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Nepal's recorded history
began with the Kiratis, who arrived in the 7th or 8th century BC from
the east. Little is known about them, other than their deftness as
sheep farmers and fondness for carrying long knives. It was during
this period that Buddhism first came to the country; indeed it is
claimed that Buddha and his disciple Ananda visited the Kathmandu
Valley and stayed for a time in Patan. By 200 AD, Buddhism had waned,
and was replaced by Hinduism, brought by the Licchavis, who invaded
from northern India and overthrew the last Kirati king. The Hindus
also introduced the caste system (which still continues today) and
ushered in a classical age of Nepalese art and architecture.
By 879, the Licchavi era had petered out and was succeeded by the
Thakuri dynasty. A grim period of instability and invasion often
referred to as the 'Dark Ages' followed, but Kathmandu Valley's
strategic location ensured the kingdom's survival and growth. Several
centuries later, the Thakuri king, Arideva, founded the Malla dynasty,
kick-starting another renaissance of Nepali culture. Despite
earthquakes, the odd invasion and feuding between the independent
city-states of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, the dynasty flourished,
reaching its zenith in the 15th century under Yaksha Malla.
The rulers of Ghorkha, the most easterly region, had always coveted
the Mallas' wealth. Under the inspired leadership of Prithvi Narayan
Shah, the Ghorkha launched a campaign to conquer the valley. In 1768 -
after 27 years of fighting - they triumphed and moved their capital to
Kathmandu. From this new base the kingdom's power expanded, borne by a
seemingly unstoppable army, until progress was halted in 1792 by a
brief and chastening war with Tibet.
Further hostilities followed in 1814, this time with the British over
a territorial dispute. The Nepalese were eventually put to heel and
compelled to sign the 1816 Sugauli Treaty, which surrendered Sikkim
and most of Terai (some of the land was eventually restored in return
for Nepalese help in quelling the Indian Mutiny of 1857), established
Nepal's present eastern and western boundaries and, worst of all,
installed a British 'resident' in the country.
The Shah dynasty continued in power during the first half of the 19th
century until the ghastly Kot Massacre of 1846. Taking advantage of
the intrigue and assassinations that had plagued the ruling family,
Jung Bahadur seized control by butchering several hundred of the most
important men while they assembled in the Kot courtyard. He took the
more prestigious title Rana, proclaimed himself prime minister for
life, and later made the office hereditary. For the next century, the
Ranas and their offspring luxuriated in huge Kathmandu palaces, while
the remainder of the population eked out a living in medieval
conditions.
The Rana's antiquated regime came to an end soon after WW II. In 1948,
the British withdrew from India and with them went the Ranas' chief
support. Around the same time, a host of insurrectional movements,
bent on reshaping the country's polity, emerged. Sporadic fighting
spilled onto the streets and the Ranas, at the behest of India,
reluctantly agreed to negotiations. King Tribhuvan was anointed ruler
in 1951 and struck up a government comprised of Ranas and members of
the newly formed Nepali Congress Party.
But the compromise was shortlived. After toying with democratic
elections - and feeling none too pleased by the result - King Mahendra
(Tribhuvan's son and successor) decided that a 'partyless' panchaayat
system would be more appropriate for Nepal. The king selected the
prime minister and cabinet and appointed a large proportion of the
national assembly, which duly rubber-stamped his policies. Power, of
course, remained with only one party - the king's.
Cronyism, corruption and the creaming-off of lucrative foreign aid
into royal coffers continued until 1989. The Nepalese, fed up with
years of hardship and suffering under a crippling trade embargo
imposed by the Indians, rose up in popular protest called the Jana
Andolan or 'People's Movement'. In the ensuing months, detention,
torture and violent clashes left hundreds of people dead. It all
proved too much for King Birendra, in power since 1972. He dissolved
his cabinet, legalised political parties and invited the opposition to
form an interim government. The panchaayat system was finally laid to
rest.
The changeover to democracy proceeded in an orderly, if leisurely,
fashion, and in May 1991 the Nepali Congress Party and the Communist
Party of Nepal shared most of the votes. Since then, Nepal has
discovered that establishing a workable democratic system is an
enormously difficult task - especially when it is the country's first
such system. The situation has been further exacerbated by a
wafer-thin economy, massive unemployment, illiteracy and an ethnically
and religiously fragmented population that continues to grow at an
alarming rate.
The fractured political landscape in Nepal was torn apart in June 2001
with the massacre of most of the royal family - including King
Birendra - by Crown Prince Dipendra. Civil strife erupted again in
Kathmandu, with a curfew imposed to quell street violence. Prince
Gyanendra, the brother of King Birendra, ascended to the throne, and
although three months on, relative calm has replaced the widespread
civil unrest that immediately followed the massacre, there is still
much political uncertainty.
King Gyanendra is said to be playing a greater behind-the-scenes role
than his brother did, and attempting to make the palace more
transparent. However, it will be an uphill battle for the new king,
who has to deal not only with suspicion around his role in the royal
killings and his move to the throne, but with a range of fiscal and
political problems. Chief of these is the Maoist rebellion against the
government, which has claimed 1700 lives over the past six years. The
first round of peace talks between the rebels and the government took
place at the end of August 2001 and a ceasefire was declared - then
abruptly ended. Any talk of détente is at risk from the government's
proposed land reforms and budget decisions, and major political
challenges. In early September 2001 a tentative alliance comprising 10
left-wing political parties emerged, along with calls for a united
government of representatives from all political directions, including
Mao rebels, and changes to the constitution. Hopes of a settlement
were again dashed with coordinated Maoist bombings in November 2001.
The 2001 post-monsoon season, bringing with it a new influx of
tourists and an unclear political landscape, will be a difficult time
for both King Gyanendra and the Nepalese government. It remains to be
seen how the tiny kingdom will deal with these new challenges.
NEPAL AT A
GLANCE
Area : 147,181 sq. km
Geography : Situated between China in the north and India in
the South.
Capital : Kathmandu
Population : 22 Million
Language : Nepali is the national language. However,
travel-trade people understand and speak English as well.
Currency : Nepalese Rupee (approximately US$ 1 equals Rs. 74.65
).
Political System : Multi-party Democracy With constitutional
monarchy
Religion : Nepal enjoys the distinction of being the only Hindu
Kingdom in the world. However, there is a harmonious blending of
Hinduism and Buddhism.
Climate : Nepal has four major seasons, namely,
(1) Winter : December-February,
(2) Spring : March-May,
(3) Summer : June-August,
(4) Autumn : September-November.
Nepal can be visited the whole year round.
People : Nepal has more than 61 ethnic groups and 70 spoken
languages.
What to Wear : Lightweight clothing is recommended for May
through October. Warm garments are required in October-March. An
umbrella or a raincoat is a must for the rainy season. |
History
