The Kirat Period: Nepal's Earliest Recorded Kingdom

Long before the Licchavis and Mallas shaped Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, there was the Kirat period — a shadowy epoch of seven kings over 1,500 years, stretching from the 7th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. This episode explores what little we know about the Kirat people: their origins in the eastern Himalayas, their rule over the valley, and the legends that surround them. Lucas and Luna discuss the Kirat king Yalambar, who appears in both the Hindu epic Mahabharata and the Chinese chronicles of Tibet; the Kirat language and its survival in modern Rai, Limbu, and Sunuwar communities; and the archaeological puzzles of early Nepal, including an inscription that may — or may not — name a Kirat king. We also look at the transition from Kirat rule to the Licchavi dynasty, and how this early kingdom set the stage for Nepal's later golden ages. If you have wondered who lived in the valley before the temples and the trade routes, this episode traces that ancient outline.

#Kirat #NepalHistory #Yalambar #KathmanduValley #Mahabharata #Licchavi #Rai #Limbu #Sunuwar #AncientNepal #HimalayanHistory #SouthAsia #Archaeology #EpicLiterature #IndoEuropean #TibetoBurman #History #FexingoHistory

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