An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of GorkhaHamilton, Francis
History
An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of Gorkha
Hamilton, Francis
Nepal -- Description and travel; Nepal -- History
The finest parts of Nepal consist of two delightful vallies separated
from each other by the mountain Chandangiri; but these vallies, called
Great and Little Nepal, do not include the whole of Nepala Desa, which is
one of the fifty-six regions of Hindu geography. It extends also a
considerable way over the countries watered by streams which run from the
outside of the mountains that inclose the greater valley, and which fall
into the Gandaki on the west, and the Kausiki on the east. The real
boundaries are four celebrated places of pilgrimage; Nilkantha, eight
days’ journey north from Kathmandu; Nateswar, three days’ journey south;
Kaleswar, two days’ journey west; and Bhimeswar, four days’ journey east.
The whole territory between these places is holy ground, and is properly
called Dhama. This holy land, according to the Brahmans, is inhabited by
5,600,000 Bhairawas and Bhairawis. The former are male spirits of Maha
Deva, or Siva, and the latter are female spirits of the Sakti, who is the
wife, the mother, and the divine power of that deity. The whole
territory within these boundaries was not, however, subject to the Newan
chiefs who governed Nepal, and a large part in the vicinity of Nilkantha
in particular, until the rise of the house of Gorkha, was subject to
Thibet.
Nilkantha is a place much frequented by pilgrims, and which would seem to
possess many natural curiosities. I therefore shall here annex an
account of the best route to it, in hopes that it may be of use to some
fortunate traveller, who may procure access to visit the Alps of Nepal.
The traveller ought to proceed to Yogimara, the route to which I have
mentioned before.
From Yogimara it is one day’s journey north and east to Mahes Domohana, a
large village on a hill, at the junction of the Mahes with the
Trisulgangga. The Mahes rises at Bhenjhongga, a village three coses west
from Kirtipur, in the greater valley of Nepal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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