History Of Nepal
Nepal holds within herself a story of valor, wrath and mysteries. While there is evidence that Nepal was inhabited in prehistoric times, there has been little archeological research on early indigenous peoples. With her recorded history beginning with the Kiratis from the seventh/eighth century BC, it is believed that Buddhism commenced during the very era. By 200 AD, Buddhism had waned, and was replaced by Hinduism, brought by the Licchavis, who invaded from northern India and overthrew the last Kirati king. The Hindus also introduced the caste system (which still continues today) and ushered in a classical age of Nepalese art and architecture
By 879 AD, The Thakuri dynasty succeeded the Licchavis. By the 13th century, three kingdoms, all under the control of the Malla Dynasty, dominated the Kathmandu Valley. Over the next five hundred years, the Malla rulers proved to be important patrons of the arts, building elaborately-decorated temples and palaces that survive to this day. Throughout the centuries, Nepal's topography protected the country from outside invaders.
Nepal's kingdoms were unified in 1769 by Prithvi Narayan Shah, an ancestor of Nepal's present-day king. The Shah dynasty remained in power in the first half of the 19th century until Jung Bahadur Rana usurped their power and had himself designated the prime minister and later "Maharajah" in 1846. With powers superior to those of the king, he established an oligarchy that lasted more than a hundred years. This Rana regime had the country in isolation and had deprived the political and social rights of the people. The Shah monarchy was completely controlled by the hereditary Rana primeministership till 1951.
The nation's first election was held in 1959, but in 1960, King Mahendra dismissed the cabinet, dissolved parliament, and banned political parties. A 1962 constitution created a nonparty panchayat (council) system of government. The king selected the prime minister and cabinet and appointed a large proportion of the national assembly.
Cronyism, corruption and the creaming-off of lucrative foreign aid into royal coffers continued until 1989. The Nepalese, fed up with years of hardship and suffering under a crippling trade embargo imposed by the Indians, rose up in popular protest called the Jana Andolan or 'People's Movement'. A series of non-violent protests followed the movement which the government responded with bullets, tear gas, thousands of arrests, detention and torture. It all proved too much for King Birendra, in power since 1972. So, he dissolved his cabinet and in 1991 a new constitution was introduced and multiparty elections were held in Nepal.
Since then, Nepal has discovered that establishing a workable democratic system is an enormously difficult task - especially when it is the country's first such system. The situation has been further exacerbated by a wafer-thin economy, massive unemployment, illiteracy and an ethnically and religiously fragmented population that continues to grow at an alarming rate.
The fractured political landscape in Nepal was torn apart in June 2001 with the massacre of most of the royal family - including King Birendra - by Crown Prince Dipendra. Civil strife erupted again in Kathmandu, with a curfew imposed to quell street violence.
Prince Gyanendra, the brother of King Birendra, ascended to the throne. He has had to face many challenges, in particular the Maoist rebellion against the government, which has claimed over 5000 lives since it began in 1996. Numerous peace talks and ceasefires failed to hold.
Nepal's bumpy trek into democracy continued when in 2002 (and again in 2003) Gyanendra dissolved the government and appointed his own cabinet. The country has seen more than a dozen governments since 1991, and in 2003 prime minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand resigned, continuing the political uncertainty facing Nepal.
The most recent ceasefire negotiated between Maoist rebels and the government ended on August 27, 2003, sparking renewed fighting and bomb blasts in Kathmandu. The lasting peace and greater prosperity that the Nepalese people look forward to, remains someway off while the fighting continues.
