page_title: Nepal Bhasa movement
hierarchical_section_title: Nepal Bhasa movement
caption_attribution_description: English: Demonstrators demanding linguistic rights unfurl banners with slogans on the steps of a temple in Kathmandu Durbar Square.
context_page_description: Nepal Bhasa movement refers to the struggle for linguistic rights by Newar speakers in Nepal in the face of opposition from the government and hostile neighbors. The campaign aims to increase the use of Nepal Bhasa in the home, education, government and business. Despite a high level of development, Newar culture and language are both under threat.
  Newars have been fighting to save their language from the time of the repressive Rana regime till today, and activists have been jailed, exiled and tortured. Opponents have even petitioned the Supreme Court to have its use barred. The history of Nepal Bhasa since the late 18th century has been marked by constant struggle against state repression and a hostile environment.
  The movement arose against the suppression of the language by the state that began with the rise of the Shah dynasty in 1768 AD, and intensified during the Rana regime and Panchayat system. Moreover, hostility towards the language from neighbors grew following mass migration into the Kathmandu Valley, leading to the indigenous Newars becoming a minority in their homeland.
context_section_description: Nepal Bhasa movement (Newar: नेपालभाषा आन्दोलन) refers to the struggle for linguistic rights by Newar speakers in Nepal in the face of opposition from the government and hostile neighbors. The campaign aims to increase the use of Nepal Bhasa in the home, education, government and business. Despite a high level of development, Newar culture and language are both under threat.
  Newars have been fighting to save their language from the time of the repressive Rana regime till today, and activists have been jailed, exiled and tortured. Opponents have even petitioned the Supreme Court to have its use barred. The history of Nepal Bhasa since the late 18th century has been marked by constant struggle against state repression and a hostile environment.
  The movement arose against the suppression of the language by the state that began with the rise of the Shah dynasty in 1768 AD, and intensified during the Rana regime (1846-1951) and Panchayat system (1960-1990). Moreover, hostility towards the language from neighbors grew following mass migration into the Kathmandu Valley, leading to the indigenous Newars becoming a minority in their homeland. During the period 1952 to 1991, the percentage of the valley population speaking Nepal Bhasa dropped from 74.95% to 43.93%. The language has been listed as being "definitely endangered" by UNESCO.
  The language movement can be divided into the following eras.
  Shah/Rana era
  First democratic era
  Panchayat era
  Second democratic era
  Loktantra era
caption: Protests are held at Kathmandu Durbar Square after the Supreme Court's verdict against Nepal Bhasa in June 1999.
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