The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c14.2

v1.c14.2

The modern State of Nepal extends along the southern slopes of the Himalayas for a length of about 500 miles. “Its general direction is from north-west to east, between the 80th and 88th degrees of E. longitude, the most southern and eastern angle reaching as long as the 26th and its most northern and western corner as high as the 30th degree of N. latitude. In shape, therefore, the country is long and narrow, varying in breadth from 90 to 100 miles, while its area is estimated at 54,000 square miles. Along the northern boundary Nepal adjoins Tibet, on the east it is bounded by the State of Sikhim and the District of Darjeeling;” on the south by Behar and the United Provinces, and on the West by Kumaun and the river Kali. The territory of Nepal is divided into three main natural divisions by lofty ridges which take off from the high peaks of Nanda Devi (25,700 ft.), Dhaulagiri (26,826 ft.), Gosainthan (26,305 ft.), and Kinchinjunga (28,146 ft.). “These ridges stand out at right angles from the central axis of the Himalayas and run parallel to each other nearly due south towards the plains.” The western division is drained by the river Kauriala (Karnali or Gogra) and its tributaries the Kali, Babai and Rapti. The central division is watered by the seven streams which uniting form the river Gandak, and are known to the Nepalis by the name *Sapt-Gaṇḍakī*. The eastern division is similarly known as the *Sapt-Kosi*, the country of the Seven Kosis, of which the most important is the San Kosi. Compared with this large region ancient *Nepāla*¹ seems to have occupied a much smaller area. The application of this term appears to have been more or less restricted to the "undulating plain of nearly oval shape" which lies between the basins of the Gandak and the Kosi. It has an average length "from north to south of about 20 miles and an average width of 12 to 14 miles." It lies 4,700 ft. above the sea-level, and is surrounded on all sides by mountains, which rise to a height of 7,000 to 9,000 ft. It covers an area of 250 square miles, and is watered by the small stream Bagmati. This portion is still known as the 'Valley of Nepal.' It was only in comparatively recent times that the conquests of the Gurkhas extended the geographical and political application of the term to the whole tract between Almora and Darjeeling.¹