The democratic republic of
Nepal is a landlocked kingdom in the Himalayan region between India,
Tibet and China. Also known as the only Hindu Kingdom in the world,
Nepal is a beautiful mix of cultures and traditions with vast spaces
of beautiful natural wilderness and some very important religious
architecture. Legends say the Hindi sage called Ne resided in and
protected (pala in Sanksrit) the small village called Kathmandu in
ancient times. Thus Ne and Pala formed the modern word – the place
protected by Ne. Other accounts say that Nepal comes from the word
Nepa, referring to the Newar Kingdom (people of Kathmandu Valley). The
monarch was recently abolished in Kathmandu and now it stands strong
as a republic.
It is said that
king Gun Kamdev founded Kathmandu in the year 723 AD. If you go by the
legend, the area was a lake in the past. A Buddhist deity named
Manjushri liked the place and wanted habitation there. The Buddhist
god then bifurcated the hill to the south and allowed the water to
flow out.
Among all the
places for mountain viewing in the Kathmandu Valley, Nagarkot is
usually considered to be the best. The views go from Dhaulagir in the
west to Kanchenjunga in the east. On a clear day you can see Mt.
Everest (Sagarmatha).