The Buddha is a Kirati-Mongolian Prince.

The word Kirati seems to demand some explanation: although the term is generally understood to mean only the Khambu-Rai, Limbu-Yakthumba, Dewan-Rai, Sunuwar and Lapche (now spelt as Lepcha)-Rong-pa who inhabit Eastern Nepal, it is meant to include all the Mongolian people who dwell in the southern slopes of the Himalayas. The endemic population of the region further beyond geographical boundary of Nepal eastwards include Koche, Meche, Kachari and Bodo tribes who identify themselves as Kiratis. Although, it may not be a politically correct claim right now but their physiognomy can not lie, all of them look one hundred percent Mongolians and I have used the term Kirati-Mongolians, to distinguish them all from Mongolians elsewhere.

And hence, Newar, Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Sherpa and Sakya are all ethnic Kirati-Mongolians.

It is a universally acknowledged fact the Kirati-Mongolians place no restriction in inter-racial marriage, neither with the Tibetans from the North nor Indo-Saracenic race from the South. The outcome of such union is very distinctly visible in Nepal today. Of particular interest however, is the subject of arrival of Brahmins in Nepal which I intend to discuss in my subsequent blog.

This is where we branch off to read a sacred book of the Buddhists Swayambhu Puran, which is written in Sanskrit, considered by scholars to have been written more than two thousand years ago, which reads: "bande'ham tattwarupam tatabhitatabhawam bhabyahabhya swabhawam....." etc etc. This is how according to the sacred book The Sage of the Sakyas, The Enlightened One paid homage to Swayambhunath after he circumambulated the temple thrice. The ruling monarch of the land according to Swayambhu Puran, was Jite Dasti, the King of the Kiratis and this name as well as this incident are found recorded in the Kirati Bungsawali.

I have quoted the sacred book of the Buddhist to emphasise the aspect of The Buddha's visit to Kathmandu Valley: that the Sage of the Sakyas was aware of the concurrent practice of paying homage to the Temple of Swayambhunath. This incident reinforces the belief that as a Kirati-Mongolian Prince, Siddhartha Gout'm was familiar with contemporary custom and tradition of his people.

Two centuries later, following the footsteps of the Enlightened One, his disciple King Ashok arrived in Kathmandu, which is also found recorded in the Swayambhu Puran. The Puran makes a positive mention of King Sthunko, to be the King of Kiratdom of Kathmandu during the Ashokan visit which is also corroborated by the Kirati Bungsawali.

The Legend of Yellung Hang.

Still existent in Kathmandu, there is a terra cotta figure of Yellung Hang, circa 3rd Century B.C. Uninformed sources would readily comment that the statue of Yellung Hang is in unfinished form, that is to say, its lower limbs have not been sculpted out.

The legend of Yellung Hang, according to Kirati Folklore goes like this:

Yellung Hang as has been alluded earlier, enjoyed a divine nature and would often walk in and out of Paru, at will. He was welcome in Paru and often times known to have been seen walking with Paru Hang around countryside. Yellung Hang was a good King, he was a benevolent man and would approach Paru Hang with problems of his people, the Kiratis, which he found to be too complicated to resolve himself. And, the Kiratis loved him.

The Kiratis were very fond of their King, Yellung Hang.

According to Kirati folklore, one day the Pancha-Kirat decided to install a statue of Yellung Hang so that they may never be left without their Hang. Although his absence from Kathmandu during his journeys to Paru was never unduly long, they feared their King may one day decide not to return to the mortal world at all. That is the reason the sculptor is known to have left the feet of the statue incomplete to prevent him from walking away from their midst.