Lecture 05 Kiratas in Kathmandu Valley PDF

Summary

This lecture discusses the Kiratas, a group of people with a significant history in the Kathmandu Valley. It covers their roles in the development of the valley, exploring various aspects of their culture, architecture, and daily life. The lecturer also presents key sources, like historical texts, to support their narrative.

Full Transcript

JHARNA JOSHI WEDNESDAY, 03 AUGUST 2022 [email protected] § Review last lecture - Creation of the “Nepal Valley” and the Gopalas and Mahispalas § Kiratas in Kathmandu Valley § Class Assignment § Discussions 2...

JHARNA JOSHI WEDNESDAY, 03 AUGUST 2022 [email protected] § Review last lecture - Creation of the “Nepal Valley” and the Gopalas and Mahispalas § Kiratas in Kathmandu Valley § Class Assignment § Discussions 2 30,000 YEARS AGO: This panorama by Dinesh Shrestha, taken from Lakuri Bhanjyang in 2008, was manipulated to visualise what the Kathmandu Valley must have looked like when it was a huge lake. Present settlement of Kathmandu valley 3 No records of pre-historic Nepal exist. Religious legends exist but actual historical facts are difficult to ascertain, as the legends are designed to curtail each other’s influence. Some important Nepali texts are Nepal Mahatmya and Swayambhu Purana. 4 Chronologies or Vamsavalis are dynastic histories which detail out the deeds of kings towards the gods. They can be a good source of historical events, however, their authenticity requires further confirmation. The two important Vamsavalis are 1. Gopalarajavamsavali (compiled in 1382-1395 in the court of Jayasthitimalla) and 2. Bhasavamsavali (prepared during 18-19th century). 5 Gopalarajavamsavali lists Mandeva as the 21st king of the Lichchavi dynasty. It states Lichchavis were preceded by 32 kings of the Kirat dynasty. The Kirats were preceded by the Mahispalas who had taken over from the Gopalas who had ruled for eight generations. So by assigning 20 years for each reign period, the Gopalas began their rule around 1000 BC. As per the Vamsavalis, Gopalas were the first rulers of Nepal. Tiwari, S. R. (2001). The ancient settlements of the Kathmandu Valley. 6 According to the Vamsavalis the seven daughter groups of Gopalas and Mahispalas occupied seven villages of Kathmandu: Satungal, Boshigaun, Machchegaun, Taukhel (Tahakhel), Kirtipur, Lohankot and Nagam (Panga). These villages have concentrations of Gwas and Hales. 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). Tiwari, S. R. (2001). The ancient settlements of the Kathmandu Valley. 7 Ichangu Narayan – Ichangu Vipaswibuddha – Jamacho Sikha Narayan – Pharping Sikhitathagata – Champadevi Bishankhu Narayan – Bishankhu Viswobhubuddha – Phulchoki Changu Narayan – Changu Manjushri – Manichurthan 8 Kirats may have travelled to Kathmandu Valley after being displaced from their ancestral homeland by the Aryans. Some Vamsavalis mention the Kiratas took the Bagmati route from the south to enter the valley. Kira (edge) ta (roam)- so Kiratas are thought to refer to indigenous people roaming at the edge of Aryan settlements. 9 The Vamsavalis tell of Kirata palaces at Phulchoki, Godavari, Gokarna and later Pulchowk but there are no remains to corroborate the statements. The Mandeva palace at Gokarna is thought to be the Kirata palace but since it is a cave, its likelihood being the remains of a Kirata palace is remote. 10 Mahabharat mentions Kiratas as aligned to Kauravas. Shiva also appears as a Kirata to give Arjuna the weapon of Pashupat. The Puranas mention Kiratas as people of the Madhyadesh, located in the Himalayas next to Kamrupa. Kamarupa is an early state during the Classical period (3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE)on the Indian subcontinent, was the first historical kingdom of Assam. Kamarupa prevailed from 350 CE to 1140 CE. Slusser, Mary (1982). Nepal Mandala: A Cultural Study of the Kathmandu Valley. Princeton University. 11 Ruled by three dynasties from their capitals in present-day Guwahati, North Guwahati and Tezpur, Kamarupa at its height covered the entire Brahmaputra Valley, North Bengal, Bhutan and northern part of Bangladesh, and at times portions of what is now West Bengal and Bihar. The Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited the kingdom in the 7th century, then ruled by Bhaskaravarman (600– 650), the last of the Varman dynasty. 12 Kira (edge) ta (roam)- so Kiratas are thought to refer to indigenous people roaming at the edge of Aryan settlements. Vamsavalis indicate Kiratas as the successors of the Gopalas (Cow herd) and the Mahispalas (Buffalo herb). Some Vamsavalis mention the Kiratas took the Bagmati route from the south to enter the valley. Others suggests earlier drifters from the Tibetan plateau to be the ancestors of Kiratas who in turn were the ancestors of the Newars. Slusser, M. (1982). Nepal Mandala: A cultural study of the Kathmandu Valley. Princeton University. Tiwari, S. R. (2001). The ancient settlements of the Kathmandu Valley. 13 Manusmriti mentions the later Dasyus, known as the Sakas, formed themselves into eleven sub-groups, including the Kiratas and the Khasas, who made their homes in the Himalayan foothills. The Kiratas made their state with Kathmandu as their capital region. Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 14 Whereas the Gopalas and Mahispalas were thought to have come from India and followed Vedic Hinduism with Vaisnavite inclination, the Kiratas were thought to be the followers of Shiva. Kirateswore Sivalinga and proto- Lichchvi Kali of Aryaghat are indicative of Sivaite following among Kiratas. Virupaksha, Pashupati, 5th century possibly by Shree Bhogini, the Naga wife of the Lichchhavi King Manadeva Tiwari, S. R. (2001). The ancient settlements of the Kathmandu Valley. 15 Civilisation of the Kiratas § Beyond “hunters” § Exporting processed animal hide carpets to the Mauryan court as early as fourth century BC § Taxation and administrative structures § Built culture – brick and timber - Italian archaeological digs at Hadigaon Satya Narayana have found brick building foundations dated to between first and second century BC. (Brick architecture also found at the ‘Sakya’ area of Lumbini) Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 16 Civilisation of the Kiratas § Carpenters and bricklayers § Eighteen different trades, often grouped as Seni or guilds (an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area) § Trades related to the construction of buildings, temples and cities and the bricklayer was one of them. § These eighteen trades were active in Kathmandu valley Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 17 Civilisation of the Kiratas § Istaka - the Sanskrit word for brick - ‘Ista’ sacrificial offerings to the fire in the vedi § “In Hindu architectural treatises, the word is applied in a generic sense to any material used to construct a temple, even wooden members or stone lintels, as every temple is a pile of vedi and thus is a receptacle to yaj” - prove that brick was also established as a building material Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 18 Pringga of the Kiratas § The Kirata settlement, called pringga was small but densely built in fallow high ground and characterized by a street that linked the in-town sanctum (devakula or dyochhen) of the guardian/protector of the settlement with its out-of-town hypaethral sanctuary (pithugwora or pith without roofs) located in nature some distance from its periphery marked by funerary spots Tiwari, S. R. (2011). From past paths to future walks: Reading and Learning from the Traditional Streets of Kathmandu Valley Towns. 19 Pringga of the Kiratas § Annually, the residents celebrated the ceremonial travel of the town's tutelary from the dyochhen to the pith and the associated rituals of departure, moving and arrival. § Eventually, the forecourt of the dyochhen developed into a central public space and the spatial detailing of the street incorporated a number of stopover spaces for the tutelary on its ceremonial travel. § When the Lichchhavi arrived, the Kathmandu town was already a ceremonial arena as much as they were served administrative, economic and social purpose. Tiwari, S. R. (2011). From past paths to future walks: Reading and Learning from the Traditional Streets of Kathmandu Valley Towns. 20 Pringga of the Kiratas Tiwari, S. R. (2011). From past paths to future walks: Reading and Learning from the Traditional Streets of Kathmandu Valley Towns. 21 Pringga of the Kiratas § The basic town square of a Kirata pringga can be studied at the Tunaldevi Dyochhen chowk located off the main street at Dathutole of Hadigaun. § The axis of the Dyochhen crosses the rectangular court in front, becomes a narrow street and taken a right angular turn to the east to meet the main street of the town. § The court space in front and on the sides of the Dyochhen is further defined by a east-west pathway and by pati placed at its north-west corner. Tiwari, S. R. (2011). From past paths to future walks: Reading and Learning from the Traditional Streets of Kathmandu Valley Towns. 22 Pringga of the Kiratas § Yala or Patan or Daxinarahakula – last palace of Kirata § King Yalamber § King Patuk and Patuko-don § Brick ruins § Monoliths at Jhatapau § Kwabahal Tiwari, S. R. (2001). The ancient settlements of the Kathmandu Valley. 23 Dyochhens and piths § The temple of ‘Matin’, a pre Lichchavi a ‘brick and wood’ temple “Now that we have repaired carefully in the temple of Matin all worn out woods constituting the doors, frames, panels, windows etc., which have been entirely destroyed, since long, because through the crevices in the layers of bricks that have fallen a large number of the mice and mongoose had attacked the building, and now to ensure its good condition for a long time to come,…” Inscription found east of Sundhara in Patan (now at the National Museum) Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 24 Dyochhens and piths § The people of Kirata decent even now annually congregate at the temple of Mahalaxmi at Tyagal, further to the east of the location of the inscription. § The word ‘Matin’ appears as a degenerate form of ‘Matrinam’ or Mother-Goddesses § The Mahalaxmi Dyochhen of Tyagal is likely to be the ‘Matindevakula’ of the inscription. Matindevakula (Balkumari Dyochhe at § The area was called ‘Matilam Ksetra’ as Tyagal, Patan). late as 1497 AD. Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 25 Dyochhens and piths § It is a rectangular two-storied brick and timber temple in Dyochhen format. § These rectangular temples do not conform to the regular square tiered temples, which use proportioning standards that can be traced to the Vastusastras. § These rectangular temples house Bhairava, Bhimsen, Bal-Kumari Ajima Salan Ganesh Dyo Chhen, Bhaktapur and other Mother-Goddesses. Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 26 Dyochhens and piths § Bhimsen is also revered as Bhairava, rectangular format of temple appears generic to Siva-ganas and Matrikas, both of whom were venerated in Nepal from pre-Lichchhavi period. § Many of such sites also have pre-Lichchhavi or early Lichchhavi images, numinous stones or other remains. § The rectangular temples also have odd number of multiple finials or Gajurs § Hip-ended sloping roof Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 27 Dyochhens and piths § Kirata towns had Dyochhen within the town and piths outside it § This schema of Kirata towns can still be seen in many Jyapu villages in the valley § Rectangular temples are rare in India § Hadigaon - Andipringga in Kirata days and Andigrama in late Lichchhavi period, has the set of Dyochhen and pith of Tunaldevi, the Goddess of Andipringga or Andipi. The two define the inside and outside of the village. Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 28 Dyochhens and piths § Rectangular temples changed in Malla period - Ajima (Bhadrakali) temple outside Jana Bahal in Kel tole, Kathmandu § A standard three-tiered temple from outside but a miniature rectangular temple occupies the centre of the sanctum room § In Lichchhavi period, Keltole formed the outer fringe of the settlement Yambi, current Indra Chowk Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 29 Dyochhens and piths § Keltole Ajima Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 30 The Khat of the Kiratas § Khats are in rectangular format represent the temple of the God or Goddess § One of the oldest known festivals of Kathmandu is the Tunaldevi Festival of Hadigaon (March – April) § In this festival, all the participating Khats, e.g. Mane-khat, Bhachhen-khat, Tunchhen-khat and Dyochhen-khat, are rectangular. v ASSIGNMENT – FESTIVALS OF KATHMANDU VALLEY Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The Temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. 31 Wednesday, 10 August 2022 Early civilization - Lichchhavi 32 § Slusser, M. (1982). Nepal Mandala: A cultural study of the Kathmandu Valley. Princeton University. § Tiwari, S. R. (2001). The ancient settlements of the Kathmandu Valley. § Tiwari, S. R. (2002). The temple of the Kirata Nepal. Vaastu, 2, 1–11. § Tiwari, S. R. (2011). From past paths to future walks: Reading and learning from the traditional streets of Kathmandu Valley towns. 33

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