

ee a ee OY a: Ce ore 
~ 
1923.] An Essay on the History of Newar Culture. 471 
well as the Mongolian features of the Newars agree with such an 
account of a first immigration from the north. They do not 
support the story of the Newars being derived from the Nayar 
soldiers of Nanyadeva of Karnata, said to have invaded Nepal in 
the eleventh centur 
After the seat of Mafjusri follow a large number of con- 
fused accounts, al! however pointing to influence or immigra- 
tion from India. The accounts become a little more definite 
with the conquest of Nepal by Kiratas of the eastern mountains. 
They are succeeded by Goala Kings and these again by Abhiras 
from the plains. The Kiratas, however, impose ‘their rule again 
on the country and are driven out only by the Somavamsi (lunar 
race) princes from India who make themselves masters of Nepal. 
The Somavamsis are soon replaced by another dynasty, the 
Stryavamsis (solar race), claiming descent from Lichchhavis. 
The Brahmanic onslaught on Buddhism in Nepal is said ta 
have taken place under the rule of this dynasty. 
The solar race was succeeded in the seventh century A.D. by 
a Thakuri (royal Rajput) dynasty, various branches of which 
ruled in Nepal until the invasion of the Simhas. About 1524, 
Harisimhadeva, a ruler of Tirhout, said to be descended from 
Nanyadeva already mentioned, invaded and conquered Nepal. 
Shortly after, however, a Hindu Newar dynasty of the name 
of Malla is found reigning in the country. This dynasty 
continued with pod lbees fortunes until 1768 when Nepal was 
conquered by Gurkhas 
Lévi ancnben the enn of Newar aeons to Indian 
influence. The light of religion, according to him, came un- 
doubtedly through the Buddhist ee who discreetly 
adapted their creed to suit the ruder people of Nepal. Before 
however their labours had borne fruit, the forces of Brahmanism 
burst in and largely destroyed their work According to tra- 
dition this wogey apt on Buddhism was led, as in India, by 
Sankara charva; he crushed the Buddhist, lay and clergy, 
massacring some, forcibly converting others, and compelling 
the celibate monks to ma 
, however, saat ‘that the lapse ot the monks — 
eelibagy was due, not so much to the oppression of Brahm 
as to the decadence of Buddhism itself. He has caeweid 
his view with evidence from Kashmir as well as Nepal.* In 
addition, he formulates on these sme a hypothesis of the 
origin of the Newar social organisatio 
His view is that the married aie ergy, still living in their 
ancient convents, did not find their traditional i onlin 
' Summarised from Wright’s and Lévi's History of Nepal 
? Lévi: ibid.. Vol. TE, 6.298. a 
3 Tobe more precise a hes elaborated a poperetion of Oldfield. See 
Oldfield. ibid., Vol. II, Chap. 1X 
