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35-655: The Bagmati River flows through the Kathmandu valley of Nepal , separating the cities of Kathmandu and Patan , before flowing through Madesh Province of southern Nepal and joining the Kamla River in the Indian state of Bihar . It is considered holy by both Hindus and Buddhists . A number of Hindu temples are located on its banks. The importance of the Bagmati also lies in the fact that Hindus are cremated on

70-707: A habitable land. 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. Kathmandu valley is bowl-shaped. Its central lower part stands at 1,425 m (4,675 ft). Kathmandu valley is surrounded by five mountain ranges: Shivapuri hills (at an elevation of 2,732 m (8,963 ft)), Phulchowki (2,762 metres or 9,062 feet), Nagarjun (2,128 metres or 6,982 feet), Champadevi (2,278 m (7,474 ft)) and Chandragiri (2,551 m (8,369 ft)). The major river flowing through

105-593: A major geological feature. The Bagmati also crosses the lower Sivalik Hills before reaching the Terai , then crosses into India at Bairgania . It flows across the districts Darbhanga , Sitamarhi , Sheohar , Muzaffarpur and Khagaria in Bihar. It meets River Kamala at Jagmohra Village of Samastipur . However, in past the river had a different course and used to drain directly into the Ganges. In Swasthani Bratakatha of

140-705: A sophisticated urban civilization not seen elsewhere in the Himalayan foothills. They are known for their contributions to art, sculpture, architecture, culture, literature, music, industry, trade, agriculture and cuisine, and have left their mark on the art of Central Asia. Newa 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 and spread to India, China, Indochina and Japan. The most famous artisan who influenced stylistic developments in China and Tibet

175-468: Is a cultural and political hub of Nepal. The Kathmandu Valley was accorded the status of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1979. This is an incomplete alphabetical list of notable temples and monuments in Kathmandu Valley. Seven of these are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites . This valley hosts a UNESCO World Heritage Site with seven preserved locations: the centers of

210-528: The Government of Nepal proposed to develop Kathmandu valley as a separate national capital territory and not a part of Bagmati Province . Kathmandu Valley consists 3 Districts of Bagmati Province whose total population is 2,996,341 and total area is 933.73 km (360.52 sq mi) Cities and towns with 75,000+ population of Kathmandu Valley as per 2021 Nepal census . Chobhar caves These caves have been explored by research teams from

245-720: The Karnali basin in the far west of Nepal. The Bagmati originates where three headwater streams converge at Bāghdwār Falls ( Nepali : बाघद्वार , lit.   'Tiger Gate'), where the water flows out through a gargoyle shaped like a tiger 's mouth, situated in Shivpuri Nagarjun National Park near Sundarijal in Nepal . This lies above the southern edge of the Shivapuri Hills, about 15 kilometers (9 mi) northeast of Kathmandu. Here

280-596: The Nepal Mandala . Until the 15th century, Bhaktapur was its capital, when two other capitals, Kathmandu and Patan , 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

315-601: The Skanda Purana , Bagmati's present northern tributary was regarded as main channel called Sāli river which was a tributary of Gandaki and it is obvious since Manohara river, the present day Sali river, is larger than Bagmati at their confluence. The Bagmati River contains large amounts of untreated sewage, and large levels of pollution of the river exist due primarily to the region's large population. Many residents in Kathmandu empty their personal garbage and waste into

350-555: The Bagmati is wide and swift with a high load of suspended solids , giving it a grey appearance. The river flows southwest about 10 km (6 mi) through terraced rice fields in the Kathmandu Valley. Resistant rock strata interrupt the flow in places, including at Pashupatinath Temple . Beyond the temple, the river flows south until joined by the larger west-flowing Monahara River, then turns west itself. After entering Kathmandu's urban area, more tributaries enter: relatively unpolluted Dhobī Kholā and sewage-laden Tukucha Khola . Then

385-612: The Bagmati reaches the edge of the Kathmandu valley and enters Chobhar gorge near the Dakshinkali temple complex . The Chobhar gorge cuts through the Mahabharat range , also called the Lesser Himalaya. This 2,000-to-3,000-meter (6,600 to 9,800 ft) range is the southern limit of the "middle hills" across Nepal, an important cultural boundary between distinctive Nepali and more Indian cultures and languages, as well as

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420-611: The Kathmandu Valley is the Bagmati River. The valley is made up of the Kathmandu District , Lalitpur District and Bhaktapur District covering an area of 220 square miles (570 km ). The valley consists of the municipal areas of Kathmandu, Patan , Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Madhyapur Thimi ; the remaining area is made up of a number of municipalities and rural municipalities in Lalitpur district. The valley

455-403: The Kathmandu Valley. The 1500-year history of funerary architecture in the valley provides some of the finest examples of stone architecture found in the subcontinent. A caitya is placed in almost all courtyards in cities like Patan . Stone inscriptions in the Kathmandu Valley are important sources for the history of Nepal. Kathmandu Valley has total population of 2,996,341. In 2015,

490-535: The Kathmandu Valley. According to Swayambhu Puran , the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake, deemed by scientists as Paleo Kathmandu Lake . The hill where the Swayambu Stupa rests had lotus plants with flowers in bloom. One story says that the God Manjusri cut a gorge at a valley called Kashapaal (later called Chobhar) with a sword called Chandrahrasha and drained away the waters in order to establish

525-566: The Koshi extends far into Tibet . The smaller Bagmati rises some distance south of the Himalayas. Without glacial sources, its flow is more dependent on rainfall, becoming very low during the hot season (April to early June), then peaking during the monsoon season (mid-June to mid-August). In these respects, the Bagmati system resembles the (West) Rapti system lying between the Gandaki basin and

560-560: The UK in 1976, Czechoslovakia in 1980 and Germany in 1985. Explorations of the caves in April 2007 indicate that there are at least six known entrances all documented by GPS readings made by a French team of speleologists , led by Maurice Duchesne from France. A map of those caves is now available. The caves are often infiltrated by water due to fluctuating levels of the nearby Bagmati River . Thus, visitors are strongly advised not visit inside

595-468: The banks of this holy river , and Kirants are buried in the hills by its side. According to the Nepalese Hindu tradition, the dead body must be dipped three times into the Bagmati before cremation, so that the reincarnation cycle may be ended. The chief mourner (usually the first son) who lights the funeral pyre must take a holy river-water bath immediately after cremation. Many relatives who join

630-680: The broader Asian continent, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several pilgrimage sites for Hindus and Buddhists . The valley holds seven World Heritage Sites within it. 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

665-522: The caves without being accompanied by competent professional guides who have a compass and other equipment required for cave exploration. Maximum safety precautions is advised. No snakes have been sighted in these Chobhar caves but many bats have been sighted. Measuring a minimum of 1250 metres, Chobhar caves are the largest in Asia. Cross country, the caves are a brief fifteen-minute walk from ancient Chobhar Hill Village. This Nepalese location article

700-508: The city of Patan that are said to have been erected by Charumati , a purported daughter of the Maurya emperor Ashoka , in the third century BCE, attest to the ancient history present within the valley. As with the tales of the Buddha's visit, there is no evidence supporting Ashok's visit, but the stupas probably date to that century. The Licchavis , whose earliest inscriptions date to 464, were

735-655: The funeral procession also take a bath in the river or sprinkle holy water on their bodies at the end of the cremation. It is believed that the Bagmati River purifies people spiritually. The Bagmati River is considered the source of Nepalese civilization and urbanization. The river has been mentioned as Vaggumuda ( Nepali : वग्गुमुदा ) in Vinaya Pitaka and Nandabagga . It has also been mentioned as Bahumati ( Nepali : बाहुमति ) in Battha Suttanta of Majjhima Nikaya . An inscription dated AD 477 describes

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770-457: The indigenous inhabitants and the creators of the historic civilization of the valley. Their language is today known as Nepal Bhasa . 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 . They have developed a division of labour and

805-539: The main cause of mass destruction. Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley ( Nepali : काठमाडौं उपत्यका ), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley ( Nepali : नेपाः उपत्यका , Nepal Bhasa : 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal . It lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of the Indian subcontinent and

840-652: The next rulers of the valley and had close ties with the Gupta Empire of India. The Mallas ruled the Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding area from the 12th until the 18th century CE, when the Shah dynasty of the Gorkha Kingdom under Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the valley as he created present-day Nepal. His victory in the Battle of Kirtipur was the beginning of his conquest of the valley. The Newars are

875-579: The river as Bagvati parpradeshe ( Nepali : वाग्वति पारप्रदेशे ) and subsequently also in the Gopalraj Vanshavali . The basin of the Bagmati river, including the Kathmandu valley, lies between the much larger Gandaki basin to the west and the Koshi basin to the east. These adjacent basins extend north of the main Himalayan range and cross it in tremendous gorges, in fact, the Arun tributary of

910-555: The river bends south and the Bishnumati enters from the right at Teku Dovan. The Bishnumati also rises in the Shivapuri Hills, some 6 kilometers (4 mi) west of the Bagmati's source. It flows south past the Nagarjun Hill, Swayambhu Stupa and Durbar Square in Kathmandu. As it passes the centre of Kathmandu, this tributary becomes heavily polluted and choked with trash. Flowing generally south although with many curves,

945-579: The river. In particular the Hanumante Khola, Dhobī Kholā, Tukucha Khola and Bishnumati are the most polluted. Attempts are being made to monitor the Bagmati river system and restore its cleanliness. These include "pollution loads modification, flow augmentation and placement of weirs at critical locations". On 18 May 2013, under the initiative of then chief secretary Leela Mani Poudyal , the Bagmati Mega Clean-Up Campaign

980-443: The three primary cities, Kathmandu Hanuman Dhoka, Patan Durbar Square and Bhaktapur Durbar Square , the two most important Buddhist stupas, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath and two famous Hindu shrines, Pashupatinath temple and Changu Narayan . In 2003, UNESCO listed the 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

1015-669: The valley as Nepal . The term Swaniga ( Nepal Bhasa : 𑐳𑑂𑐰𑐣𑐶𑐐𑑅, स्वनिगः) is used to refer to three cities namely Yén (Kathmandu), Yala (Lalitpur) and Khwapa (Bhaktapur) The Pahari name Kathmandu comes from a structure in the Durbar Square called by the Sanskrit name Kāsṣtha mandapa "Wooden shelter". This unique temple , also known as the Maru Sattal , was built in 1596 by King Lakshmi Narasimha Malla. The entire structure contained no iron nails or supports and

1050-596: 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

1085-521: Was Araniko , a Newar who traveled to the court of Kublai Khan in the 13th century AD. He is known for building the white stupa at the Miaoying Temple in Beijing . At present, people from other parts of Nepal tend to migrate to the valley for a better life due to its high level of cultural and economic development. Even with urbanization taking place, the Newars have sustained their culture in

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1120-459: 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 . Historically, the valley and adjoining areas made up a confederation known as

1155-499: Was lifted in 2007. In the past, Tibetan Buddhist Masters including Marpa, Milarepa, Rwa Lotsava, Ras Chungpa, Dharma Swami, XIII Karmapa, XVI Karmapa and several others visited and travelled in the Kathmandu Valley. However, the largest group of Tibetans came in the 1960s. Many settled around the Swayambhunath and Boudhanath Stupas. Many other famous Lamas known throughout the world have their Buddhist monasteries and centers in

1190-428: Was made entirely from wood. Legend has it that the timber used for this two-story pagoda was obtained from a single tree. The Kathmandu Valley may have been inhabited as early as 300 BCE, since the oldest known objects in the valley date to a few hundred years BCE. The earliest known inscription is dated 185 CE. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley is over 2,000 years old. Four stupas around

1225-569: Was started. Every Saturday, personnels of the Nepal Army and Nepal Police , along with the general public, gather to clean the waste and sewage from the river. There is no effect of flood in most of the areas that it touches, but it has caused widespread sufferings to the people in Terai and northern districts of Bihar. The worst destruction by the river were seen in 1993. Poor water management, lack of proper weather forecasting and awareness were

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