If you are hearing rumours or any viewpoint expressed to the contrary to what you are familiar with, in other words, that the Kiratis belong to Hindu India, you may wish to check up on the source, which will undoubtedly turn out to be non-Kirati. And, this is an excellent opportunity for you to invite the source to post his or her comments on this blogpost. We may benefit from the constructive comments or throw the acrimonious arguments back to its source and profit from the exercise.
Please write on whatever episode of history or folklore connected to the Kiratis or Kiratdom of antiquity you are familiar with, with the single purpose of enriching our culture while enlightening our non-Kirati readers.
Let us get started. Let us start at the very beginning.
In the beginning, it was a lake where dwelt Basuki Naag, the King of all the Serpents. There came one day Manjusri, the Celestial Architect, accompanied by multitude of his devotees and followers. He circumambulated the lake thrice and worshipped Adi Buddha, the Primordial Buddha of Agnishtha Bhuwan, the Heavens. With one mighty stroke of his sword, Manjusri is believed to have cut an outlet for the lake to be drained out. Manjusri is hence, depicted iconographically, with his right arm holding a sword, raised in anticipation of that strike.
Thus, in a symbolic act of creation, dry land appeared where Manjusri beckoned his people to settle down to lead pastoral life. Before ascending to heavens, Manjusri created by his divine hands the Temple of Swayambhunath, which stands there in Kathmandu till this very day. It is also believed that Manjusri appointed Yellung Hang to be the very first King of his people.
Tradition has it and the Kiratis believe Yellung Hang was divine in nature and used to at will walk in and out of Paru, the mythical abode of Paru Hang. Apprehending, Yellung Hang may one day leave the mortal world forlorn, the Kiratis have caused lower limbs of his statue to be left incomplete to prevent him from walking away. A 3rd Century B.C. statue of Yellung Hang supports this ancient Kirati folklore.
These form the bedrock upon which the Kirati heritage rests, that is to say, Swayambhunath and Manjusri are the cornerstones of ancient pre-brahminic Kirati Culture. The brahminic elements therefore, have been working hard to dispraise these two; by derisively calling one The Monkey Temple and ignoring the other. Understandably, they do so more due to ignorance than acrimony.
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