Inscriptions

The rich inscription heritage of Kathmandu Valley dates back to the 2nd century CE. Up to the present day, inscriptions are omnipresent in Nepal’s religious and public life. Written artefacts in Sanskrit, Newari and Nepali language recording grants, donations or the establishment of trusts and ritual traditions are found on temples, shrines, wells and rest houses alike. In the form of paper copies that verify property titles and revenue entitlements inscriptions also entered the archival records. Therefore, inscriptions not only serve as a link between tangible and intangible cultural heritage, monuments and archives, but also reflect changing documentary practices in Nepal’s administrative culture. Besides material microfilmed by the NGMPP, the present collection includes inscriptions documented and published in collaboration with the pilot project “Anthropology of Inscriptions: Memory and Cultural Heritage in the Public Sphere” (HCTS/Flagship Initiative "Transforming Cultural Heritage") and the Nepal Heritage Documentation Project (NHDP).

NHDP_0001_0113: A stone block inscription at Su Bahāḥ in Lalitpur re the installation of an idol of Mañjuvajra (NS 644)

PN_0004_0062: A copperplate inscription recording a land endowment by Bhīma Malla for feeding foreign Brahmins and ascetics and for worshipping Paśupatinātha (NS 760)

NHDP_0001_0138: A stone inscription installed by King Śrīnivāsa Malla at Taḥ Bāhāḥ regarding rules for the chariot procession and other activities of Buṅgadyaḥ (NS 793)

NHDP_0001_0141: A votive inscription by Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā recording his donation of the present pinnacle for the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot (ŚS 1772)

NHDP_0001_0011: A stone slab inscription at Buinā Gaṇeśa in Lalitpur re the donation of a finial by Vīra Sāhi Kumharaju (NS 801)

NHDP_0001_0108: A stone slab inscription at Su Bāhāḥ in Lalitpur re Dhanajyoti and his wife Rukamanī’s installation of a Lokeśvara idol at a phalcā (NS 820)

NHDP_0001_0109: A copperplate inscription at Subāhāḥ in Lalitpur recording a donation of two windows by Buddharāja, Munivaṃśa and Mahājyoti for the esoteric shrine (NS 842)

NHDP_0001_0026: A stone slab inscription at Si Bāhāḥ, Khāchẽ Ṭola, Lalitpur re the enforcement of regulations for saṅgha members by Dharma Siṃhaju (NS 820)

NHDP_0001_0151: A votive inscription on a gilt copper flag recording the flag's donation by King Vīra Mahendra Malla and Queen Regent Rājyeśvarī (NS 831)

NHDP_0001_0152: A votive inscription on a gilt copper flag recording the flag's donation by King Vīra Mahendra Malla and Queen Regent Rājyeśvarī (NS 831)

NHDP_0001_0153: A votive inscription on a gilt copper flag recording the flag's donation by King Vīra Mahendra Malla and Queen Regent Rājyeśvarī (NS 831)

NHDP_0001_0154: A votive inscription on a gilt copper flag recording the flag's donation by King Vīra Mahendra Malla and Queen Regent Rājyeśvarī (NS 831)

NHDP_0001_0114: A copperplate inscription at Su Bāḥāḥ in Lalitpur re the offering of various items by Ruhiṃju and Sirisiṃju (NS 853)

NHDP_0001_0010: A stele inscription at Triliṅgeśvara Mahādeva Mandira in Bahālukhā, Lalitpur re the establishment of a guṭhī by Amara Girī Gosāīṃ (NS 863)

PN_0002_0002: A copperplate inscription recording the offering of two slave girls by Bālakṛṣṇa Upādhyā to serve at Paśupatinātha (ŚS 1695)

NHDP_0001_0136: A stone slab inscription at Seto Gaṇeśa Guṭhī Capāḥchẽ in Lalitpur re the construction of a three-bay phalcā and the installation of three idols by Lalita Siṃha Bhāro (NS 877)

NHDP_0001_0112: A stone slab inscription at Su Bāhāḥ in Lalitpur re the renovation of a phalcā by Kāsirāma Bhābo and others (NS 878)

NHDP_0001_0033: A stone slab inscription at Tāpāhiti Gaṇeśa in Lalitpur re the replacement of the old Gaṇeśa idol with a new one by Kṛṣṇa Siṃha Bhāro (NS 907)

NHDP_0001_0156: A votive inscription on the backside of a moon image placed on top of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot recording its donation by Dhiṃnara Noko and a clan of Deobhājus (NS 965)

NHDP_0001_0147: An inscription recording the manufacture of a silver pot for the bathing ceremony of Buṅgadyaḥ (NS 971)

NHDP_0001_0146: An inscription recording the production of five silver plates for the daśakarma of Buṅgadyaḥ (VS 1886)

NHDP_0001_0168: A votive inscription on a canopy for the sanctum of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot recording its donation by the residents from the vicinity of the Khācoche caitya (NS 989)

NHDP_0001_0140: A votive inscription by Harṣa Narasiṃha on the tympanum (prabhā) to be annually installed inside the sanctum of the Bungadyaḥ chariot [NS 990]

NHDP_0001_0158: An inscription, composed by Hemarāja Śākya and affixed to the right-hand side railling of the balcony of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot, recording the history of donations for the various parts of the sanctum of the chariot (NS 1111)

NHDP_0001_0143: A votive inscription on the pinnacle of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot by Padma Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā recording the replacement of earlier donations of his father's (ŚS 1801)

K_0120_0020: A copy of a copperplate recording the donation of land by King Gīrvāṇayuddha's mother for the worship of Mahāmāyā at Gorkha (VS 1856)

PN_0002_0030: A copperplate inscription by Buddhirekhā Godārni recording a variety of implements offered to Paśupati and the emancipation of a slave (VS 1863)

PN_0004_0065: A copperplate inscription recording the emancipation of three women from slavery by Sundara Giri and his wife (VS 1869)

PN_0004_0060: A copper plate inscription of an order by King Rājendra to the Bhaṭṭa priests and other officials regulating entry into the Paśupatinātha temple (VS 1885)

PD_0001_0001: A stone inscription in Vajrayoginī Sankhu concerning the donation of a lion statue by Torādhara Lāota Tejanārāṃ (NS 966)

PD_0001_0002: A stone inscription at the Vajravārāhī temple in Sankhu memorializing the establishment of a rest-house and a guṭhī by Vīra Bhāro (NS 967)

NHDP_0001_0091: A stone slab inscription at Śaṅkhadhara Bāhāḥ at Cvachẽ (Cyāsa), Patan re the establishment of Triratna Mahāvihāra (Śaṅkhadhara Bāhāḥ) and the consecration of a dharmadhātuvāgīśvaracaitya and a dharmadhātumaṇḍala by Śaṅkhadhara Prajāpati and his two wives (NS 988)

NHDP_0001_0110: An inscription on a vajradhātumaṇḍala at Subāhāḥ recording the endowment of it by Lakṣmīdhaṃ and his family (NS 1009)

NHDP_0001_0050: An inscription recording the construction of a Śākyamuni Buddha shrine by Dhaṃcā Thakuṃ and her family (NS 1024)

NHDP_0001_0137: A bell inscription at the Karuṇāmaya Mandira in Bungamati memorializing the offering of the bell by Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā (VS 1927)

NHDP_0001_0142: A votive inscription on the pinnacle of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot by Kīrti Bhakti Kumārī Devī and Ḍamvara Jaṅga Bahādūra Rāṇā recording the donation of a Vajrasattva idol (VS 1937)

NHDP_0001_0144: A votive inscription by Jitajaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā recording his donation of a flag for the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot (VS 1940)

NHDP_0001_0145: A votive inscription by C-in-C General Deva Śamśera recording his donation of gold and silver in the name of his deceased wife (VS 1952)

NHDP_0001_0149: An inscription on a silver flag recording its donation by C-in-C General Bhīma Śamśera and his wife (VS 1960)

NHDP_0001_0139: The inscription on the brahmakõ of Buṅgadyaḥ recording the vessel's initial donation by King Viṣṇu Malla and its replacement by Juddha Śamśera (VS 1990)

NHDP_0001_0148: An inscription on a silver jar recording the vessel's replacement by Juddha Śamśera (VS 1990)

NHDP_0001_0069: A tablet inscription at the Kvayanā Sataḥ in Chobhar memorializing its renovation by Nārāṃ Govindadāsa (VS 1996)

NHDP_0001_0150: An inscription on a copper cover for the main beam of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot recording the year of the cover's commission and details of its manufacture (VS 1996)

NHDP_0001_0001: A stele inscription at the Karuṇāmaya Mandira in Bungamati commemorating a bhajana for Kṛṣṇa performed by Guru Kavi Prasāda Gautama (VS 2008)

NHDP_0001_0157: A votive inscription on the front side of an image of sun and moon placed on top of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot recording its donation by Daśa Nārā and his family (VS 2008)

NHDP_0001_0155: A votive inscription on the backside of the Hayagrīva-Bhairava mask of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot by Samīrarāja Śākya (NS 1132)

NHDP_0001_0159: A votive inscription on the lip of a ritual tray recording its donation to Buṅgadyaḥ by a group of devotional singers (VS 2018)

NHDP_0001_0161: A votive inscription on a gilt copper flag recording the flag's donation by a group of anonymous individuals (VS 2029)

NHDP_0001_0166: A votive inscription on the front side of a silver copy of a representation of the sun on top of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot recording its donation by Kularatna et al. [VS 2008]

NHDP_0001_0163: A votive inscription installed on the railing of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot recording Sundaralāla Khaḍgī's and Gītādevī's donation for the luthāma (VS 2047)

NHDP_0001_0164: A votive inscription affixed to the sill of the door to the sanctum of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot recording Sundaralāla Khaḍgī's donation for the luthāma (VS 2047)

NHDP_0001_0160: A votive inscription on the rim of a ritual tray recording the donation of silver and gold to Buṅgadyaḥ for its restoration by a group of devotional singers (VS 2070)

NHDP_0001_0162: A votive inscription on a gilt copper flag recording the flag's donation by a Maharjana family (VS 2070)

NHDP_0001_0165: A votive inscription engraved on a metal flung hung on the front part of the Buṅgadyaḥ chariot recording the object's donation by an Ācārya family (VS 2072)

Inscriptions from Vaṃ Bāhāḥ, Patan

PCVAM_0001_0001: A copperplate inscription the recording roofing of Vaṃ Bāhā's main shrine and the offering of Buddha statues to a caitya (NS 716)

PCVAM_0001_0002: An inscription recording the offering of the tympanum and a religious song by a group of eight persons (NS 754)

PCVAM_0001_0003: A stone inscription recording the construction of the shrine and donations made to Sūrya Varṇa Mahāvihāra by Bhāsiṃdeva and other members of the bāhāḥ (NS 778)

PCVAM_0001_0004: A stone inscription commemorating the donation of banner paintings and a gilded umbrella by Narasiṃha Bhāro to the main deity of Vaṃ Bāhāḥ (NS 798)

PCVAM_0001_0005: An inscription spanning six struts installed by Ciṃtāmani Vajrācārya and others at Vaṃ Bāhāḥ (NS 800)

PCVAM_0001_0006: A stone inscription commemorating the preparing of a banner painting, the creation of a Gaṇeśa idol, and the establishment of a guṭhī by Cintāmaṇi Vajrācārya and his associates (NS 803)

PCVAM_0001_0007: A stone inscription documenting the donation of the digiche to the western side of Vaṃ Bāhāḥ, led by Devaratha (NS 820)

PCVAM_0001_0008: A stone inscription recording the establishing of a caitya in honour of the deceased Devajoti by his sons and wife (NS 847)

PCVAM_0001_0009: A stone inscription recording the paving of Vaṃ Bāhāḥ using oiled bricks, overseen by Amittajoti, alongside his wife and other family members (NS 848)

PCVAM_0001_0010: A stone inscription recording the paving of the floors of digicheṃ in Vaṃ Bāhāḥ, the establishment of a caitya, dharmadhātu maṇḍalā and Vajrayoginī idol by Amṛtajyoti Vajrācārya and his wife, and the donation of land for annual rituals (NS 848)

PCVAM_0001_0011: A stone inscription recording donation of a caitya by Kṛṣṇamuni and his grandmother Jñānadharī in honor of his late father Dharmadeva, and the offering of a golden idol in memory of his late uncle (NS 854)