Kathmandu Valley · Lablypedia

The Kathmandu Valley is the most developed and the largest urban agglomeration in Nepal with a population of about 5 million people. The urban agglomeration of Kathmandu Valley includes the cities of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Changunarayan, Budhanilkantha, Tarakeshwar, Gokarneshwar, Suryabinayak, Tokha, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi, and others. The majority of offices and headquarters are located in the valley, making it the economic hub of Nepal. It is popular with tourists for its unique architecture, and rich culture which includes the highest number of jatras (festivals) in Nepal. Kathmandu Valley itself was referred to as "Nepal Proper" by British historians. As per the World Bank, the Kathmandu Valley was one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in South Asia with 2.5 million population by 2010 and an annual growth rate of 4%.

In 2015, Kathmandu Valley was hit by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. The earthquake caused thousands of deaths and the destruction of many infrastructure across the Kathmandu Valley, which included the towns of Lalitpur, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi, Changunarayan, and Bhaktapur. Kathmandu is also the largest city in the Himalayan hill region.

Etymology

Historically, the valley and adjoining areas made up a confederation known as the Nepal Mandala. Until the 15th century, Bhaktapur was its capital, when two other capitals, Kathmandu and Lalitpur, were established. Until the 1960s, the Kathmandu Valley was known as the Nepala Valley or Nepa Valley. In 1961 the valley was listed as Kathmandu District, which began referring to the valley as Kathmandu Valley. The term Nepa Valley is still used among Newar people and local governments, while senior citizens still tend to refer to the valley as Nepal. The term Swaniga (Nepal Bhasa: 𑐳𑑂𑐰𑐣𑐶𑐐𑑅, स्वनिगः) refers to the three cities of Yẽn (Nepal Bhasa: 𑐫𑐾𑑃, येँ), Yala (Nepal Bhasa: 𑐫𑐮, यल), and Khwapa (Nepal Bhasa: 𑐏𑑂𑐰𑐥, ख्वप) ie. Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur respectively.

The Nepali name Kathmandu comes from the corruption of the word Kasthamandap (Sanskrit: काष्ठमण्डप, "wooden pavilion"), a structure in the Kathmandu Durbar Square. This unique temple is also known as the Maru Sattal (Nepal Bhasa: 𑐩𑐬𑐸𑐳𑐟:, मरुसत:), it was built in 1596 by King Lakshmi Narasimha Malla. The entire structure contains no iron nails or supports and is made entirely from wood. Legend has it that the timber used for this three-story pagoda was obtained from a single tree.

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Culture and People

Newars

The Newars are the indigenous inhabitants and the creators of the historic civilization of the valley. Their language is known as Newar language, not to be confused with Nepali language. They are understood to be the descendants of the various ethnic and racial groups that have inhabited and ruled the valley in the two-millennium history of the place. Scholars have also described the Newars as a nation.

Newari architecture consists of the pagoda, stupa, shikhara, chaitya and other styles. The valley's trademark is the multiple-roofed pagoda which may have originated in this area; a famous artisan who influenced stylistic developments in China and Tibet was Araniko, a Newar who traveled to the court of Kublai Khan in the 13th century AD.

Cultural heritage and festivals

The Kathmandu Valley is known for its combination of Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Temples, stupas, monasteries, shrines and traditional settlements are closely associated with religious festivals and communal rituals. Hindu and Buddhist practices have historically developed alongside one another, particularly among the Newar people.

Major festivals celebrated in the valley include Indra Jatra, Bisket Jatra, Rato Machindranath Jatra, Kumari Jatra and Gai Jatra. These festivals involve processions, chariot festivals, masked performances, religious ceremonies and other communal activities and form an important part of the valley's intangible cultural heritage.

Mythology

According to Swayambhu Purana, the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake deemed by scientists as Paleo Kathmandu Lake, inhabited by Nagas. Vipassī Buddha, who lived ninety-one kalpas (aeon) ago, came on a pilgrimage and sowed the seed of a lotus in the lake which grew into a lotus flower with thousand petals. The flower emitted eternal radiant form of light with the Five Great Buddhas: Vairocana, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha and Amoghasiddhi, appearing on each side of the differently coloured rays of the light. Following on the footsteps of Vipassī Buddha, Sikhī Buddha and Vessabhū Buddha came to pay homage to the lotus flower. Later on, Bodhisattva Manjushri came to the lake and pondered how to drain the lake so that people can traverse and pay homage to the radiant light. Out of his compassion, he drained the lake out of the valley by cutting a gorge at Kashapaal (now Chobhar) with his indestructible Khadga sword; and created other lakes like Taudaha to give shelter to the mythical serpents. Manjushri then established a city called Manjupatan which is believed to be the earliest settlement in the Kathmandu Valley. Swayambhu Stupa was erected on the hill where the self-arisen ray of light in a thousand-petaled lotus restested on after draining the lake.

According to Gopal Banshawali, Krishna cut the gorge with his Sudarshana Chakra to let the water out. He then handed the drained valley to the Gopal Vansi people, who were nomadic cow herders.

Geography

The Kathmandu Valley is a cultural and political hub of Nepal. It was accorded the status of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1979. In 2003, UNESCO listed several sites as being "endangered" out of concern for the ongoing loss of authenticity and the outstanding universal value of the cultural property. The endangered status was lifted in 2007. The following seven sites in the valley are World Heritage Sites:

Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Changu Narayan Temple
Boudhanath Stupa
Pashupatinath Temple
Kathmandu Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Swayambhunath

Notable areas

Notable areas include:

Bhaktapur District
- Balkumari temple
- Doleshwor Mahadeva Temple
- Kailashnath Mahadev Statue
- Pujarimath Museum
- Suryavinayak Temple
Kathmandu District
- Aakash Bhairav Temple
- Ashok Binayak Temple
- Aditnath Temple
- Ajima Temple
- Bagh Bhairab Temple
- Bajrayogini Temple
- Budhanilkantha Temple
- Chandra Binayak Temple
- Chandragiri Hill
- Dakshinkali Temple
- Dharahara
- Garden of Dreams
- Ghanta Ghar
- Gokarneshwor Mahadev temple
- Guhyeshwari Temple
- Jal Binayak Temple
- Kasthamandap
- Kopan Monastery
- Narayanhiti Palace
- Ranipokhari
- Ratna Park
- Seto Machindranath
- Shiva Parvati Temple
- Taleju Temple
- Taragaon Museum
- Taudaha Lake
- Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery
Lalitpur District
- Balkumari temple
- Hiranya Varna Mahavihar Temple
- Kumbheshwar temple complex
- Mahabouddha Temple
- Nagdaha lake
- Rato Machchhindranath Temple

Demographics

Kathmandu Valley has total population of 2,996,341.

Kathmandu (National Capital Area)

In 2015, the Government of Nepal proposed to develop Kathmandu valley as a separate national capital territory.

Kathmandu Valley consists of three districts of Bagmati Province whose total population is 2,996,341 and total area is 933.73 km² (360.52 sq mi)

Included cities

Cities population of Kathmandu Valley as per 2021 Nepal census.