The Coolidge examiner., 1937-03-11

TINE capital city of Nepal,
the sequestered kin 6 m
l. among the Himalayas north
of India, is curious mixture
of new and DID, 1t centers around
an immense parade ground, beau
tiful tWo-mile stretch of closely
cropped grass. Broadly speaking,
the old part of the city lies to the
west of this area, the new part to
the east
Before the Gurkha conquest in
1853, the predominant and ruling
race in Nepal was the NeWar. The
Newars are of Mongolian extraction
and emigrated into Nepal from Tib-
ct in prehistoric times. They are
responsible for the origin and devel-
opment of Nepalese art in all its
branches.
"Gurkha" is really a compre-
hensive term, embracing both the
foreign Rajputs and the indigenous
races of Nepal other than the Ne
war. 1t comes from the little state
of that name in western Nepal,
where the immigrant Rajputs from
the plains of India originally settled.
These Rajputs, ancestors of the
present rulers of the kingdom, fled
to the hills after the Moslem sack
of Chitor in 1903. Here they estab-
lished themselves, fiourished, and
gradually extended their territories.
1t was not until 1853, however, that
they finally effected the complete
conquest of Nepal.
Thenceforth the Rajputs held un-
disputed sway over this unique Him
alayan kingdom. Internally, their
activities have been directed not so
much towards artistic as towards
military advancement. Out of
total population of some $500, 900,
they have today an army of about
$4,000. In times of need they can,
with the aid of their well-trained
reserve force, raise as many as
10000 troops.
Gurkha Army Really Powerful.
The bulk of the soldiery is drawn
from the Gurung and Magyar tribes.
Among these peoples are some of
the hardest fighting men in exist
ence. When, therefore, they are
,o1ooo1 ,,o5ar D air,,t 1aoJarc 4ba
descendants of an ancient race,
world-famous for its deeds of cour-
age and chivalry on the battlefield,
the power of this mighty Gurkha
army is formidable indeed.
In Katmandu, the artistic spirit
of the NeWars and the martial spir-
it of the modern rulers mingle. To
the west of the vast parade ground
lies the old town with its palaces
and temples, its tall houses and
narrow streets. In the Durbar
square, that essential feature of all
NeWar cities, the principal build
ings are grouped in a rich profusion
of pagoda roofs, painted wood,
chiseled stone and shining metal.
At one side stands the imposing
palace of the former kings, built
around spacious courtyard. Close
by it, raised on a high step plinth,
towers the lofty temple of Taleju,
the household goddess of the royal
family. All around are temples and
shrines and tall, slender pillars
bearing bronze statues of kings and
religious personalities.
The buildings in the indigenous
"pagoda" style are of dull-red brick
with tiled roofs supported by in
tricately carved wooden struts. The
doors, too, are of wood and the lin
tells are invariably extended into the
brickwork, where they form bold
and effective designs. The wood
work is usually painted in bright
colors and the roofs are sometimes
covered with sheets of beaten brass,
dazzling in the brilliant sun.
Lost in this maze of the old Ne
war Splendor stands the modern
Hanuman Dokha, large white
building containing huge audience
halls and staterooms used for i'm
portant ceremonies. To this palace,
during a durbar, the scarlet lancers
of Nepal come clattering through
the cobbled streets of Katmandu.
Modern City Quite Practical.
Beyond the lovely Newar city,
grouped around a huge park and
stretching away to the east, lies
modern Katmandu, the creation of
the Gurkhas. Here are no roman
tic pagodas rising golden tier upon
golden tier towards an azure Heav-
en-, but severely practical barracks,
schools, colleges, hospitals, and
prisons built in the European
style" Here, too, are the immense
modern" palaces of the king, the
Maharaja and the chief mobiles, de-