KATHMANDU, APRIL 22: "I live in Battisputali. I go to Chyasal ground for jogging in the morning. I study in Amrit Science Campus, Lainchaur."
We routinely use these colorful names in our daytoday conversations without ever thinking about their meaning. Most of us don´t know the meaning, but every name has one and some places have interesting stories related to their origin. [break]
Once upon a time there was a brave and just king named Bikramaditya with 32 qualities, a symbol of perfection in Hindu tradition, inherent in his throne. When another king named Bhoj tried to ascend the throne, 32 butterflies popped out and flew away with it.
This is how modern day Battisputali (meaning 32 butterflies in Nepali) got its name, writes Krishna Prakash Shrestha in his book Sthan Naam Kosh (Dictionary of the Names of Places), published 21 years ago that tries to trace the origin of the names of places in Nepal.
Historian and cultural expert Satya Mohan Joshi has another interesting tale to tell regarding the origin of Lainchaur. The 89 yearold still recalls that the place now known as Narayanhiti Palace was a big ground once upon a time. The British also established their office in the area that was a lawn for them.
The locals were impressed by the English word lawn and started to use it along with chaur (ground in Nepali) to address the place but could not pronounce lawn properly giving Lainchaur its name.
There is another anecdote associated with the origin of Chyasal. Rebels chased away Kirants during the rule of the Kirant dynasty and eight hundred of them were killed in that place. Chya means eight and sa means hundred in Newari, so Chyasal got its name from those eight hundred killed there.
Kirtipur got its name because cows and people there did work worthy of fame (kirti in Nepali) by discovering lord Pashupatinath. Thapathali is a place where Thapas, including the first Nepali Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa, lived.
Chabahil was named after Charumati, daughter of Emperor Ashoka, who built a monastery and resided there as a Buddhist priest. Naradevi owes its name to goddess Naradevi who was offered up as a human sacrifice. Nara means man and devi means goddess, so the place with a temple of the goddess was called Naradevi. Lazimpat has its root in Rajpattan, Raj meaning state and pattan meaning city.
Prime Minister Judhha Shumsher built a new road, still known today as New Road, and settled the displaced people in a new place he called Putali Sadak, probably to give it a colorful name.
Battisputali.
Bijay Rai
Sundhara was a place with golden taps, with sun meaning gold and dhara meaning tap in Nepali. The place with a statue in the shape of a sheep´s horn was called Bhedasing, bheda meaning sheep and sing for horn in Nepali. Sundarijal got its name from the stream that has very pure water as sundar means beautiful and jal means water in Nepali.
Mangalbazaar is a town (meaning bazaar in Nepali) founded in Mangriha or Manigal. Handigaun is a village (translating to gaun in Nepali) formed by King Baldev in the 1-1-th century settling the people of Haripur. Madhyapur is a place that lies in between (meaning Madhya in Nepali) Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. Anandakuti (ananda means satisfaction and kuti means place of abode in Nepali) got its name after a big hospice was made for free accommodation for travelers. Chhetrapati is a place with a pati (hospice for free accommodation) in the shape of an umbrella (chhatra or chhata in Nepali). Kalimati (kalo meaning black and mato soil in Nepali) is a place with darker soil than normal.
With Kathmandu being an ancient city of temples, many places are named after the temples of the locality. Similarly, there are also many names with Newari roots.
Thamel has its root in the Newari word thane which means a monastery built in a high place. Similarly, Thahiti means a place on a high location with a tap (hiti is Newari for tap).
Thankot originated from tha meaning tall and kwath meaning fort as kings of Gopal dynasty had built a fort at a high location of their kingdom.
Tundikhel.
Bikash Karki
Khichapokhari was so called because there was a big pond (which translates to pokhari in Nepali) in the place the locals used to wash their face in the morning. Khe means face in Newari and khechegu means washing the face, so khichapokhari means a pond used to wash one´s face. Tundikhel is formed from Newari words tinhigu which means jump and khyal meaning ground. So, Tundikhel is a ground where one can play and jump.
Bhotahiti is a place where a man from Banepa, called Bhot in Newari, built a tap. Pulchowk has its roots in pukhuchwe which means a village built above a pond to the west of Lalitpur.
