Was Nepal A Part Of India? A Journey Into History

Nepal is a country with rich historical background that dates back to the Gorkha Empire. This “landlocked” country is positioned between India and Tibet (Autonomous Region of China). But it’s quite difficult to tell whether Nepal was a part of China or India. 

Nepal is among the countries in the Indian subcontinent. And it was founded by King Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Gorkhali monarch, in 1768. What’s much more fascinating is that he did this by the unification of Nepal city-states. This monarchy system of government lasted for about 240 years before it was abolished in 2008. After that, Nepal became a democratic system of government.

Also, a close look at the distances between these two countries from Nepal shed more light on our topic. Tibet of China is closer to Nepal than India was. It takes a distance of about 492km from Tibet to Nepal, while the distance between Nepal and India border is roughly 1880km.

Now, the question tons of people have been asking.  

Was Nepal a part of India?

Nepal and India share a lot. Some of their similarities include religious beliefs. Over 80% of Nepalese practice Hinduism. Also, there’s a similarity in their economic tie, which is evident in their currency names, the “rupee.”

The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is a landlocked country located in South Asia. India bounds it to the south, east, west, and China to the north.

Furthermore, a brief history of Nepal shows that it was never a colony of India or any country. Nepal was only a kingdom on the Indian subcontinent, just like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and India.

The 1923 Nepal-Britain treaty signed on 21st December same year recognized Nepal as an independent and sovereign state by Great Britain. The treaty was enacted into the League of Nations (which will later be succeeded by the united nation UN).

In addition, due to age-long conflicts between these two countries, a treaty got established. The 1950 Indo-Nepal treaty of peace and friendship opened a new page for bilateral relations between the two countries. There is equity and fairness in terms of educational and economic opportunities. 

Therefore, in reality, there was never a time Nepal was part of India. 

Continue reading for more insight on this topic!

Fallacy About Nepal Being Part Of China

We cannot just shove aside the historical connection of China and Nepal. Nepal is a multi-linguistic, multicultural, and multi-religious country. Nepal and Tibet of China both share some similarities. Additionally, they practice Buddhism, have similar cultural practices, and spoke similar dialects.

There has been a long battle for dominance between these two nations. The Sino-Nepalese war of 1788-1792 was characterized by the invasion of Tibet by Nepal over the trade dispute. Tibet defeated Nepal with the assistance of the Qing forces. Nepal was forced to sign a treaty and paid tribute to China.

After that, more conflicts emerged between these two countries, and treaties were signed to resolve the conflicts, giving both parties a win-win scenario.

Nepal Socio-Demographic

Nepal’s demographic data shows its affinity to India and can even suggest India’s part. These data can be evidenced in her major spoken language, Nepali, which evolved from the Indo-Aryan, a popular language with the Indians.

The population of Nepal is estimated to be over 30 million at the time of writing. Majority of her population practice Hinduism (over 80%), a religion that is only common to India. 9% of her population practice Buddhism. Other religions share the other small fraction.

In addition, there are over a million Nepalese living in India, which account for about 33.3% of her entire population.

Geographical Location Of Nepal

The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is a landlocked area of 147,516km2 (56,956 sq. mi). It is about 800km (500mi) in length and 200km (120mi) wide. Her shape is roughly trapezoidal. Nepal is home to fertile plains, hills, and one of the eight tallest mountains in the world. Mount Everest peaks at the height of 8,848.86m (29,032ft), making it the tallest in the world.

Climatic Factors

Nepal enjoys a varied climate due to its altitude and latitudinal position. In the mountainous and hilly regions, the temperature read as low as zero. Nepal enjoys five main seasons: summer, winter, spring, monsoon, and autumn. Agriculture is their primary means of livelihood.

Some interesting facts about the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

There are some mouth-watering facts about Nepal you did not know. 

  • Nepal flag is the only flag in the world shaped like two triangles against the conventional quadrilateral shape.
  • Just like India, Namaste is the normal way of greeting in Nepal.
  • Nepal is the only country to have a 45 minutes time zone.
  • Nepal is the only country never colonized by foreigners due to its difficult terrain and accessibility.
  • Nepal is the home to the legend snowman “Yeti,” the bipedal ape giant.
  • The cow is considered sacred, and it’s illegal to slaughter. 
  • Nepal has always been regarded as the roof or ceiling of the world because of the eight high mountains, including Mount Everest it houses.
  • Lord Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal, in 623 BC. Lumbini was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1997
  • Also, it will interest you to know that the Nepal brave Gurkha soldiers have been recruited into the royal British Army since 1815

Conclusion

The topic “was Nepal a part of India” has stood out as a debatable topic for decades. Some scholar believes it was under India at a time while others argue it was under china. But the Nepal-Britain treaty declares Nepal an Independent and sovereign State.

Lastly, it is imperative to note that culturally and religiously, Nepal has been alienated from India than China.

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