"Kathmandu" a Kathmandu Travel Page by nattybabe

The Kathmandu Valley has long been a cultural and racial melting pot, with people coming from both east and west. The fusion has resulted in the unique Newari culture that is responsible for the valley's superb art and architecture. The Newari golden age peaked in the 17th Century when Kathmandu Valley was an important trading link between Tibet and the north Indian plains. The unification of Nepal in 1768 by Gortkha's King Prithvi Narayan Shah signalled the end of the Kathmandu Valley fragmentation. Nepali, an Indo-European language spoken by the Khas of western Nepal replaced Newari as the country's language of administration.

In 1916 the Shahs closed the borders of Nepal and kept the country isolated until the mid 20th Century. In 1846 a bloody massace ended the Shah Dynasty and installed the Ranas. The first Rana maharaja set off for Europe with a huge entourage, visiting Queen Victoria and causing quite a stir in England. The Ranas were so impressed with European architecture that they began introducing neo-classical buildings into their own cities. During this period of royal extravagance, the majority of people in Kathmandu became much poorer and the Hindu caste system became such more ridig - on the other hand, human sacrifice, slavery and and sati were abolished.

Inspired by the independence movement in India, Nepalis began a political upheaval - an alliance was formed between the outsted Shahs, the army's Gurkha regiments and the dissatisfied poorer extended families of the Rana clan.

In November 1950 they revolted. King Tribhivan, a Shah, was annointed ruler in 1951 and struck up a government comprised of Ranas and members of the newly formed Nepali Congress Party. After months of uprisings, the Nepali people were finally granted democracy in 1989.

In the 60s, the tourists also started flooding in, looking for cheap living. Freak Street became the centre of the action, as the hippies set up shop. Kathmandu was transformed into a tourist mecca, and the jumping off point for the new trekking industry.

Following the murder of the King and many of his family members in June 2001, the streets exploded into widespread rioting with a curfew being imposed across the city.

The peaceful, city in the sky image has been changed forever, and Kathmandu is entering a delicate pahse in its relationship with the rest of the world.

Previous stop: Dhulikhel
Next stop: Chitwan National Park