The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c14.5.1

v1.c14.5.1

For the history of Nepal we have a number of local chronicles, which attempt to give a connected history of the Valley from the beginning of creation down to modern times. The early attempts of European scholars like Kirkpatrick and Wright² to write a history of Nepal were almost solely based on these Vaṁśāvalīs. It remained for an Indian scholar, Dr Bhagwanlal Indraji, to demonstrate the unhistorical character of these documents.³ His publication of the "Inscriptions from Nepal,"⁴ in 1880 revealed for the first time the necessity of building on the more solid foundation of archæological evidence. Since then his work had been ably taken up by Bendall, Fleet, Sylvain Lévi, and a number of European and Indian scholars, and it has now become possible, though much still remains doubtful, to give a fairly accurate idea of the political events in the Valley from about the 2nd century of the Christian era downwards. For the pre-Christian period we have no epigraphic evidence,⁵ and must still depend on the Vaṁśāvalīs. These chroniclers, in their attempts to give a complete picture of the history of their country, have connected their accounts with the legendary four ages of the world and the Bhārata war on the field of Kurukṣetra. From the time of the sage Nemi, dynasties of the Gopālas, Ābhīras, Kirātas, the Somavaṁśīs, and the Sūryavaṁśīs are said to have held the Valley in succession till we come to the time of Aṁśuvarman, the founder of the Ṭhākuris.