Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Kirant Period

After the dowfall of 'Mahispal Dynasty', comes 'Kirati Dynasty'. They ruled Nepal for more than 1225 years and their capital was Gokarna. During Kiranti or kirati period, there were 29 kings who ruled Nepal for more than 1225 years.Yalamber was the first Kirat King . His name is mentioned in great Hindu epic 'Mahabharat' . He had the dubious honor of being slain in the battle of the Mahabharat, in which gods and mortals fought alongside with each other. Legends credit him with meeting Indra, the lord of heaven according to Hindus, who ventured into the valley human guise. It is said that during the battle of Mahabharat, Yalambar went to witness the battle with a view to take side of the losing party. Lord Krishna, incarnation of Lord Vishnu, knowing the intention and the strength and unity of the Kirants war would be unnecessarily prolonged if Yalamber sided with the Kauravs (villians in Mahabharat). So, by a clever stroke of diplomacy, Lord Krishna cut off Yalamber's head.

During the rule of the 7th Kiranti King Jitedasti, Lord Gautam Buddha is said to have come to the valley with his several disciples and to have visited holy places of Swayambhu and Guheswori etc. and to have preached his religious teaching. The Kirantis of the valley refused to follow his doctrine but welcomed Lord Buddha and  his disciples.

During the rule of the 14th Kiranti King Sthunko, the Indian Emperor Ashoka is said to have come to the Kathmandu Valley with his daughter, Princess Charumati. During his stay in the valley, he is said to have four stupas built around Patan in the four cardinal directions and one in the centre. He is said to have arranged his daughter Charumati's marriage with a Prince Devpala of Kirant Dynasty. Prince Devpala and his wife Charumati lived at Chabahil near Pashupati area. Later Charumati had the stupas of Devapatana built after the death of her husband in his memory.Charumati later on became a nun herself and built a convent where she resided and practiced Lord Buddha's Doctrine. We can still find a Charumati Stupa in Chahabil.

During the rule of the 15th Kirata King Jinghri, another religious doctrine, Jainism, was being preached by Mahavir of India. Bhadrabhau, a disciple of Mahavira Jaina, is said to have come to Nepal. But Jainism did not gain as much popularity as Buddhism in Nepal.

During the rule of the 28th Kirata King Paruka, the Sombanshi ruler attacked hsi regime many times from the west. Although he successfully repelled their attacks, he was forced to move to Shankhamul from Gokarna. He had a royal palace called "Patuka" built there for him. The "Patuka Palace" can no longer be seen, except its ruins in the form of a mound. Patuka changed Shakhamul (place in Kathmandu) into a beautiful town.

The last king of the Kirant Dynasty was Gasti, a weak ruler, who is said to have been overthrown by the Somavanshi ruler Nimisha. This ended the powerful Kiranti Period that had lasted for 1225 years. After the defeat, the Kirants moved to the Eastern hills of Nepal and settled down there, dividing into small principalities. Their settlements were divided into three regions, i.e., 'Wallokirant' that lay to the East of the Kathmandu Valley, 'Majkirant' or Central Kirant region and 'Pallokirant' that lay to the far East of the Kathmandu Valley. These regions are still heavily populated by Kirants.

2 comments:

  1. The legend of "kirati" dynasty and first ruler's legend is extremely unidentified many men many explanation it develop dilema to understand.

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  2. What does Mahabharata tell us about the kirants

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