The Kirat Dynasty: Nepal's Earliest Rulers

Before the Shahs, before the Mallas, before even the Licchavis, there were the Kirats — a dynasty that ruled the Kathmandu Valley for over a thousand years, from around 800 BCE to 300 CE. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the shadowy history of the Kirat people, drawing on ancient texts like the Gopalraj Vamsavali and the Hindu epics to piece together their story. They discuss the legendary Kirat king Yalamber, who appears in the Mahabharata as a warrior who fought alongside the Pandavas; the Kirat capital at Gokarna; and the archaeological traces of their rule — including the mysterious stone inscriptions at Changu Narayan and the burial mounds called chaito. Lucas explains how the Kirats were likely a Tibeto-Burman people who entered the valley from the east, and how their reign ended when the Licchavis, a dynasty from the Indian plains, conquered them in the 4th century CE. The conversation also touches on the Kirat legacy in modern Nepal — including the Kirat religion, with its shamanic traditions and nature worship, and the ongoing identity of the Rai and Limbu peoples who claim Kirat descent. A fascinating look at Nepal's deep past, beyond the well-known kingdoms.

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