History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c22.s1.1

v1.c22.s1.1

The present state of Nepal is about 500 miles long and about 100 miles broad and lies to the north of India. It extends from Kumaon on the west to Sikkim on the east. It is bounded on the south by the Sandstone Range of tills which are a continuation so to speak of the Siwalik range in the Panjab at the southern base of the Himalaya mountains. On the north of Nepal is the chief snowy range of the Himalayas and most of its highest peaks e. g. Mt. Everest, Dhavalagiri and Kanchanagangā are on the northern borders of Nepal beyond which extends Tibet. Three principal rivers rise thence and pass through this state viz. the Rapti in the western part, the Gandaka in the central and the Koshi or Kauśiki in the eastern, the latter two being also called Sapta Gandaka and Sapta Kauśiki in Nepal as seven streams unite to form them within the bounds of this state like the Sapta Ganga in Garhwal. The country is of course mostly mountainous, but there are several open valleys which are fertile and cultivated though they are generally limited in extent.