caitya can be found in almost every courtyard in cities like Patan. Stone inscriptions in the Kathmandu Valley are important for understanding the past.

Demographics

The Kathmandu Valley is home to 2,996,341 people.

Kathmandu (National Capital Area)

In 2015, the Government of Nepal suggested making the Kathmandu Valley its own special area, separate from Bagmati Province.

The Kathmandu Valley includes three districts from Bagmati Province. It has a population of 2,996,341 people and covers an area of 933.73 km² (360.52 sq mi).

Included cities

This part lists the cities and their populations from the 2021 Nepal census.

Some rural areas, like Konjyoson Rural Municipality, Bagmati Rural Municipality, and Mahankal Rural Municipality, are part of Lalitpur but are not considered part of the main Kathmandu Valley.