Handigaun is the earliest known urban settlement of Kathmandu Valley. As the site of the great palaces of the Kirat and Lichchhavi kings such as Mangriha and Kailashkut Bhavan, it served as the capital of the valley for more than a millennium. The advent of the Malla era saw the rise of Bhaktapur, but the preceding era belonged to Handigaun. This colourful past of Handigaun remains extant in the customs and practices of the residents of the place. The writer draws upon these cultural artefacts and relates them to archaeological finds and inscriptions to draw a picture of this ancient city. It is a fascinating story he tells—of Handigaun’s origins, its legendary figures, the palace intrigues and other historical events—on the basis of his study of Handigaun’s ancient festivities and arcane rituals and their interconnectedness to the power places and public spaces still in use today.

The author
Architect-cum-cultural historian Sudarshan Raj Tiwari earned degrees in architecture from the University of Delhi and the University of Hawaii. He has served in the faculty of Tribhuvan University’s Institute of Engineering for more than 25 years, and was Dean of the Institute between 1988 and 1992. His own interest drew him to the study of Nepali historical architecture, urbanism and conservation, which led to a PhD from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, for his work on the ancient settlements of the Kathmandu Valley. Prof Tiwari has worked at several world heritage sites such as Lumbini, Swoyambhu, Changunarayan and Patan Durbar Square. His previous publications include Tiered Temples of Nepal (1988) and The Ancient Settlements of the Kathmandu Valley (2001).