किरातको इतिहास र संस्कृतिः इमानसिं चेमजोङ्ग

 सन् २०१७ मा पढेको पहिलो पुस्तकमा उपेन्द्र सुब्बाको ‘लाटो पहाड’ पर्न गयो । ‘लाटो पहाड’ले बाठो तरिकाले जातीय मुद्दा पनि उठाएको बुझ्दा किरातीहरुका बारेमा बढि जान्ने इक्षा लाग्ये । सामान्यतः अहिले सबै भन्दा बढि शोषित र पिडित भनेर मधेसीहरुले आवाज उठाइ रहेका बेलामा आक्कल झुक्कल सुनिने जनजातीका आवाजहरुले त्यति प्राथमिकता पाउँदैनन् । मधेसीले आफ्ना नाममा प्रदेशै पाइसकेको अवस्थामा पनि किरातीहरु÷जनजातीहरु अझै पनि सिमान्तकृत भएको र उनीहरुमाथि भएको सांस्कृतिक आक्रमण, जबरजस्ती लादिएको ‘बाहुन कुरा’ (मलाई त्यति चित्त नबुझेको भएपनि पुस्तकको शब्द सापटि लिएँ)का कारण शिक्षा लगायतका सम्पूर्ण क्षेत्रमा पछाडि परेको विषयमा लेखिएका कथाहरुले एकछिन सोच्न बाध्य बनायो । यी कथाहरु पढ्दै गर्दा कताकता आफूमाथि त्यो अन्याय गरेको भनेर चोर आउँला सोझिएको पाएपछि मन अलि अस्थिर भयो । कथाको परिवेशकाबारेमा गहिरिएर बुझ्न मन लाग्यो । सो क्रममा उपेन्द्र सुब्बाका पाए जतिका अन्तर्वार्ता सुन्ने देखि लिएका कितावमाथि चलाइएका छलफलहरु सबै सुनेँ । त्यसै क्रममा संयोगले इमानसिंह चेमजोङले लेखेको किरातको संस्कृति तथा इतिहास (History and Culture of Kirats) भन्ने पुस्तक हात लाग्यो ।
भन्नलाई किराँतको इतिहास भनिएको भएपनि यो एक अर्थमा नेपालको इतिहास हो । किराँतीहरु ई.पू. २४०० तिर देखि बसाइ सराइ गर्दै इरान, अफगनिस्थान, भारत, नेपाल, बर्मा सम्मको उच्च पहाडी भेगमा फैलिएको भनेर चेमजोङले उल्लेख गरेका छन् । उनले किरातीलाई आदिवासीका रुपमा स्थापित गर्न महाभारत देखि बाइबल सम्मको प्रसंगहरु उल्लेख गरेका छन् । त्यसपछि किरातीहरुमाझ चिनीया र तिब्बती आक्रमणहरु हुँदै हालको किरात समाज बनेको देखिन्छ । किरातीहरुको धर्म परिवर्तन गर्ने क्रममा तिब्बतीले बुद्ध धर्म लाद्न खोजेको (सोही क्रममा मौलिक लिपी र संस्कृति स्थापित गर्न खोज्ने सिरजंगालाई मारिएको) र हिन्दुहरुले राजकाजको प्रलोभन दिएर हिन्दुकरण गरेको (कुलमण्डन खान लाई शाह बनाई उनका सन्तान दरसन्तानलाई लम्जुङ्गको शासन दिएको) आदि प्रसंगहरुले हाल किरातीहरु कसरी अल्पसंख्यक भए भन्ने तर्फ संकेत गरेको पाइन्छ । त्यसको अलाबा हिन्दु बनेका किरातीले गैह्र हिन्दु किरातीलाई विभेद गर्ने र कतिपय हिन्दु बन्न पैसा  नहुनेहरु मुसलमान (मुसलमान राजबंशी) बनेको प्रसंग पनि उल्लेख गरिएको छ । किराती र इश्लाम धर्मावलम्वीहरुको नाता केलाउने क्रममा अफगानी खानहरुले अझै पनि गोरखालीहरुलाई ‘चाचा’ भन्ने गरेको प्रसंग चेमजोङले पुस्तकमा उल्लेख गरेका छन्

संस्कृतिका हिसाबले पनि नेपाली संस्कृतिमा किराती संस्कृतिको प्रभाव मनग्गे देखिन्छ । चाहे बुढा सुब्बाको (बुह्रा सुब्बा अर्थात भगवान राजा) कुरा होस या देउसी भैलो (पुजारी राजा लाई मद्दत गरौँ भन्ने अर्थ)को चलन, किराती संस्कृति नजानीदो गरेर नेपाली संस्कृतिको परिपुरक बनेको छ । किराती राजाका कुरा महाभारतमा हुनुले पनि किराती र खस–आर्य समुदायको युगौँ देखिको सम्बन्धको बारेमा पनि यसले प्रकास पारेको छ । त्यस्तै किराती संस्कृतिका केही थाहा नभएका तर रोचक सांस्कृतिक कुरा पनि पुस्तकमा समावेश गरिएको छ । विवाहमा नेपालको अन्य समुदायमा जस्तो चेली पक्षले दाइजो दिनुको सट्टा छोरा पक्षले तोकिएको दाम राखेर मात्रै विहे गर्न पाउने चलन रहेछ । त्यस्तै एकल महिलाको हकमा किराती समाज एकदमै खुला रहेछ । एकल महिलालाई अविवाहित सरह नै व्यवहार गरिने रहेछ । विवाह सम्बन्धमै भएकी महिलाले पनि चाह्यो भने अर्को सँग विहे गर्न पाउने र त्यसो गर्दा पहिलेको पतिले आफूले तिरेको रकम नयाँ पतिबाट भुक्तानी गर्न पाउने नियम रहेछ । यी सब कुराहरु पढ्दा किराती संस्कृती महिलाहरुका लागी अलि सहज भएको झैँ लाग्यो ।
आधुनिक नेपालका निर्माता पृथ्वीनारायण शाहका सम्बन्धमा पनि पुस्तकमा धेरै महत्वपूर्ण कुराहरु उल्लेख छन् । राजाका चिठीहरु देखि लिएर किराती राज्यको एकिकरण, किर्तिपुरे नेवारको नाक काटिएको प्रसंग, गर्भवति किराती महिला देखि वालवालिका सम्मलाई मारेको र अन्य किसिमले दमन भएको कुराका सन्दर्भ पनि पुस्तकमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ । लेखकले लेखेका नया कुरामा शाह वंशीय राजाहरुका पुर्खा हिन्दुकरण गरिएका किराती हुन्, कुलमण्डन खान(मगर खान)लाई कुलमण्डन शाह बनाइ उनका सन्तानलाई लम्जुङ्गको शासन दिइ शाह वंशीय शासन व्यवस्थाको सुरुवातको कथा, द्रब्य शाहले दौडमा नजिति दौडमा सहभागी भएका बेलामा खाली भएको सिंहासन कब्जा गरेको र प्रतिरोधमा उत्रिनेहरुलाई सम्झौता गर्ने भनि विना हतियार मस्र्याङ्गदीमा बोलाएर मारेको, सिक्कीम नेपालको युद्ध प्रतापसिंह साहले गरेको (जबकी अन्य इतिहासकारले बहादुर शाह एकिकरणका पक्षधर भएपनि प्रतापसिंह शाहलाई ऐयास राजाका रुपमा उल्लेख गरेका छन्), बुद्धिकर्ण राई हत्याकाण्ड, लगायतका कुराहरु उल्लेख गरेका छन् ।
सन् १७७४ मा पृथ्वीनारायण शाहसँग सम्झौता गरिसकेर पनि १७७५ मा सिक्कीम नेपाल युद्ध ताका कतिपय किरातीले सिक्किमको पक्ष लिएर लडेको कुरा पुस्तकमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ । त्यस्ता ३२,००० किरातीहरु पछि भागेर सिक्किम, भुटान र आसाममा पसेको कुरा पुस्तकमा उल्लेख छ । किरातीहरुले पृथ्वीनारायण शाहरले किरात राज्यहरुसँग गरेको सम्झौतामा किराती पक्षबाट कहिल्यै धोकाधडी नभएको भन्छन् तर सिक्कीम नेपाल युद्धको बेलामा कतिपय किरातीहरुले सिक्किमको पक्ष लिनु पनि एकखाले सम्झौताको खिलाफ गएकै मान्न सकिन्छ । किराती राज्य गाभ्ने क्रममा पृथ्वी नारायणशाहले अन्य ठाउँको एकिकरणमा जस्तै त्यहाँ पनि आफ्नो अधीनमा रहेर पहिले जस्तै गरी शासन गर्न छुट दिएकाले धेरै किराती राज्यहरु स्वतस्फुर्त नेपालमा गाभिन आएको कुरा पनि पुस्तकमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ ।
अन्तमा, नेपालमा आदिवासी जनजाती भनेका माटाबाटै उम्रेका पो हुन कि भने जस्तो गरिन्छ र अन्य सबैलाई आप्रवासी सरह हेरिन्छ, यो पुस्तकले जनजातीको पनि जरो खोतलेको छ । नेपालको शाशक पक्षको एकतर्फी इतिहासको फरक कोणबाट गरिएको विश्लेषण थपेको छ । खस र किरातको सह–अस्तित्वको प्राचीनतालाई स्थापित गर्ने प्रयास गरी एकिकरण ताका भएका केही क्रुरताका अलावा पृथ्वीनारायण शाहको पराजित राज्यको पुरानो रितिथिती प्रतिको सम्मानको बारेमा समेत उल्लेख गरेको छ । पृथ्वीनारायण शाह पछि नेपाल–चीन युद्धको र नेपाल सिक्किम युद्धका बेलामा बहादुर शाहको भूमिकाका बारेमा कहिँ कतै लेखेको पाइँदैन । नेपालको सम्पूर्ण इतिहास बुझ्न चाहनेका लागी यो एउटा एकदमै महत्वपूर्ण दस्ताबेज मान्न सकिन्छ । इतिहासमा लेखकको पूर्वाग्रह हुन्छ । यसमा पनि त्यस किसिमको पूर्वाग्रह छ । गैह्र किरातीले लेखेको इतिहासमा पनि त्यस्तै पूर्वाग्रह हुन्छ । सत्य यिनै पूर्वाग्रहका बीच हुन्छ । दुई विपरित पूर्वाग्रह बोकेकाहरुको इतिहास पढ्दा बल्ल सत्यको अलिकति नजिक पुगिन्छ । यो पुस्तकले नेपालको वैकल्पिक इतिहास अध्ययनको अवसर दिन्छ ।
फरक मतः पुस्तकमा उल्लेख किर्तिपुरे नेवारको नाक काटिएको र किराती महिलामाथि गर्भावस्थामा रहेका बेलामा समेत हत्या गरिएको प्रसंगहरुका सन्दर्भमा बैकल्पिक विचारहरु बाहिर आइसकेका छन् । डा. जगमान गुरुङ (किराती भनौँ)ले यी सबै अंग्रेजहरुले जनता भड्काउने नियतले कुरा बढाइ चढाइ गरेर लेखेको र त्यसैलाई नेपाली लेखहरुले सारेको मान्छन् (लेख यहाँ हेर्नुहाेस्) । त्यस्तै मत सौरभले पनि राखेका छन् (लेख यहाँ हेर्नुहाेस्)। उनले त झनै नाकहरुको हिसाब नै निकालेका छन् । साढे सत्र धार्नी पुग्ने नाक त्यसबेलाको किर्तिपुरमा नै नभएकोले कुरा बढाइ चढाइ गरेको भन्ने तर्क उनको छ । दुईपटकको हारमा गोरखा सैनिकका कति गला काटिए तिनको कुनै तौल छैन ।


Quots from the book:

·         In fact, the term Kirat is a corrupt form of Kiriat, Kiryat or Kirjath which means a fort or town in Moabite language of the Mediterranean region.

 

·         The ancestors of this tribe if identified, comes to Nahor; the younger brother of Abraham, a resident of Ur in Babylon. He belonged to the Semitic family. When the Hebrew people under the leadership of Moses, invaded their country, they were defeated and expelled from their native land. The Kereti people then led a nomadic life and spread towards the eastern and north-eastern countries.4

 

·         In 2400 BC, a branch of which came to Mesopotamia 5or the Assyrian country, intermingled with the Ashur people and formed one nation with them. Later on they migrated  to Northern India and the Himalayan region via Media and Nisa of Northern Persia with the title of the Kirat-Ashur tribe. But in Nisa they were called Khambos or Yavan and claimed their descent from the Greeks of the Ionian island. 6In the Sanskrit book of Yogini Tantra, the Kirat nationality is included among the Yavan, Pallava, Koch and Pulinda races. The Greeks had also known the Kirats by the name of Kirhadai. The last remnant of the ancient Kiratite or Cherethite tribe was found recorded in the book of 2 Samuel, 15 - 18. They were a martial tribe during the reign of the Syrian King David in 1049 BC

 

·         After many years, the Indian Kirat-Ashur people were converted into rajput Hindus for a political reason.

 

·         Dr. S. K. Chatterjee in his competent work, "Kirat Janakriti" mentions that Buddha, who is considered as one of the greatest leaders and teachers of mankind, was thought to be of pure or of mixed Kirat origin.

 

 

 

·         The Tai nationality of the Unan state, therefore, left their native place and migrated to other places. Those who came to the south made their settlement in a dense forest and called it Tai Lungma. Another branch spread further to the south and called themselves Tai Shan and settled in a place called Nam Maw in north Burma. The name of their leader was Pongbo Hang. When their number multiplied, they spread to the east, west and south, a branch of which spread from Mung Maw to the south west, settled in a place called Mokwan, and called themselves Shan Mokwan family. They further held a meeting at the holy place of Ambe pojoma, discussed, consulted and decided to name the Kirat land by the name of, “Limbuwan.”

·         King of Elam(Ilam) Phakphok or CharKhola district who ruled Rong or Lapcha, Lingdom, Loktam, Photro, Patrey, Songmi, Rongong, Kabo, Taknel, Mechi, Guling, Sangpheng, Sangut, Yongyahang and other tribes. He built his fort at Angdang and Ilam. They resolved and changed the Name of Shan Mokwan into Yakha-Thumba or Limbu. The Ten Leaders or Chiefs became Ten Limbus and the word Yakhathumba was retained as the new name for the race. Thus, the Ten Limbus became the administrators of the entire Yakhathumba race. They further resolved to convert all the old Kirat people into this new race of Yakhathumbas.

·         The Ten Limbus ruled their districts according to the law they made in their assembly, the centre place of which was at Ambepo joma of the Pheden fort of Panchthar district, of which Ye-Nga-So Papo Hang was the King.

·         Yakhathumba means more stronger people than Yakha Kirat people.

·         by making a payment of the girl's price before the marriage which should not exceed Rs.55/-. Secondly, by making payment of the girl's price after the marriage which should not exceed Rs.44/-. A sum of Rs.2/- should always be paid to the girl's father for the separation of his daughter's family title from him to that of his daughter's husband's family title. It should be called the Semui Yang.

·         The divorced wife will be treated as an unmarried girl and will be allowed to marry again.

·         If a divorced wife is married again and first man wants to refund his wife's price from the new husband of the divorced wife, he can do so according to the Tengo-Henchhing Thim70rule of the Ten Limbus.

·         If a wife divorces her husband, she should refund her price to her husband in front of the court. Then she will be declared an unmarried girl and will be allowed to marry again.

·         The Tamang tribe of Nepal was brought to Kathmandu Valley by King Srong-sen Gampo of Tibet in the 7th century AD as a cavalry division. Their own tradition also says that their original habitat was in Southern Tibet in a place called Uichang.

·         In the olden days, prior to the Gorkha conquest the progeny of a Tamang woman with a Khas used to be called Gothar or Godar Tamang. However since the Gorkha conquest, they have been called Khattris*

·         In the beginning of the 7th century AD, a second batch of Shan Mokwan people under the leadership of Mung Maw Rong came to East Nepal from Nam Maw, Tai Tembe and Namgam Tembe of Mokwan locality of Unan province of South China via North Burma. It is said that there were only 700 families in that group. They crossed Assam and reached North Bengal. They cleared the dense forests of the Himalayan Terai and made their permanent settlement there and named the locality after the name of their Leader Maw Rong, which later on became the famous Morong Terai. In the Tai language, Mung Maw Rong means the chief of the Maw country. Mung = country; Maw = name of place; Rong = chief or king.

·         The first fort or palace which Mung Maw Rong built in the Maw Rong Terai was called Rongli, which means the palace of Rang or king. After many years the same word Rongli became Rongli which is found situated in the east of Biratnagar of East Nepal.

·         Srong-Tsen Gampo ruled Nepal valley for a year and it is during his reign that he brought twelve divisions of Tamang force and kept them round the Kathmandu Valley for its protection. Tamang force means the cavalry division of Tibet. Ta = horse; mang = war (pronounces mak) and mangmi = soldier; mang = war; mi = man; man of war.

·         Similarly Tamang means for war i.e. a man who fights from a horseback.

·         A record of Shasinath Chaudhary of Mithila in his book called " Maithili Sahitya," claims that Mithila was under the administration of Tibet during the 7th century AD B.P. Sinha also supports and writes in his book,"The Decline of the Kingdom of Magadha", page 277 that Tirhut or North Bihar or Mithila province of North India had been under Tibetan sovereignty for a certain period of time in the 7th century AD.  After the successful conquest of all the Kirat land of the Eastern Himalayan region, King Maw Rong Hang divided his country into four major provinces namely the Khombuwan, Limbuwan, Lapchan and Mawrong and ruled this state in accordance with the feudal system of the times.

·         The land between the Kathmandu valley and river Dud Koshi was called Khombuwan. The Libhuwan state extended from the river Dudh Koshi in the west to river Mechi in the east. The district of Khampajong was situated in the Libuwan state and became the capital. The Lapchan province lay between river Mechi and river Teesta in the east. Mawrong was the name assigned to identify all the plain lands that he had invaded and subjugated.

·         The ancient name of Southern Persia was Elam. It was so called because the children of Elam had first settled in the country, the eldest son of Shem whose father was the famous Noah who was saved from the great deluge.

·         The capital town of this country was Susa. Therefore, the kings of Susa were famous by the name of Susanian dynasty.

·         The Persian army of Elamite soldiers advanced very bravely and within a short period reached Bihar. The Kirat army stationed at Ghora ghat showed their military tactics to their enemies in such a way that they were encircled by the Kirat soldiers and a terrible battle took place.

·         The Kirat fighters fought so bravely that the Mongolian or Elamite soldiers were very badly defeated. The enemy's soldiers reduced to such a small number that they fled away from the battle field and took refuge in the mountain region of eastern Nepal. It is quite probable that from that date the word, “ Elam” was introduced in the east Nepal and it is a fact that one sect of the Lapcha tribe still claim their descent from the Elamite race whom they call Elammu in Lapcha language. They mixed up with the Kirat tribes of the hill areas and converted themselves into Kirat nationality.

·         The Hor, Horpa or Horu people of Kirat Mundhum or Northern Tibet or Mongolia were descendants of the Tyurk or Turk race whose patriarch was Japhet, the eldest son of Noah92

·         Tibetan history claims that the first Tibetan king descended from the Sakya family of the Lichhavi race of Northern India and his name was Nathi-champo.

·         His son was Srong-Tsen Gampo, born in 629 AD(32th king). Although King Srong Tsen Gampo’s reign lasted for a year he did not take his Tamang cavalry force back to Tibet which led to the permanent settlement of the tamang soldiers in and around the valley. The Tamangs soon intermingled with the old Kirat nation and spread from Central to Eastern and Western Nepal. They were under 12 chief officers namely Baju, Bal, Bomjan, Ghising, Giaba, Goley, Mikchan, Moktan, Pakhrin, Syangden, Thing and Yonjan.

·         Five generations after king Srong-Tsen Gampo, king Khri -Srong- Deus- Tsan was born and it was in his reign that Guru Padma Sama Bhawa, Shanta Rakhita and Bimala Mitra were invited to Tibet approximately in the year 749 AD.

 

·         Four generations after Khri-Srong-Deus-Tsan, Mngahb-Dag-Khri-Ral-Chen (Na-Dag-Thi-Ral-Chen)King Muna Phen Hang of North Tibet had grown old and his son Lasa Hang ruled Northern assasinated and  lasa hang Accordingly the year 833 AD saw the assasination of the king and Lasa Hang of North Tibet was placed on the throne of Southern Tibet and came to be known as Lang-Darma in Tibetan history. Under the spiritual guidance of his familiar powerful spirit, Yumasam, Prince Uba Hang son of lasa hang was inspired in the last week of April and led his campaign southwards. This practice is still observed by the Kirats (Limbu, Rai and Yakkha) today and is accompanied by paying homage to goddess Yumasam or Lasa Hangma( Udhauli in Nepali language)

 

·         Uba Hang led his Tibetan force towards southern Tibet and invaded several forts of Kirat land of Mt.

Himalaya which was under the sovereignty of Kirat king Mokwan-Shan, the successor of the famed King Mawarong Hang.

 

·         The Kirat soldiers fought bravely but were subdued and the Kirat forts of Taplijong, Agyajong, Pomejong, Mapejong, Yashokjong, Miklajong and Chhempowa of Kirat land were overtaken and the victorious conqueror marked the boundaries of his empire on the borders of Mithila provice of North Bihar which was then under king Vigrah Pal of Pal dynasty

·         It was King Uba Hang who introduced a festival for Kirat people called Tong-Sum-Tong-Nam. held in

·         the last week of April after every three years. It celebrated King Uba Hang's successful campaign over Upa Jong or Lasa Jong of Tibet to Mithila province of North Bihar.

·         This festival is currently observed in Pancthar district of Limbuwan and is called the Trisala puja. Since this time of the first inspiration of the spirit of God Ningwaphuma in the form of Yumasam from the palace of Yashok Jong, all people began to address Yumasam by the name of "Yashokyeni".

·         Indo-Aryan languages influenced the Kirat people, they began to address Yumasam by the name of Yashokyeni Maharani. From time to time God Ningwaphuma appears among mankind in the guise of wise men who preach religious instructions.

·         King Mabo Hang encouraged his subjects to worship Yumasam All the descendents of King Mabo Hang and his followers claimed Lasagotra. King Mabo Hang of Kirat land was succeeded by his son Muda Hang. Being a weak ruler his feudal chiefs revolted against him. The Chemjongs are descendents of Mabo Hang tribe.

·         The system of the partition of parental properties was also revised and refined imparting every male member of a family the right to claim equal parental property among brothers. An unmarried female member of a family would also enjoy the right to claim equal share of parental property even among brothers. during sirijunga the Shan leaders invaded the land of Beni raja and conquered it.They fortified at Shyangja and Tena Hang.

·         During seventh century AD when the king Mung Maw Rong From Shyangja they spread towards Kaski and Pokhara. They built many forts in Western nepal and called them Garahang, Mosihang, Balihang, Satahang and Bajahang 121

·          The children of these people spread from Dang-Salyang to Bajahang.

·         In Rong language, the meaning of Dang Salyang means the land of lower valley.

·         The above mentioned villages are now called Garhung, Malihung, Mosihung Balhung, Tanahung, Satahung and Bajhang by the tongues of Khas tribe who conquered them later on.

·         The Gyarung tribes were one of the seven tribes of Northern Tibet who had migrated from there to Kham province of Eastern Tibet and from there to Unan province of Southern China where they mixed up with Tai Shan tribes ans spread towards southern and western directions under their leaders Sa-ik-Shan and Segop Shan.

·         So after the demise of Segop Shan nine officers of the Gyarung regiment made a league and settled separately in Bhundi, Tenahang, Ghandrung, Siklis, Kaski, Milung, Pokhara and Parvat in West nepal and ruled their villages independently. They called the federala state by the name of Gu-rong or nine chiefs which later on became Gurung State and the residents Gyarungs became the Gurung tribe. the Gurung and Lohorung tribes claim Muh Rong to be their first leader, which same is supposed to be the corruption of the word Maw Rong or Morong. At present the Gurung tribe pronounces the word Muhrung for Morong which means king. In their culture of Ghato dance the Gurung songsters recite their traditional song and say that from the time of king Morong they have been taught to sing and dance Ghato.Nuchni Rong, the Gurung chief helped the Ghaley king of Lamjung and so the has king Kharga was defeated in the battle and fled away to his country.

·         Now the Gurung legend describes that Ghaley were one of the groups of Kirat nationality of Simang garh and their leader was called Lochan, making a competition in tribal race. The competition of race was open to all youngmen and old men of their own tribe and the period of kingship for the throne was only one year. Thus the system of their election of King was annual. As soon as the term of kingship ended, the elected king used to be automatically layman and was allowed to stand for next election. Thus, before the coming of the Gurkha King in Liglig, one able Ghaley king had held the throne successively for five years.

·         When the spies of Gurkha king, Dravya Shah studied their nature of election of the kind by vacating the throne for the general competition outside the palace, they informed and advised the Gurkha King, Dravya Shah to enter the palace of Liglig silently and occupy the empty throne and be ready to fight them if they come after the election of their king. King Dravya Shah did so and occupied it. According to Ghaley Vansawali written by Narhari Nath Yogi and Krishna Bahadur Gurung, it is mentioned that Paichan Ghaley was the King of Lamjung and his capital was at Pojo.

·         When the Hindu missionaries began to spread Hinuism in the Western Nepal, the Shah King of Palpa was the first to be converted into Hinduism and became a Hindu Rajput King and claimed his descent from Sen family of India. His name was Chilla Rai. Similarly, when Hindu missionaries approached the Chief of Bhirkot, who was of Khan family, for conversion, he refused them and remained a pure Magar King. His name was Khan Chha Khan which means the King's Son King. The Hindu missionaries then approached the second prince whose name was Mechha Khan or the youngest son king. The missionaries assured that he would also be a king like his elder brother if he would accept Hinduism. So, he gave his consent to them to convert him into Hinduism. Thus, the second prince of Bhirkot also became a Hindu Rajput and his religious priests made him the King of Nuwakot of Barah Mangrat. He was succeeded by Jaya Khan, Micha Khan, Bichitra Khan, Jagdeo Khan and Kulmandan Khan. From the time of this king, he changed his family title from Khan to Shah which carries the same meaning as king. The descendants of King Khanchha Khan of Bhirkot, though refused to accept Hinduism and agreed to abide by their own tribal culture, yet he with all his subjects were so much influenced by Hinduism that all the Magar tribes ceased to follow the teaching of their own tribal priest and followed the doctrine of Hindu priests with respect to birth, marriage and death ceremonies and those officials of the courts of Shan Kings and Khan Kings of Palpa and Bhirkot who could afford for conversion into Hinduism became Hindu Rajputs and called themselves Kshatris. In this way, the Magar Kings and their officials were converted into Hindu civilization. Yet in the middle of 18th century AD, King Prithvi Narayan Shah was very proud of calling himself the King of Mangrat. He has said in his Divya Updesh, "Mangrat of Raja mai hun", "I am the King of Mangrat". Lt. Col. E. Vansitart has also mentioned in his book called Gurkhas, that "the famous Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa was the descendant of Magar Thapa family, as was also General Amar Singh Thapa". It is a known fact that the late Great King Prithvi Narayan Shan of Gurkha State had extended his Kingdom east and west by the strength of these Magar army.(sources:  Divya Upadesh - Prithwi ko by Yogi Narhari, page 13,  Gurkhas by Lt. Col E. Vansitart, page 67, Account of the Kingdom of Nepal 1819 by Hamilton, page 240)

 

·         But six tribes of Punwar, Bhandari, Rahul, Shuinyal, Dura and Khimcha family preferred to bring a king of Shahi dynasty of Nuwakot to Lamjung. They, therefore, went straight to Nuwakot of Barah Magrant and brought Kalu Shahi, one of the seven sons of Kulmardan Shahi and made him King of Lamjung. It was quite natural for the Ghaley King to take action against such activity of treason and therefore, he suddenly passed order to his soldiers named Torde, Parda, Bali, Tami, Chimi to murder the newly appointed King of Lamjung. They also executed his order and assassinated the king Kalu Shahi at a place called Sisi Dhunga. The above mentioned six persons again went to Nuwakot and brought the second brother of late Kalu Shahi called Malvo Shahi and made him king of Lamjung against the intention of Phaichan Ghaley, king of Lamjung. But Malvo Shahi was very clever and invited the four sons of Gurung chief, Kubi kyal, Shava kyal, Puru kyal and Kyong kyal and requested them to help him to take evenge of the death of his brother Kalu Shahi. As soon as the Ghaley King arrived on the bank of river Marshyangdi, the soldiers of Shahi chief took out their hidden weapons and attacked the Ghaley King and his party and massacred them. In this way the power of Ghaley king of Lamjung was snatched away by the Shahi king. King Malvo Shahi of Lamjung then awarded the descendents of Gurung chief called Noho chan, the autonomy if Sikles district and all the army of Ghaley king began to serve the Shahi king.

·         The origin of Mangar tribe as mentioned in Kirat chronology is a place in the north called Shin. In the East Nepal and Sikkim, the Mangars are so called because they were the children of Mang or Mong or Mongol people. The Chinese and urmese people people call Mang or Mong for Mongolians; and ar or arui means children. So, Mangar means the children of Mongols. Most probably, it can be correct interpretation, because their complexion proves that they are no other than scattered Mongolians although before the 12thcentury AD there were no tribes in Central Asia called the Mongolians.

·         There were many nomadic tribes called Kin, Kir, Kirait, Karatai,, Karakhitai, Khitai, Uigur or Hor, Monchu, Mongku, Tungut, Seljuk, Karluk, Turk, Burun, Sak, Kushan, Hun, Abar, Uichi, Kajak, Chin, Khas, Thak, Gyarung and Mangyak.

 

·         The Mangyaks are the Limbus of Chhotharia clan who had also migrated from Mongolia. It was in the 12th century AD, when Chengiz Khan called a meeting of all the above mentioned tribes and when all the tribes unanimously elected him to be their Gurkhan or the Khan of Khans or the King of Kings, he proposed that a common name for all the separate tribes of Central Asia should be Mongol. Mongol. Chengiz Khan himself belonged to the Mong Ku tribe and Chinese people used to call them Mong Ku Tata. A branch of Kirait, Uigur and Mongku tribes also spread towards Suchuwang or Kham, Unam, Burma, East India and Nepal. They did neither hear the name Mongol nor they claim it to be their origin. Therefore, the Mangar tribe of Nepal must be from the composite group of Kirait and Mongku, who came to Sikkim and bacame Mangar.

·         There are certain Lapcha tribes called Mongormu. It appears that some of the Mangar tribes might have mixed with the Lapcha tribe of Sikkim and became a Lapcha Kirat people. The Mangars of West Nepal prospered so much so that they formed a league of twelve Khans and established a state and called it Barah Mangrat, the central government of which was at Bhirkot. Khan means king in Magar language.

·         Long before the coming of the Hindu influence into their kingdoms, there was a Kirat King called Bali Hang, who had an extensive Kingdom from Pokhra to Gorakhpur and the Magars had spread from the hilly region to the Terai region.141

·         The Mundhum mentions that it was this Kirat King Bali Hang who introduced the festival of Deepawali.

"Phailo and Deusire" which means we helped the Priest King, which at the later stage became Bhailo and Deusire". Pha-I-lo means let us help,  and Dewsi = priest, Rey = king.

·         It is, therefore, quite proper to say that the festival of Deepawali of the month of Mungsir or the last week of the month of October is a real contribution of the Kirat King Bali Hang143 or Bali Raja to all lthe present Nepali people. Bali Hang Mundhum - Kirat MSS

·         In my opinion the Magars had advanced much and had divided into two groups of higher and lower social standing and those who were of higher circle followed Hinduism and became themselves Thakurs or Kshetris observed the strict formalities of Brahmanism whereas the people of lower circle were quite satisfied with their own familiar culture and did not mind to follow such strict rules of Hinduism and remained Magars, such as the Koch Kirat of Assam and North Bengal who were also converted into Hinduism and became themselves Rajbansi Kshetri and the people of lower circle remained Mech and Koch tribes.

·         It is intersting to note that so many clans of Magar tribe are similar to the clans of Brahman amd Khas people e.g. Rijal, Rimal, Panre or Pandey classes are found among Brahman caste also and Punwar, Khadka and Kalikote clans are found among Khas caste.

·         It was by his advice king Bijay Narayan Rai built a new town in the middle of Varatappa and Shangori fort and named it after his name called it Bijaypur

·         The upper Bijaypur town remained capital of Limbuwan and Morong upto 1774 AD. It was founded by Kirat King Bijay Narayan Rai of Sanglaing family in 1584 AD. It was captured by another Kirat King Lo Hang Sen of Shan Mokwan dynasty in 1609 AD. His descendents ruled it for seven generations. In 1769 AD, Dewan Buddhi Karna Rai, the chief minister of Bijaypur succeeded King Kama Datta Sen and ruled Morong State from 1769 to 1773 AD. From this time fell into the hand of Gurkha King Prithwi Narayan Singh.

·         The soldiers were expert in making gun powder from the ashes of cowdung, “bhakimlo” and “kaphal” trees, yet the main weapons they used in the war were poisonous arrows, sling, lance, sword, shield, “chepsa,” pellet, bow and a kind of rough gun called Timmok.

·         When Harihar Sen, the grandson of King Lo Hang Sen of Mokwanpur ascended the throne in 1661 AD, he extended his kingdom upto Gondwara of North Bihar and decorated himself with the title of "Hindupati" or the Lord of the Hindus.

·         The Kirat chiefs then proposed and selected the seat of Queen Padmidhata Induraj Rajeswari at Bijaypur instead of Chanjitpur. They placed her on the throne and held the post of second office in the state by themselves and discharged the duties of ministers and Prime Minister with the title of Subhas and Chautaria. In this manner they ruled Morong Terai extending from river Teesta  in the east to  Betia in the west from 1706 - 1725 AD.

·         King Tensong Namgyal built a new palace near the famous Pemayontse Monastery in the name of his Chong or Limbu Queen and asked her to name it according to her own choice. She also named it "Song Khim", which later on became Sukkim and Sikkim. In Limbu language, “Song” means new and “Khim” means palace; so "Song Khim" meant New Palace.

·         The original name of Sikkim was "Mayel" in Lapcha, "Chungjung" in Limbu and "Deyjyong" in Lhopa or Bhutia languages.  

·         In 1741 AD, a learned Limbu man of the Yangwarok district of Northern Limbuwan known as Srijunga Dewangsi revived the Kirat Literature and taught the Mundhum religion to all the Kirat people of Limbuwan as well as to those in Western Sikkim. The Tibetan Lamas or Tachhang Lamas of the Pemayangtse monastery stood against this activity of the Limbu learned man. They put him under arrest, bounded him on a tree and shot him to death.159

·         The above documents prove that the Kirat Kings of Bijaypur and Mokwanpur had adopted the Maithali languages in their court with the kaitey script for general use

·         King Kama Dutta Sen renovated the temple of the Barah Chhetra in Chatara built by his ancestor King Lo Hang Sen and kept a copper image of Mahadev, discovered by his nephews on the bank of river Sardu near

·         Bijaypur town. He also renovated the temples of Pindeswari and Kalika. It was from his time the temple of Kalika was called Danta Kali in Bijaypur.

·         The proper pronunciation of Lamjung is Lamjong which means the castle of Great Lama

·         The Gurkha  King pound all small kids in  mortars to death in short span of five years of war. the Gurkha soldeirs segregated all pregnant women from other women and killed the sons in their womb (committed foeticide), thus leading to the death of the mothers as well. the Gurkha (Tagadhari, thread-wearing) King indulged in such inhuman  and tyrannical acts.

·         And after a siege of several months, the Kings of Nepal Valley assembled at Kathmandu to march a body of troops to the relief of Kirtipur. One day in the afternoon they attacked some of the thanas of the Gorkhas, but did not succeed in forcing them because the Gorkha party had been reinforced by many of the nobilities, who to ruin Gainprajahs were willing to sacrifice their own lives. The inhabitants of Kirtipur had already sustained six or seven months siege. Then a noble of Lalit Pattan called Dhanawanta fled to Gorkha and treacherously introduced their army in to the town. The inhabitants could still have defended themselves because they had any others fortresses in the upper parts of the town to retreat to. But the people of Gorkha published a general amnesty and the inhabitants were very exhausted by the fatigue of the long siege. So, they surrendered believing in the general amnesity. In the mean time, the men of Gorkha seized all the gates and fortresses within the town. But after two days, King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who was at Nuwakot, issued an order to Swarupa Ratna to put to death some of the principal inhabitants of the town and to cut off the noses and lips of everyone, even of the infants who were in the arms of their mothers. He also ordered the cut noses and the lips to be preserved so that the number could be ascertained. He also ordered to change the name of the town into Naskattapur which means, “The town of cut noses.”

·         Second Letter: "Purba Bijaypur Dewan Budhi Karna le Khayeko muluk Mades Pahar pani hamro ambal garaunya upai timi gardai gara". Narhari Jogi the chronicles of the old days, it was found that the Limbus and Magars were in fact the descendents of the same family so long as their great great grand father lived at Simang Garh.192

·         Later on, they separated and each went his own way and lost track of one another. Particularly, the Sinjali Thapa clan of the Limbu tribe and Sinjali Thapa clan of the Magar tribe proved to be of the same blood. This is proven by the fact that, both tribes observed the same funeral rites. When any member of the Sinjali Thapa clan of either tribe dies, his living relatives are barred from eating salted or oily foods for a certain number of days.

·         When the Gorkha Raja learned about this, he called for the Limbus and asked them what they would do if they were touched by people of low caste such as Kamis and Sarkis. The Limbus answered that they would cleanse themselves by bathing and drinking "Thi".193 They said that in their culture, they would make any one touched by Kamis or Sarkis take a bath and ask him to touch Dubo Dhungo194 to purify him/her and take meat and drink wine through his hand. The Gorkha Raja remarked, "These Kirat people are as vast as the sea", and thus he declared them purified.

·         In Chainpur, the Limbus were given full right to enjoy their kipat land with honour of Nagara Nishan (kettle drum and flag) and Lall Mohor (Royal Order). The Gorkha Raja Prithvi Narayan Shah so much pleased with the valor of the Limbus that he wrote a letter to his military officers instructing them not to fight with the Subbas of Limbuwan, but to handle them with great tact. If they disagreed, even bribery could be practised with them because he said that they would have to destroy only one Subha who was called Buddhi Karna Rai of Bijaypur. If they could destroy him everything else could be done with ease. Since Buddhi Karna's elephant was very good, the elephant driver should be given a bribe of four or five hundred rupees and asked him to steal his elephant. Further, if possible some soldiers should be asked to murder Buddhi Karna Rai on promise of giving them an amount of ten to twelve hundred rupees

·         Gurkha Raja's letter to Abhiman Singh Basnet "Upranta - Budhi Karna ko hati ramro chha garey. Mahut lai sai char pan kaboli kana so hati chori lyauna pathaunya ho. Upranta - tes desh ma Budhi Karna Rai lai paya pachhi kal mari janye thiyo. Paiyena. kohi sepahi kamayera hajar barah sai kaboli hunya bhaya tes lai maraunya ho. Miti Srawan 5 gatey 1831or July 1774 AD."

·         The Gorkha Bhardars, Abhiman Singh Basnet, Parath Bhandari, Kirti Singh Khawas and Bali Bania, on behalf  of Gorkha Raja Prithvi Narayan Shah, agreed to take an oath and swear on "Noon Pani" (Salt - water) promising that the Gorkha Raja would never confiscate their kipat land nor destroy them. If he confiscated their kipat land and destroyed them, then the God, upon whom the Gorkha Raja had sworn upon, would also destroy him, his descendents and his kingdom.

·  Hamile khose mase mani puji lyayeko deotale hamro Rajkaj bhanga garos bhannya Tamba Patra bachako Tassali Muluki Lal Mohor bandhi mathi lekhine Limbu Kul bhai lai diyaon.  Iti Sambat 1831 sal miti Srawan sudi 22 roj 2 mukam Kantipur Rajdhani Shubhaya shubham. In this way the Morong State with its capital town Bijaypur went into the hands of the Gorkha Raja from August 1774 AD. Wherever and whenever the Gorkhas won the victory over their enemies, they never tried to subdue them but gave them right and facility of their own native land and allowed them to rule it under the Gorkha Raja. because of this policy perhaps most of the petty chiefs of the Kirat land were pleased to receive the Gorkha Raja as their Over Lord.

·         The Limbus who had fought against the Gorkhas by siding the Sikkimese King, assembled at a place called Ambe Pojoma, consulted one another and decided to quit Limbuwan forever and migrate to other countries. They were all together 32,000 in number and migrated in three groups. The first group who migrated to Sikkim and settled in the Rungpo, Rhinok and Mangsila villages. The second group, who migrated to Bhutan, settled in the Kuching, Tendu and Jumsa villages. The third batch who migrated to Assam, settled in Beni, Kalchini and other Mech and Koch villages and mingled with the Mech and Koch races.

·         An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal" that he was given such torture that it took three days for Raja Buddhi Karna Rai to breathe his last. He was buried at the same place where he was murdered. For many years his sepulchre was neglected, but according to the Kirat belief the spirit of such unnatural death always does something bad to the living men. But later on, when some spiritualist understood that the spirit coming from that sepulchre does something good to the local people, then they began to regard the old sepulchre of Raja Buddhi Karna Rai with the title of, "Burha Subha" and began to worship his dead spirit.203 (Burha = god; Subha = king.) It has now become a local belief in the village of Bijaypur that whoever loses anything in his house, he should consult the dead spirit of Burha Subha and the spirit will help to regain the loss.

·         Raja Buddhi Karna Rai of the Morong State was the scion of the Hang family of Limbuwan. There was a quarrel going on between Buddhi Karna Rai and King Kama Datta Sen from the time of Buddhi Karna’s father, Bichitra Chandra Rai. During the his time, Dewan Buddhi Karna Rai also fought with his King and became the Raja of Morong State after killing him in 1769 AD. He ruled the Morong State making his capital at Bijaypur for four years (1769-1773 AD). In 1777 AD he was also assassinated in Bijaypur. Later on, his spirit was deified by the name of Burha Subha.

·         the Gorkha Raja remained the ruler of Sikkim beyond river Teesta or of Western Sikkim including Darjeeling, Kurseong and Siliguri for nearly seven years.

·          

·         The above letter is an official letter sealed with the red seal of the Sikkim Raja and proves the fact that Western Sikkim including Darjeeling, Kurseong and Siliguri were under the Gorkha Raja upto 1814 AD.

·         The Gorkha Raja was tempted by the Tibetan wealth and led his army of 18000 strong men to Tashi Lumpo and plundered the monastery. When the Chinese government heard of such dispute, they sent a Chinese Wazir from Lhasa to compromise the dispute. But he was taken prisoner by the Gorkhas and was brought to Kathmandu.

·         the Gorkha Raja did not care about the demands made by the China government. So the Chinese sent an army of 70,000 men under the command of Sun Pho to invade Gorkha. When they reached Lhasa, he divided his army into two divisions and sent a division of 30,000 soldiers to attack Kathmandu. When the Chinese force reached Trishuli Ganga, a Gorkha force under Perpera Thakuri encountered them. During the battle, many of the Gorkha soldiers were slain and the Gorkha force was defeated. The Chinese army repeatedly defeated the Gorkha army and proceeded to Nuwakot which was about 26 miles from the capital town of Kathmandu

·         An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal by Col. Kirk Patric

·         The Mlechhas or Meches were a class of the Kirat Ashur people who had fought against the Aryans for many years so they never talked any good of them. Thus, this Koch people are divided into Mech, Koch and Tharu classes. Their first settlement in India was Kamrup. In olden days, the jurisdiction of Kamrup was from the Eastern Nepal to Lahut and from the Bhutan hill to Dinajpur. So long they were pure Kirat people there was a good unity among them. But when Hinduism influenced them they lost their identity and disappeared

·         King Bhaskar Varma was the most famous Kirat King of Assam, Nepal and North Burma in the 7th century AD.214 It was he who had adopted a son called Bhumi Varma in his capital town of Subarnapuri or Deo Pattan of Kathmandu valley, for he had no male issue and gave his Kingdom of Kathmandu valley and returned to his main capital Kamrup and died there. The descendents of Bhumi Varma ruled Kathmandu valley for 30 generations.

·         Now comes the Tharu Kings of Khan dynasty. The word,”Khan” comes from a pure Mongolian language which means King. It proves that the Tharu chiefs had descended from the Khan family like the Magar tribe of Nepal who also claim that their kings had originated from two Khans- Khanchha Khan and Mechha Khan. Interestingly, there is no difference between the complexion of a pure Tharu and a pure Magar.

·         In the beginning of the 15th century AD, a Tharu King called Nildhwaj Khan fought against the Pal King of North Bengal and defeated him. He was the first Tharu chief who established his Kingdom in North Bengal. He built a big city of 19 miles in circumference on the bank of river Gharli in Kamatapur and made it the capital town of his kingdom. In his reign, he taught Hinduism to his subjects and converted all the Tharus into Hinduism. From that time, all the Tharus became Hindus and left their mother tongue and adopted the Indo-Aryan languages of Mithila and Bhojpuri dialects.

·          

·         Nilambar Khan ruled North Bengal in the last of the 15th century. But he could not get an opportunity to rule his country peacefully like his father as he was attacked by Muslim Sultan, Hussain Shah of West Bengal. He fought very bravely, but he could not stand before Muslim Sultan, so he was defeated and killed

·         It appears that these Tharu Kirat people in fear of their Muslim enemy left North Bengal and migrated towards the Nepal Terai, resided there and never tried to go towards the east. They claim that they originated from Chitor of West India. But their physiognomy proves that they are non other than the Koch Kirat people. The Tharus of Kochila family of Morong and Saptari districts of Nepal seem to be the survivors of Koch Kirat people of North Bengal who must have migrated from North Bengal to Morong and Saptari with the Khans, their Royal family members and spread all over the Terai districts of Nepal.

·         the Tharus have different sub-castes like Khan, Rana, Kochila, Morongia, Dangauria, so they have different folklores as well. The Khans and Ranas are similar to the Magar Khans of the hilly country. The Morongia and Dangaurias are names given to them after their residence being in Morong and Dang districts. But, when they were influenced by Hinduism they compared their Ranas with the famous Rana family of Chittor which seems incorrect.

·         The Tharu Vansawali216 describes that the Tharus are akin to Donwar who are pure Kirat people of the Ramechhap district of Nepal, a branch of which is called Thamis who reside in the higher hills and Donwars217

·         All the poor assembled together in a place, called for Hindu priests and requested them to convert them to Hindus. But the Hindu priests demanded money for such performances which the poor people could not afford. On the other hand, they also could not tolerate the hatred of being low castes. So, they consulted the Muslim priests and requested them to convert them into Muhammaden religion which they did with great pleasure without charging money. As they did not want to be inferior to the Hindu Rajbansis, they also dropped the name of Koch forever and started calling themselves Rajbansis. Even then, when the Muslim Rajbansis found that they were still looked down upon by the Hindu Rajbansis, they incited the Muslim chiefs to fight and destroy all the Hindu Rajbansis from Assam. The same Koch people now the Muslim Rajbansis fought against the Hindu Rajbansis of the same country and destroyed their Kingdom

·         In the beginning, the Kirat tribes had occupied all the countries of the Himalayan mountains extending from Afghanistan to Assam and North Burma. Later on the Khas tribe came                                               

§  Countries around Himalaya by Major Waddle

§   My own collection in Morang Terai in 1967

 

·         from the North and fought with the Kirat people and distributed the Himalayan countries into two big divisions. The land between Kashmir to river Trisuli was called Khas land and the residents were called Khasiyas or Khasis or Khas people. The land between river Trisuli and Assam was called the Kirat land and the people were called Kiratese or Kirat people. They were ally tribes from the time of Mahabharata. Both the tribes had represented their armies in the battle of Kuruchetra. During 317 BC, both tribes had jointly helped King Chandra Gupta against his enemy Nanda King of Magadha.

·         The original habitat of the Khas tribe was on the basin of river Tarim in Central Asia. Their fort was called the Khas garh. When they were disturbed by a nomadic tribe called Laghu Uichi Kushan, they left their native land and migrated towards the Himalayan countries of Chitral, Gilgit, Kashmir, Kulu, Punjab hills or Kumaon, Garhwal and Nepal.

·         When they intermingled with them, they were called the Horsok tribe. As the Horpa tribes were of bigger built and their faces were comparatively bigger than that of the Tibetan people, they called them Khachhe Khas tribe which means the Khas tribe of people who had bigger faces. The Chinese people also remarked the Horsok or Khachhe Khas tribe to be of white colour, blue eyes, sharp noses and grey hair. They are not actually Aryans, but either Turks or Mongolians. Many people make a mistake of thinking Turks to be Muhammadans. But in fact, a Turk means the Western Mongolians who were descendents of the Tyurk of Japhetist race of the Western directio and Khan was their leader. The word Gurkhan means the King of Kings in their language. The word Gourkha of Nepal appears to have been derived from the Gurkhan of Central Asia. The famous Gurkhan of Khas people in Tarim land was Yelu whose scion ruled there for three generations after which this Gurkhan dynasty was ousted by the enemies from there. So these Khas tribes with their Gurkhan left their native place and came towards the Himalayan countries of Chitral, Gilgit, Kashmir, Ladak, Kumaon, Kulu, Garhwal and Nepal and settled there permanently. Thus, those Khas people of Chiral and Gillgit called themselves to be of Kho tribe; the same Khasas of Kashmir and Ladaks were called Khachhey tribe. In the Kumaon province they called themselves Darad, Kunet or Kuninda and Tangan tribes. In Garhwal they were called Khasas or Monpas or Bhotias, though they are now proud of calling themselves Rajput Hindus. And in Nepal they are called Khas or Kshetri tribe.

·         During 1845-46 AD, the Nepal Government formed a regiment of 6000 Kirat soldiers of Limbuwan in the Nepalese Army and stationed them in Patan with the name of Bhairab Nath.

Book source: History and Culture of Kirat